By Amanda Lubinski
General Manager

Voters in Grundy County and around the state decided the fate of several constitutional amendments on election night, Tuesday, Aug. 4, and helped decide who would go onto to the general election in November to ultimately represent them in state and federal offices.

Key issues included Amendment 4, which would have made it harder to change the Missouri Constitution through the initiative petition process, and Amendment 5, which would potentially have expanded sales and use taxes to get rid of the state’s income tax.

Voters across the state, including the majority of votes cast in Grundy County, said “no” to Amendment 4. According to uncertified state election results, of the nearly 1.4 million votes cast, more than 80% shot down the measure. Of those total votes, 2,354 were cast in Grundy County, with nearly 86% of those against the measure.

Voters also said “no” to Amendment 5 with 83% of the nearly 1.4 million votes against. In Grundy County, the amendment failed at 89% with 2,100 of the 2,350 cast against.

Voters in Grundy County also voted in lockstep with the rest of the state with passage of Amendments 1 and 2. Amendment 1 renewed the existing sales and use tax of 0.1% for 10 years for state parks and conservation efforts funding. Amendment 2 requires all charter counties to elect county assessors. In Grundy County, Amendment 1 passed with 67% of votes saying “yes” while Amendment 2 “yes” votes accounted for 67% of those cast.

Federal & state offices

According to uncertified returns from the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office, Republican voters in U.S. House District 6 of Missouri, which includes Grundy County, choose Rick Brattin as their nominee for the November general election. He will face Democrat Josh Smead.

In state Senate District 12, both Rusty Black, (R), and Judy McNeece, (D), ran unopposed on their party’s tickets and will move on to face each other in the general election.

In state House District 2, voters selected Phil Fox as their nominee while Democrat Casey Scott and Libertarian Shelby Dreier both ran unopposed on their parties’ tickets. The three will face off for election to the seat in November

For state auditor, Republicans chose Scott Fitzpatrick, who will face the Democrat’s choice in Quentin Wilson and Libertarian Dustin Coffell in November. Coffell ran unopposed on his party’s ticket.