Candidates can begin filing for the August Primary on February 22

Candidate filing for the August 2 Primary Election will run from February 22 through March 29.

The local offices on the ballot include Presiding Commissioner, County Clerk, Prosecuting Attorney, Recorder, Coroner, Associate Circuit Judge and Circuit Clerk.

The general qualifications for all offices include the following: must be a US citizen, a Missouri resident for one year preceding election, not delinquent in any taxes, not guilty of a felony or misdemeanor under federal laws and not guilty of a felony of state laws, among others. Office-specific qualifications are listed below.

Candidates must submit a notarized and completed DOR 5120 form and pay a $100 filing fee.

All offices are four-year terms beginning January 1, 2023.

Presiding Commissioner

The Presiding Commissioner must be a resident of the county and performs administrative duties including overseeing all county departments and the road and bridge department, adhering to annual budgets, representing the county on state and federal matters and acting as a county liaison for local councils and boards. The 2022 salary is $49,750.05.

Bill Walker is the current presiding commissioner.

County Clerk

The county clerk must be 21 years old, a resident of the county for at least one year prior to the election and continue residency throughout the term of office. The clerk serves as the election authority and conducts elections, candidate filings and processes voter approved levies for all entities. The clerk also serves as the county budget officer, prepares the county budget and processes accounts payable for all county offices. Additional duties include assisting the commissioners, recordkeeping, processing of accounts that report assessed valuations for each public entity and issuing various licenses. The 2022 salary is $71,068.84.

Melinda Patton is the current county clerk.

Prosecuting Attorney

The prosecuting attorney must be 21 years old, a resident of the county for at least one year prior to the election and licensed to practice and enrolled as an attorney at law in Missouri. Duties include providing legal council for county-elected officeholders, the county’s juvenile office and the county commission, representing the state in criminal and traffic offenses, and representing the county in delinquent tax collections. The 2022 salary is $146,812.

Caleb Phillips is the current prosecuting attorney having been appointed by Governor Mike Parson is 2020.

Recorder

The recorder of deeds must be 21 years old, a registered voter, a resident of the county for at least one year prior to the election and continue residency throughout the term of office. Duties include keeping track of every land and real estate transfer that takes place in the county, issuing marriage licenses and handling the paperwork for military discharges. The 2022 salary is $71,068.84.

Lisa Nickerson is the current recorder of deeds.

Associate Circuit Judge

The associate circuit judge must be 25 years old, a qualified voter, a resident of the county for at least one year prior to the election and licensed to practice law in Missouri. The judge is responsible for the following: civil actions under $25,000; misdemeanors; felonies through preliminary hearings; probate division cases; domestic relations cases in the circuit division; and any case in any county as assigned. The 2022 salary is $146,011 which is paid by the state judiciary.

Robert L. “Bob” Rice is the current associate circuit judge.

Circuit Clerk

The circuit clerk must be 21 years old, a resident of the county for at least three months prior to the election and continue residency throughout the term of office. Duties include receiving, processing and maintaining court judgments, rules, orders and all other circuit court proceedings. The clerk is also responsible for maintaining court case files in an accurate and complete manner to be used by the general public or individuals in the court system as well as other administrative duties. The 2022 salary is $58,455 and is paid by the state.

Elaine Wilson is the current circuit clerk.