Boyd elected as prosecuting attorney
Scott County election results
BENTON - Scott County voters chose Paul R. Boyd over Frank Marshall for their first full-time prosecuting attorney in the county's only contested local race and shot down all proposals appearing on Tuesday's ballots.
The unofficial tallies showed Boyd with 2,186 votes, or 50.67 percent of the vote, to Marshall's 2,128 or 49.32 percent. Marshall did well in Sikeston and actually won in more precincts overall - 20 to Boyd's 11 - but big victories for Boyd in Scott City, Chaffee and Kelso were enough to decide the election.
No candidates filed for the position with other parties.
"I'm elated and exhausted," said Boyd after hearing the results. "I give credit to my family members and friends and to the people of Scott County who wanted good law enforcement."
Boyd said he had been concerned during his campaign that the name recognition factor from Marshall's two previous tries for the office would work against him. "I usually only get to meet the bad guys," said Boyd, referring to his duties as assistant prosecuting attorney for the county. "We're very proud that we ran a very positive campaign."
Boyd also noted that this is his second "first" for the county: "I was also the first full-term assistant prosecutor for the county back in 1996."
"I think that the voters have elected a very well-qualified prosecuting attorney who will continue with the progress that we have made so far, especially in the last three to four years," said Prosecuting Attorney Cristy Baker-Neel, who did not seek re-election. "I couldn't be happier. I'm still raising kids in this county, also."
Vote tallies for incumbent local officials running unopposed on Scott County's Democratic ticket and facing no opponents from other parties in November were as follows: Hense Winchester, Division 4 associate circuit judge, 3,234; David C. Mann, Division 5 associate circuit judge, 3,058; Martin Priggel, presiding county commissioner, 3,317; Pam Glastetter, circuit court clerk, 3,338; Rita Milam, county clerk, 3,410; Thomas R. Dirnberger, recorder, 3,363; Mark Hensley, collector, 3,406; and Glenda K. Enderle, treasurer, 3,160.
Running unopposed on the Republican ticket, incumbent Peter Myers received 1,033 Scott County votes for his position as 160th district state representative and incumbent Lanie Black brought in 272 for his 161st district seat.
Unopposed challenger on the Democratic ticket for the 160th district Donnie Kiefer received 2,489 in the county, and Wayne Petitt, sole Democrat on the primary ballot for the 161st district, received 728.
Incumbent Jean Carnahan received 2,898 votes from Scott County for her U.S. Senate seat on the Democratic ballot with challenger Darrel D. Day receiving 1,313.
In the Republican U.S. Senate primary, Jim Talent was the big winner with just over 93 percent of the Scott County votes at 1,371. His closest competitor, Joseph A. May, only received 45 votes followed by Doris Bass Landfather with 32, Scott Craig Babbitt with 15, and Martin Lindstedt with 11 votes.
Scott County Libertarians picked Edward Joseph Manley III over Tamara A. Millay 14 to 4 for their U.S. Senate candidate.
Incumbent Jo Ann Emerson netted just over 88 percent of Scott County votes for her U.S. representative 8th district seat beating challenger Richard Allen Kline 1,329 to 176 in the Republican primary. Democratic candidate Gene Curtis, unopposed in the primary, received 2,989 votes in the county, and Libertarian Eric Van Oostrom, also unopposed, received 14 votes.
Incumbent Claire McCaskill, unopposed on the Democratic ticket for state auditor, brought in 3,091 from Scott County. Arnold J. Trembley got 14 votes in his unopposed bid to appear on the November ballot for the Libertarians, and Republicans choose Al Hanson over Jay L. Kanzler Jr. 805 to 357.
Almost 69 percent of voters in the county cast votes against Proposition A, which sought to add a 50-cent E-911 tax to wireless phones. Final unofficial tallies in the county were 1,804 for the tax and 4,008 against it.
Proposition B, to increase taxes for highways and transportation, was also soundly defeated in the county 1,156 to 4,766 with over 80 percent voting against it.
Locally, a plan to permit a portion of the Miner's Tourism Tax money to be diverted to the general revenue and capital improvement funds was narrowly defeated there 103-79.
Scott City voted down their proposed capital improvement sales tax with 449 votes against it and only 229 for it.