Deadline to file for city, school board seats passes in Missouri

John Hacker, The Joplin Globe, Mo.
·4 min read

Dec. 28—The deadline for the April 2 general municipal election passed Tuesday, and most city and school board elections in Jasper and Newton counties are set.

The last day to register to vote in this election is March 6, and the deadline for elected bodies to put measures on the ballot is Jan. 23.

Here is a rundown of local city and school boards and who has filed for the April election.

Joplin Board of Education

Two seats are up for reelection on 2024's Joplin School Board ballot.

Those who have filed are incumbent John Hird, Victor Sly, former school board member Derek Gander and incumbent Rylee Hartwell.

The two candidates with the most votes will serve for three years on the board.

The filing period for Joplin City Council races closes Jan. 9. Five seats are to be filled April 2 — three general seats and those in zones 2 and 3.

Carthage City Council

Acting Carthage City Clerk Amy Taylor said all five open seats have at least one person running for them.

Carthage is divided into five wards with two people representing each ward. Half the seats are elected every two years.

—In Ward 1, incumbent Brandi Ensor faces a challenge from Derek Peterson.

—In Ward 2, Loretta Leece is the only person running for this seat.

—In Ward 3, Dustin Edge is running against former City Council member Mike Daugherty and Ward 3 incumbent Robin Blair.

—In Ward 4, Tom Barlow is the only person who has filed for the seat.

—In Ward 5, incumbent Mark Elliff is running against Jana Hunter Schramm.

Carthage Board of Education

The Carthage Board of Education has two three-year terms up for grabs in April.

The seats held by Bill Lasley and Nathan Terry are currently open.

The Carthage school administration said Maria Sanchez, Nathan A. Scott, Mark Westhoff and Bill Scheerer filed for the open seats. The two candidates with the most votes will win the election.

Webb City Board of Education

In Webb City, the two incumbents and one challenger have filed for the two open seats on the school board.

Incumbent Lisa Robinson, challenger Erin Taylor and incumbent Jason Woodmansee have filed. The two candidates with the most votes will serve the three-year terms.

Webb City Council

Webb City is electing four of its eight City Council members to two-year terms.

City Clerk Kim DeMoss said only the four incumbents filed for the open council seats.

—In Ward 1, Ray Edwards has filed for reelection.

—In Ward 2, Alisa Barroeta has filed for reelection.

—In Ward 3, Jerry Fisher has filed for reelection.

—In Ward 4, Jim Dawson has filed for reelection.

Carl Junction City Council

Carl Junction City Clerk Alaina Wright said four of the eight Carl Junction City Council seats are up for grabs in April 2024.

—In Ward 1, no one filed for the seat currently held by incumbent Bill Macguire.

—In Ward 2, James Shanks and Walter Hayes IV filed for the seat currently held by Mike Burns.

—In Ward 3, incumbent Bob McAfee and challenger Jason Teeter filed for the seat.

—In Ward 4, incumbent Roger Spencer is the only person having filed for reelection.

Carl Junction Board of Education

Three people — one incumbent and two newcomers — have filed for two open three-year terms on the Carl Junction Board of Education.

Superintendent Phil Cook said incumbent Kasey Cowger has filed for reelection and will be joined on the ballot by Terry Higgins and Melinda Brown. The two candidates with the most votes will win three-year terms.

Neosho City Council

Two of seven seats are open on the Neosho City Council according to City Clerk Cheyenne Wright.

—Ward 1: Incumbent Ashton Robinson and challenger Michaela Lawrence have filed for the seat.

—At large/general: Incumbent Charles Collinsworth and challenger Jacob Evens filed for this open at-large seat on the council.

Neosho Board of Education

No one was available at the Neosho School District to confirm final filings Wednesday.

The district said incumbents Steffen Wiest and Danny Haskins along with challengers Audrey Dixon and Cody Crocker had filed for the two open three-year terms.