Training scheduled for Aug. 4 Primary Election judges

Posted 7/15/20

HERMANN — Training is set   next week for polling place workers in the Aug. 4 Primary Election, which will be busier than the earlier two elections held in Gasconade County but not as busy …

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Training scheduled for Aug. 4 Primary Election judges

Posted

HERMANN — Training is set next week for polling place workers in the Aug. 4 Primary Election, which will be busier than the earlier two elections held in Gasconade County but not as busy as the November General Election. 

Gasconade County election officials are hoping the Primary Election poll workers will remain in place for the General Election because there might not be a training session held for the Nov. 3 balloting, says County Clerk Lesa Lietzow. 

“This could be the last training of the year,” Lietzow, the county’s chief elections official, told election judges in a mailing sent last week, “because as we approach the presidential election on Nov. 3, which is the busiest (election) for all of us, there might not be time.” 

Indeed, the County Clerks’ Office has been pressed to assemble a roster of election judges and conduct training more so this year because of the delays in balloting created by the coronavirus pandemic. After the March Presidential Primary Election, the April General Municipal Election was delayed until June, which gave the county clerk’s staff little time to prepare for the more extensive Aug. 4 Primary Election. 

In both Gasconade County and for the various offices to be filled in Missouri state government, there are few Primary Election races. Six of the seven Gasconade County government offices will be decided in the Aug. 4 voting. Only the Southern District Associate Commissioner seat campaign features a General Election race with incumbent Jerry D. Lairmore, R-Owensivlle, being challenged by Democrat Jerry Spurgeon of Owensville. 

The GOP primary features only two offices being contested — Shawn Mayberry and Scott Eiler in the race for sheriff and Kathy L. Meyer and Kelly Brehe Thomas, who are vying for the post of public administrator. Incumbent Public Administrator Fay Owsley is not seeking another term. 

Election judge training will be held in Owensville on Tuesday, July 21, from 9 a.m. to noon in the church hall of First Assembly of God, 302 N. Cuba Street, and in Hermann in Room 1 of the Gasconade County Courthouse on Friday, July 24, from 9 a.m. to noon and on Monday, July 27, from 1 to 4 p.m. 

Lietzow said election judges who wish to attend one of the training sessions should contact the County Clerk’s Office by Friday at 573-486-5427 or by email at gasconade@sos.mo.gov to register for one of the sessions. 

Along with the candidates, there is one ballot issue facing voters in Gasconade County and statewide: A proposed expansion of Medicaid. The ballot issue is the result of a successful initiative petition and is listed as Constitutional Amendment 2. If adopted, it would adopt Medicaid expansion for residents 19 to 64. 

The Missouri General Assembly has chosen not to expand Medicaid, which has resulted in the loss of a substantial amount of federal dollars aimed at boosting health care for uninsured low-income residents.

 Democrat election judges needed 

Election judges are needed on Aug. 4 to represent the Democrat party at three county polling precincts including Drake (county road shed), Hermann Ward 2 (R-1 administration building on the Highway 100 school campus), and Owensville’s Ward 2 (Parish Center at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church). 

If you are willing and able to work at one of these locations, call Lorrie Koelling in the Gasconade County Clerk’s Office at 573-486-5427.