Filing opens Tuesday for county office

Sunday, February 24, 2002

BENTON - Candidates for countywide offices will have their first opportunity to officially signal their election intentions on Feb. 26. But there will be no lines forming early with candidates hoping to be the first on the ballot, Scott, Mississippi and New Madrid counties are all using a lottery format to place the names on their ballots of those who file Tuesday.

Filing will continue until March 26 for four-year terms in offices currently held by Associate Circuit Division 4 Judge Hense Winchester, Associate Circuit Division 5 Judge David Mann, Scott County Presiding Commissioner Martin Priggel, Circuit Clerk Pam Glasstetter; County Clerk Rita Milam, Prosecuting Attorney Cristie Baker-Neel, Recorder Tom Dirnberger and Collector Mark Hensley.

For the first time, Mississippi County voters will elect a county recorder, a job previously part of the duties of the circuit clerk.

In addition to filling this four-year term, the offices now filled by Presiding Commissioner Jim Blumenberg, Circuit Clerk Karen Turley, County Clerk Hubert DeLay Jr., Collector Faye Elliott, Treasurer Sandra Smoot, Prosecuting Attorney Jennifer B. Raffety and Associate Judge Lynn Brown will also be up for election.

In New Madrid County, officials whose terms expire this year include Associate Circuit Judge Charles Spitler, Presiding Commissioner Clyde Hawes, Circuit Clerk Marsha Holiman, County Clerk Jim W. Farrenburg, Prosecuting Attorney H. Riley Bock, Recorder Ben Ashley, Auditor Brian Mauk and Collector Dewayne Nowlin.

New Madrid County Treasurer Tom Bradley's office will also be filled this year for a two-year term. The two-year term election became necessary, according to Farrenburg, due to a state law which requires the county's auditor and treasurer not to be elected on the same election cycle.

Also the Democrat and Republican parties will elect a committeeman and a committeewoman from the townships in the three counties.

The primary election is scheduled for Aug. 6 with the general election slated for Nov. 5.

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