Campaign season kicks off in Missouri as candidate filing gets underway
By Cameron Montemayor
Campaign season is now in full swing in the Show Me State as Tuesday marked the opening for candidates to file for county and statewide offices in advance of the Aug. 6 primary election and Nov. 5 general election.
To this point, all six races in Buchanan County have a single candidate who has filed for office, all of them incumbents. Those looking to join the race have until March 26 at 5 p.m. to file for the Aug. 6 primary election.
Eastern District Commissioner Scott Burnham, a Republican, and longtime Western District Commissioner Ron Hook, a Democrat, are currently in the running once again for their respective districts. Burnham is seeking his second term, while Hook was elected by voters back in 2009.
Incumbent Republican Dean Wilson is throwing his hat into the ring once again for a second term as Buchanan County Assessor.
Republican Bill Puett has filed for reelection after announcing his candidacy for a third term as Buchanan County Sheriff.
David Gall will vie for a second term as Buchanan County Treasurer after being appointed by Missouri Gov. Mike Parson in June of 2020 and later defeating Democrat John Nash that November.
Anyone with additional questions should contact the Buchanan County Clerk’s Office at 816 271-1462 or the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office at 573 751-4936.
Circuit Court
Filings for Circuit Court 5 have Republican Kate Schaefer seeking a second term in office for Division 1, while Democrat Daniel Kellogg is the only candidate in the running thus far for Division 4.
Division 3 will see one of the few local primary races between Republican and current Andrew County Prosecuting Attorney Monica Morrey going up against Terry White, a Buchanan County Drug Strike Force officer and former part-time prosecutor in Nodaway County. The winner will look to replace the retiring Judge Patrick K. Robb.
Missouri House of Representatives
In other Missouri House races, current District 10 representative and former St. Joseph mayor Bill Falkner, a Republican, and Democrat Andrew Gibson have joined the race for District 10, which covers Buchanan County. Republican incumbent Brenda Shields is the only filer so far for District 11.
In District 13, which covers parts of Buchanan and Platte counties, incumbent Sean Pouche, a Republican, and Democrat Andrea Denning have joined the running in their respective parties.
Incumbent District 9 Rep. Dean VanSchoiack is the lone candidate to file for his district thus far.
Seeking his 13th term in office, U.S. Rep Sam Graves will campaign against fellow Republicans Freddie Griffin Jr. of Hamilton, Missouri, and Brandon Kleinmeyer of Kansas City in the Republican primary.
