By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Election Day and perhaps the most striking part of this Election Day for our area is the lack of contested races, on both sides of the river.
St. Joseph state Rep. Bill Falkner, a Republican, is being challenged by Democrat Andrew Gibson. St. Joseph state Rep. Brenda Shields, a Republican, is running unopposed. State Rep. Dean Van Schoiack of Savannah, a Republican, is running unopposed.
Buchanan County voters in the Western District will decide whether to re-elect Democrat Ron Hook, who has been the Western District Commissioner since 2009, or whether to choose Republican challenger, Everett Goddard, Jr. Some Buchanan County residents will choose between incumbent Republican state Rep. Sean Pouche or Democrat Andrea Denning for the Missouri House 13th District, which includes much of Platte County as well as southern and eastern Buchanan County.
In Kansas, Republican Craig Bowser of Holton is unopposed after winning a three-candidate race in the primary, which included incumbent Sen. Dennis Pyle. Republican Allen Reavis of Atchison is unopposed in the 63rd Kansas House race.
Northern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves, the dean of the Missouri Congressional delegation, is running for re-election, opposed by Democrat Pam May. Libertarian Andy Maidment and Green Party candidate Mike Diel are also in the race.
Voters in the 2nd Congressional District of Kansas will be choosing new representation. Congressman Jake LaTurner decided against running for a third term. Republican Derek Schmidt of Independence, the former Kansas Attorney General, and Democrat Nancy Boyda of Baldwin City, who formerly held the seat, are running to replace LaTurner. Libertarian John Hauer of Topeka is also on the ballot.
Missouri voters face six issues on the ballot.
Perhaps the two constitutional amendments getting the most attention are Amendment #2, legalizing sports betting in Missouri and Amendment #3, legalizing abortion.
Amendment #5 would allow a gambling boat at the Lake of the Ozarks.
Amendment #6 would reinstate a court fee to help finance sheriff and prosecutor pensions.
Amendment #7 would ban ranked choice voting in Missouri.
Proposition A would raise the state minimum age and require businesses to provide sick leave.
Polls close at 7 o’clock this evening. KFEQ will broadcast election results along with Fox News and the Missourinet, beginning at 7pm. We will be updating St. Joseph Post throughout the night.
This article has been updated since first published.
You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.