2024 Up-to-Date Election Information

By: Tara Blue
2024 is an election year with several opportunities to make your values heard on a local, state, and federal level. Here is your “good-to-know” information about upcoming elections:

Local Elections

Local municipal elections will be held on April 2nd. This election includes Municipalities, Boards of Education, Alderman, Bonds, & City Council. The elected positions expiring this year in Ashland are Loren Plank (Ward I), Melissa Old (Ward II), Rick Lewis (Ward III), and Mayor Dorise Slinker.

The candidates who filed for the elected positions in Ashland are Kristen Colbert (Ward II), Rick Lewis (Ward III), Loren Plank for Mayor, and Dorise Slinker for Mayor. The Ward I expiring position did not have an applicant. The city encourages anyone who is interested in serving on a board or commission to call them at 573-657-2091 or visit their website for more information.

There are two Southern Boone School District positions available in 2024, each with three-year terms. The two expiring seats are currently held by Tammra Aholt and Lyn Woolford. The candidates running for the positions are Heather Brown, Jeremy Galloway, and April Georgetti.

Allowable political signage in Southern Boone

The City of Ashland recently reminded the public of the city codes regarding acceptable political signage.

City code 9.537 says that signage should not exceed twenty (20) square feet in area, should not be erected sooner than sixty (60) days in advance of the election for which they were made, and should be removed within ten (10) days after the election for which they were made. The property owner upon whose land the sign is placed should give written permission for the placement of said signs and understands that s/he is responsible for violations.

The sign should be placed in a manner that does not obstruct the view of drivers to oncoming traffic and should not imitate traffic signs or signals. Signs may not be attached or placed adjacent to any utility pole, parking meter, traffic sign, signal, or official traffic control device, should not move, rotate or flash, should not be affixed to a motor vehicle used as a static display for advertising, and should not be placed on public property or a road right-of-way.

Mayor of Hartsburg Bill Molendorp says that Hartsburg has no restrictions on political signage.

Presidential primaries & caucuses

In March, voters can participate in the presidential candidate selection process which will look different than past election years. The Libertarians, Republicans, and Democrats will use their own unique process of selecting their respective presidential candidate and it will not be run by the Boone County Clerk’s office.

Last year, Gov. Mike Parson signed House Bill No. 1878 which eliminated the state-run presidential primary in Missouri and switched Missouri back to a caucus and party-run primary system. Lennon says the move to caucuses was supported by County Clerks due to the March and April elections being three weeks apart and by the Secretary of State’s Office to save money. This will be the first time in 20 years that the presidential preference process is conducted by caucus in Missouri.

Missouri Republicans will hold a caucus rather than a primary. A caucus is a closed meeting of a group of persons belonging to the same political party or faction usually to select delegates to represent the party’s selected presidential nominee or to decide on policy (Merriam-Webster). Lennon says caucuses are different than what people are used to, as “you meet as a group and you kind of hash things out. It’s a lot more visual so you’re physically voting with your feet by walking to the place that represents whatever the candidate is.” (KOMU)

Boone County Republicans will caucus on March 2, 2024 at the Family Worship Center at 4925 E. Bonne Femme Church Rd. in Columbia. Voters should arrive between 9:00-10:00 am, as the doors will close and the caucus will be called to order and begin promptly at 10:00 am. Any registered Boone County voter with a voter registration affiliation of Republican or Unaffiliated can participate.

According to the Missouri Republican State Committee Planning Memo, campaigns either supply volunteers or paid staffers to help herd supporters through the process. These “precinct captains” can make a pitch for their respective presidential campaign, and voters will then commit to the candidate they support, indicated by a show of hands or a gathering in groups around a preferred candidate.

The caucus will follow a “winner take all” procedure, meaning that if over half of the voters at the caucus (50% plus one) vote for a single candidate, all delegates and alternates selected will be bound to that candidate. Another scenario would be the plurality scenario, which means that if no candidate receives over 50% of voters, the slate will be elected proportionally. For more info., please contact Anthony Lupo with the Boone County Republican Central Committee at lupoa0313@gmail.com.

Boone County Democrats’ selection process includes mail-in voting and in-person voting. Mail-in ballots can be requested from the party between February 12, 2024 and March 12, 2024 and must be received by 10:00 am on March 23, 2024. On March 23, 2024, from 8am to 12pm, the party will host in-person voting at a location TBD. Any registered Boone County voter with a voter registration affiliation of Democratic or Unaffiliated can participate. For more info., please contact Lyra Noce with the Boone County Democratic Central Committee at boonecountydemocrats@gmail.com.

Voters that are interested in participating in the Missouri Libertarian Party selection process can participate in their State Convention on February 24, 2024. More info. is available on their website at
https://lpmo.org/.

To check your voter registration or for any other election information, visit the Boone County Clerk’s website here.