According to the unofficial final report for this past primary election, there were 3,455 total ballots cast from Dent County voters. Of the 10,078 registered voters in the county, only 34.28% of voters came out to have their voices heard. Voters turned out to the primary election to determine party nominations to appear on the general election ballot in November; to determine who would represent them in several county offices; and to determine the answer to two ballot questions posed to the entire state.
Of the 3,455 total ballots received, 21 were non-partisan, or 0.61%; 3,137 were Republican party voters, or 90.80%; 289 were Democrat party voters, or 8.36%; and eight were Libertarian party voters, or 0.23%.
Several incumbents in local offices were ousted this year in favor of fresh new faces.
Second District Commissioner incumbent Gary Polk was contested by two candidates, Denver Ellis and Jimmy Williams, with Williams winning the seat. Polk received 485 votes, or 31.95%; Ellis received 349 votes, or 22.99%; and Williams received 684 votes, or 45.06%.
First District Commissioner incumbent Wes Mobray was contested by only one candidate, Keith Green, with Green winning the seat with 51.07% of the vote compared to Mobray’s 48.93%. Mobray received 731 votes, while Green received 763.
Assessor incumbent Jamie L. Homeyer also lost her seat, with opponent Alisa Brookshire receiving 53.28% of the vote, while Homeyer received 46.72%. Homeyer received 1,602 votes, and Homeyer received 1,405.
Sheriff Bob Wells was the only incumbent to defeat his opposition, winning 57.36% of the vote compared to opponent Michael Loveday with 42.64%. Wells received 1,762 votes, and Loveday received 1,310 votes.
Running unopposed in local offices this past primary, therefore keeping their seats for another term, included:
• Circuit Judge Circuit 42 Division 1’s Megan K. Seay
• Coroner Benjamin Pursifull
• Surveyor Michelle Elwood
• Public Administrator Sherida Cook
• Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson
Meanwhile, state representative for the 120th district is up for grabs—with two Republican candidates, John W. Hewkin and Lancer Blair, and one Democrat, Jen Tracy, running for the seat. Hewkin received the Republican nomination with 58.63% of the vote, while Blair received 41.37%. Hewkin received 1,668 votes and Blair received 1,177.
Tracy runs unopposed for the Democrat nomination and will be competing against the Republican’s nomination, Hewkin, in this November’s general election.
District 8 saw three candidates for the Republican party, two candidates for the Democrat party, and one candidate from the Libertarian party racing to win the seat for U.S. Representative.
Incumbent Congressman Jason Smith received the Republican nomination from Dent County, receiving 76.67% of the vote. James Snider received 5.01%, and Grant Heithold received 18.32%.
Competing for the Democrat nomination were candidates Randi McCallian and Franklin Delano Roth II, with McCallian winning the nomination in Dent County after receiving 72.39% of the vote, while Roth received 27.61%.
Libertarian party candidate Jake Dawson is running unopposed and will be racing for the seat alongside Smith and McCallian in November.
Meanwhile, two questions were posed to voters in Missouri and appeared on all party ballots. Here is how Dent County voted:
Constitutional Amendment No. 1: Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to allow places where individuals, corporations, organizations, and associations provide childcare outside of the child’s home to be exempt from property tax?
The majority of those who voted in Dent County voted “NO”—with 1,990 votes, or 61.04%; those who voted “YES” totaled 1,270 votes, or 38.96%.
Constitutional Amendment No. 4: Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to authorize laws, passed before Dec.31, 2026, that increase minimum funding for a police force established by a state board of police commissioners to ensure such police force has additional resources to serve its communities?
There were 1,770 votes for “NO”, or 54.88%, while there were 1,455 votes for “YES”, or 45.12%.
To see unofficial results for the federal offices for the entire state, visit the Missouri Secretary of State’s website at https://enr.sos.mo.gov/.
