Callaway County welcomes new office holders

<p>Jenny Gray/FULTON SUN</p><p>Independent Nancy Elkthunder (left) and Sarah Gladman (R), were both candidates for Callaway County Collector. They debated in September, and Gladman won the seat on Tuesday.</p>

Jenny Gray/FULTON SUN

Independent Nancy Elkthunder (left) and Sarah Gladman (R), were both candidates for Callaway County Collector. They debated in September, and Gladman won the seat on Tuesday.

Most newly-elected officials will be sworn in later in December and take their seats (officially) Jan. 1, but new Callaway County Collector of Revenue, Sarah Gladman, will have to wait a few more months.

"The collector's doesn't switch over until March," Callaway County Clerk Denise Hubbard said.

Gladman said she's happy to have won and is ready to concentrate on her duties.

"The last eight months, I've been campaigning," she said.

The former collector resigned March 15 under a cloud of suspicion, and the office has been working with an appointee to get the job done.

"We were trying to do everyday things and work with the state auditor's office, too," Gladman said. "We've all been working very hard."

Next is getting a new software system installed, plus getting bills out for the next tax season.

"We hope to get the bills mailed next week," she said.

Gladman said all the campaigning was worth it.

"I'm honored to take on this role, and I feel good about it," she added.

Hubbard's last official day on the job is Dec. 31. The new clerk will be Ronda Lea Miller, Republican, who ran unopposed in Tuesday's election.

Besides the County Clerk position, other unopposed county races were won by Megan Morse, clerk of the Circuit Court; Christine Kleindienst, recorder of deeds; Christopher D. Wilson, prosecuting attorney; and Karen Rentschler, county auditor.

"State people typically start at the first of the year, too," Hubbard added.

Elkthunder ran as an independent, having decided to run after the date for primary filing had passed. She spoke Wednesday of the race in which Gladman received 11,272 votes and Elkthunder received 4,786.

"I am just going to continue with the job that I've got," Elkthunder said, adding she has no plans to ever run again. "I just thank everybody for their support."

In this General Election, 61.32 registered voters (17,289 people) participated. Callaway County has 28,197 eligible voters. In August, 7,068 people (25.32 percent) voted in the primary in Callaway County, and in April's municipal election, 11.46 percent voted (2,556 voters).

In the November 2016 General Election, there were 28,675 registered voters, and 67.87 percent (19,462) voted.

In November 2014, the last mid-term election, 28,204 Callaway County residents were eligible to vote, but just 11,030 ballots were cast - at 39.11 percent turnout.

From the state

Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft said Wednesday he expects the state board of canvassers to certify the Nov. 6 mid-term election results Nov. 30, pursuant to Section 115.511, RSMo. Results shown on the Office's Election Night Reporting site (enr.sos.mo.gov) are unofficial until certified by the board of canvassers.

Local election authorities will accept military and overseas ballots by mail until Friday, as provided in Section 115.920, RSMo. Any such ballots received by then will be counted and added to the official results reported by the local election authority to the Secretary of State.

Any constitutional amendments passed on Nov. 6 will become effective 30 days after the date of the election, which is Dec. 6. Any statutory amendments passed are effective upon approval, or on a date specified in amendment language.

According to unofficial results, statewide voter turnout was 57.9 percent.