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Too close to call: Race for Howard County Circuit Clerk to face recount

Republicans Teresa Syferd, Angie Nelson separated by three votes Voters pass ambulance, fire district tax levy increases

Justin Addison, Editor/Publisher
Posted 8/3/22

The race for Howard County Circuit 14 Clerk and Recorder of Deeds is too close to call, and a recount is imminent following the August 2 primary election. With all precincts reporting, only three …

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Too close to call: Race for Howard County Circuit Clerk to face recount

Republicans Teresa Syferd, Angie Nelson separated by three votes Voters pass ambulance, fire district tax levy increases

Posted

The race for Howard County Circuit 14 Clerk and Recorder of Deeds is too close to call, and a recount is imminent following the August 2 primary election. With all precincts reporting, only three votes separate Republican candidates Teresa Syferd (770) and Angie Nelson (767), according to unofficial results

Results remain unofficial until certified by the Howard County Clerk. 

With just 0.2 percent of votes separating the two women, a recount will take place. Missouri election law states that races separated by 0.5 percent or less must face a mandatory recount.

Mrs. Syferd and Mrs. Nelson shared a hug and congratulated one another once the results were released. However, neither candidate claimed victory nor conceded. Both women ran clean races and have known and worked with one another for years.

“I’m proud of the race she ran,” said Mrs. Syferd about Mrs. Nelson’s campaign. “This is wild.”

Mrs. Nelson shared the same sentiments about her opponent. “I’m proud and felt that we showed Howard County that we can both apply for the same job without it being cutthroat.”

Howard County Clerk Shelly Howell has not yet announced particulars of the recount. The Fayette Advertiser will publish details once they are made known. No candidates from any other party ran for the position, which is being vacated by Democrat Charles Flaspoher, who will retire after 44 years on the job. The ultimate winner will therefore run unopposed during the general election on Tuesday, November 8.

Also closely watched on the ballot were proposed tax levy increases for the Howard County Ambulance Service and the Howard County Fire Protection District. Both passed easily with margins of better than 16 percent.

Voters approved a 19-cent hike for the ambulance service’s tax levy ceiling, raising it from 30 cents to 49 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. The measure cleared by 16.44 percent, 1,194 to 857.

Ambulance service director Frank Flaspholer said he felt relieved after the tax increase was passed. “That’s encouraging, and I’m relieved,” he said. “It kind of helps knowing where to focus for the future, and things are looking really good for getting an EMT class going this fall. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel. We’re pleased, and we thank the voters for supporting us.”

Leading up to the election, the ambulance service delivered flyers to homes throughout the county that stated it would have to cut costs by staffing only one ambulance for the entire county and reducing service to only Basic Life Support. “I’m glad that we get to keep two ambulances and ALS (Advanced Life Support) in Howard County,” Mr. Flaspohler said.

The increase is expected to generate an additional $240,000 a year. The district plans to increase pay for ambulance personnel and will soon need to replace an ambulance. 

The base tax levy for the Howard County Fire Protection District will increase by 22 cents, from 42.62 cents to 64.62 cents per $100 of assessed valuation for property owners in Howard County except for those located inside the city limits of Fayette, Glasgow, and Armstrong. Those towns are served by municipal fire departments. The district’s base tax rate has been 30 cents per $100 of assessed valuation since 1980. The tax increase is expected to generate an additional $177,000 per year and will be used to help pay for equipment and training. The district also plans to establish a station in the Boonsboro area.

Because the taxes were passed during the primary election, both the ambulance service and fire district will begin to realize the new rates starting on January 1, 2023.

In the race for the US Senate seat being vacated by Republican incumbent Roy Blunt, Vicky Hartzler carried the GOP ticket in Howard County with 42.22 percent of the vote. Rep. Hartzler is well known in Howard County, serving as U.S. representative for Missouri's 4th congressional district since 2011. Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt finished with 35.53 percent of the vote here but was declared the statewide winner by the Associated Press shortly after 9 p.m. Former Gov. Eric Greitens finished third with local voters in a field of 21 candidates with 14.06 percent and third overall across the state.

Mr. Schmitt will face Trudy Busch Valentine in the November general election. Mrs. Valentine won 173 of the 420 votes cast by Howard County Democrats in a field of 11 candidates. Lucas Kunce trailed with 157 votes.

In the race for U.S. representative for Missouri's 4th congressional district, Taylor Burks led the GOP ticket with 32 percent of the vote over Mark Alford with 23.43 percent. However, Mr. Alford handily won the Republican primary across the district. He will face lone Democratic candidate Jack Truman and Libertarian Randy Langkraehr in the general election.

Overall, 2,091 ballots were cast in Howard County for a turnout of 31.22 percent. Of those ballots cast, 1,642 (78.53%) were Republican, 430 (20.56%) were Democrat, with seven Libertarian Party, five Constitution Party, and seven non-partisan ballots cast. Howard County has 6,697 registered voters.

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