County News

Missourians prepare for Missouri Caucuses.

In 2022, Missouri repealed the presidential primary and now Missourians will partake in caucuses. Each political party will prepare in selecting their national convention delegates.

Missouri voters will have their turn in March, when Republicans meet for their caucus on March 2nd and Democrats participate in a primary on March 23rd. Libertarian party meets on February 24th.

You can find more information with our Secretary of State’s office: https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/candidates/contact-parties

Local Political Subdivisions prepare for the Municipal Elections to be held on April 2, 2024.

First day to file for Municipal Elections began Tuesday December 5, 2023 and last day for a candidate to file is December 26, 2023. Final certification for the Municipal Elections is January 23, 2024.

Notice of Offices for Which Candidates are to be Nominated at the August 6, 2024 Primary Election

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to persons wishing to file a declaration of candidacy to appear as a candidate for nomination at the primary election that filing will open on Tuesday, February 27, 2024 at 8:00 a.m. and will continue until Tuesday, March 26, 2024 at 5:00 p.m.

Filing for the following offices will take place in the office of the Honorable John R. Ashcroft, Missouri Secretary of State, in the James C. Kirkpatrick State Information Center at 600 West Main Street in Jefferson City, Missouri:

U.S. Senator
Governor
Lieutenant Governor
Secretary of State
State Treasurer
Attorney General
Representative in Congress 7th Congressional District
State Senator for 29th district
House of Representatives159th District
Circuit Judge No. 40, Division 1
Circuit Judge No. 40, Division 2

FURTHER NOTICE IS GIVEN that filing for the following offices will take place in the office of Kimberly Bell, County Clerk, McDonald County, Pineville, Missouri.

Eastern County Commissioner
Western County Commissioner
Sheriff
Assessor
Public Administrator
Coroner
Surveyor
Central Committeeman
Central Committeewoman

In addition, such offices as become vacant by expiration of term, by death or resignation of incumbent or vacant for any cause, and which under the law, should be filled at the general election to be held November 5, 2024.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON REGISTRATION AND VOTING:

Persons may contact their local election authority by telephone at 417-223-7530 or by mail at County Clerk, P.O. Box 665, Pineville, MO  64856 or by email mcdonald@sos.mo.gov

The Missouri Secretary of State’s office provides a toll free number for persons with hearing impairments who have access to a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD). TDD users may call 800-669-8683 to obtain information on voter registration, polling place location and accessibility, absentee balloting, and other election-related services available in their local jurisdictions and from the State of Missouri.

CERTIFICATION OF ELECTION OFFICIALS

Given under my hand and official seal at the Capitol in the City of Jefferson, State of Missouri, this 18th day of December, A.D., 2023.

SS

John R. Ashcroft

Secretary of State

I, Kimberly Bell, County Clerk within and for the county of McDonald, do hereby certify that the above and foregoing is a true and correct list as certified to me by John R. Ashcroft, Secretary of State, State of Missouri, of the offices for which candidates are to be nominated or elected at the PRIMARY ELECTION to be held August 6, 2024.

SS

Kimberly Bell
County Clerk

Recreational marijuana use sales tax passes on the April Ballot.

McDonald County Commission let the voters decide whether the county should collect a 3% sales tax
on purchases of recreational marijuana within the county.

When voters approved Amendment 3 in November of 2022 legalizing the sale of marijuana in Missouri, they also approved a provision within that Amendment allowing governing bodies to impose a sales tax on the retail sale of adult use marijuana. However, county governments must take the extra step of holding an election before collecting the tax. The issue was held on the ballot April 4, 2023.

The sales tax would apply only to the retail sales of adult recreational use marijuana within McDonald County.

Ballot language read as: “Shall McDonald County, Missouri impose a countywide sales tax of three percent (3%) on all tangible personal property retail sales of adult use marijuana sold in McDonald County, Missouri?”

McDonald County voters passed the issue.

Official returns of the April 2023 election, for McDonald County are as follows:

County Sales Tax on Adult Use Marijuana:

YES – 714

NO – 300