By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
St. Joseph School District voters overwhelmingly approved extending the current 61-cent levy while Buchanan County voters approved extension of the county use tax.
The Buchanan County Clerk’s office reports 24.5% of county registered voters cast ballots in the Tuesday primary.
The St. Joseph School District READ proposal, which would extend the current school levy for six years, received 7,645 “Yes” votes to only 3,138 “No” votes; a split of nearly 71% to 29%.
Buchanan County voters approved extending the use tax for another 10 years with 7,218 voting in favor and 4,960 voting against the measure; a 59% to 41% split.
Retired dentist Scott Nelson will be the Republican nominee for Presiding Buchanan County Commissioner. Nelson won 5,077 voters, a bit more than 61% of the vote, with retired Xerox executive Al Purcell garnering 3,052 votes, or 37%. Nelson faces Democrat Andrew Gibson in November.
Buchanan County Republicans favored Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt as their US Senate nominee, giving him slightly more than 4,000 votes. Former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens came in a distant second among Buchanan County Republicans, receiving 1,796 votes. Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler finished third on the Buchanan County ballot with 1,417 votes.
Buchanan County Democrats favored Lucas Kunce, who received 1,463 votes to Trudy Busch Valentine’s 984 votes.
Click HERE for Buchanan County Clerk unofficial election results.