Buchanan County Commissioner race headed to recount

By Chris Fortune

The razor-thin race for the Buchanan County Western District Commissioner is heading for a recount after the election became certified on Friday.

Updated results from the county clerk’s office website show Democratic incumbent Ron Hook keeping his seat with a narrow 23-vote lead over Republican challenger Everett Goddard Jr.

However, the statewide ballot issue of Amendment 2, which opens the door for sports betting in Missouri, has Buchanan County Clerk Mary Baack-Garvey preparing for two potential recounts.

Missouri voters approved Amendment 2 with “yes” votes defeating “no” ballots 50.1% to 49.9%, according to unofficial results from the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office.

“It was within 1%, but counties are still certifying like I did on Friday, which also entails counting any provisional ballots, so that margin could increase to past 1%,” Baack-Garvey said.

The statutes of Missouri give the right to a recount when contestants or ballot questions are decided by less than 1%.

If Amendment 2 heads to a recount, Baack-Garvey will lead Buchanan County’s recount of the issue and the commissioner race at the same time. As a result of the uncertainty, a recount for the commissioner race taking place this week is unlikely, she said.

“It just depends on what I hear from the state when (all counties are) certified, so it’s just a waiting game,” she said.

Baack-Garvey has been the County Clerk since 2011, and this is the first time she will ever conduct a recount.

“I have to do a little research, I’d have to assume, because it’s different on the state level as opposed to the county level — once again, uncharted waters,” she said. “Still waiting on some guidance from the secretary of state, so we’re just kind of in limbo until we hear news from them.”

Elected officials take office after the New Year, so the clerk’s office has time to wait for confirmation of whether an Amendment 2 recount will happen and to conduct it concurrently with the commissioner race’s review if necessary.