A number of contested races await voters across our area later this year, including two presiding commissioners facing challengers.
In Saline County, no county officeholders will face a primary challenge according to Clerk Brittni Burton, while just the presiding commissioners’ race is currently contested. That race will see Democratic incumbent Becky Plattner face a challenge this November from Republican Jill Hollabaugh. All other county offices have no challengers who filed prior to the Mar. 31, 2026 deadline to appear as a party’s candidate.
In Lafayette County, presiding commissioner Harold Hoflander is facing a primary challenge this August from fellow Republican Jody Banner. The winner of this race will have no Democrat opponent. A Republican primary is also set for county collector, as Amanda McFatrich will face Brooklyn Palmer in August. The winner will go up against Democrat Pamela Fetter, with the victor in November succeeding longtime collector Lori Fiegenbaum. The race for county auditor will also be contested in November between Republican Jaimie Umhoefer and Democrat Tahnami Gittinger.
Pettis County will see three county races decided in the Republican primary. With Megan Page not seeking a full term as county clerk, this race will be decided in August between Jessi Capkovic and Serry-Jo Painter-Torres. Meanwhile, Barbara Clevenger will face a challenge from Diana Schroeder to remain recorder of deeds, while Republicans Dena Klein Perkins and Lexi Winfrey are seeking to succeed Susan Sadler as the county’s circuit clerk.
While filing closed Tuesday for candidates to run for their party’s nomination, independent candidates can submit paperwork until July 27 to appear on the November ballot, or file a formal write-in candidacy no later than Oct. 23. We have the list of candidates from these three counties, including party committee filings, below.
Lafayette County
Associate Circuit Judge, Division 2 (15th Circuit)
(R) Russell J. Kruse, Concordia
Associate Circuit Judge, Division 3 (15th Circuit)
(R) Kristen Ellis Hilbrenner, Higginsville
Presiding Commissioner of the County Commission
(R) Harold Hoflander, Higginsville
(R) Jody Banner, Wellington
Associate Commissioner of the County Commission, Southern District (Two-Year Unexpired Term)
(R) Michael Brown, Concordia
County Clerk
(R) Jessica White, Mayview
Clerk of the Circuit Court
(R) Kim Mason, Higginsville
Recorder of Deeds
(R) JoAnn Swartz, Lexington
Prosecuting Attorney
(R) John C. Boyer, Odessa
County Auditor
(R) Jaimie Umhoefer, Mayview
(D) Tahnami Gittinger, Odessa
Collector of Revenue
(R) Amanda McFatrich, Odessa
(R) Brooklyn Palmer, Odessa
(D) Pamela Fetter, Lexington
Republican Central Committee Candidates
Freedom Township Committeewoman
Beth A. Kruse
Freedom Township Commiteeman
Michael Brown
Benjamin Lange
Lexington Township Committeewoman
Doris Strickler
Lexington Township Committeeman
Al Giuntoli
Clay Township Committeewoman
Lana Crain
Clay Township Committeeman
Donnie Hammond
Mark Schroer
Sni-A-Bar Committeewoman
Sharon Dyer
Sni-A-Bar Committeeman
Tracy L. Dyer
Davis Township Committeewoman
Kay Hoflander
Davis Township Committeeman
Harold Hoflander
Kerrick Alumbaugh
Washington Township Committeewoman
Jessica White
Washington Township Committeeman
Olin Struchtemeyer
Middleton Township Committeewoman
Sherry Drunert
Middleton Township Committeeman
David H. Lueck
Dover Township Committeewoman
Diane Traczewski
Dover Township Committeeman
Ted J. Traczewski
Democratic Central Committee Candidates
Sni-A-Bar Township Committeewoman
Jane Beal
Sni-A-Bar Township Committeeman
Terrence M. Messionner
Washington Township Committeewoman
Glenda Bainbridge
Washington Township Committeeman
Jack L. Bainbridge
Davis Township Committeewoman
Julie A. Opfer
Davis Township Committeeman
Glenn Opfer
Lexington Township Committeewoman
Pamela Fetter
Lexington Township Committeeman
John Morgan
Dover Township Committeewoman
Janet Graham Jones
Pettis County
Associate Circuit Judge, Division 5 (18th Circuit)
Sean Pillard, Sedalia (R)
Associate Circuit Judge, Division 6 (18th Circuit)
Phillip T Sawyer, Sedalia (R)
Presiding Commissioner
Bill Taylor, Sedalia (R)
County Auditor
Beverly Dillon, Sedalia (R)
Circuit Clerk
Dena Klein Perkins, Sedalia (R)
Lexi Winfrey, Green Ridge (R)
County Clerk/Election Authority
Sherry-Jo Painter-Torres, Sedalia (R)
Jessi Capkovic, Sedalia (R)
County Collector
Penny Taylor, Sedalia (R)
County Prosecutor
Scott Fox, Sedalia (R)
County Recorder of Deeds
Barbara Clevenger, Sweet Springs (R)
Diana Schroeder, La Monte (R)
Republican Central Committee Candidates
1st Ward, 1st Precinct Committeeman
Chuck Leftwich
1st Ward, 3rd Precinct Committeeman
Patrick Hawkins
Robert Smith
2nd Ward, 1st Precinct Committeeman
Steve Capkovic
2nd Ward, 1st Precinct Committeewoman
Jessi Capkovic
2nd Ward, 2nd Precinct Committeeman
Jeff Lockington
2nd Ward, 3rd Precinct Committeeman
Israel Baeza
2nd Ward, 3rd Precinct Committeewoman
Fern Klement
3rd Ward, 2nd Precinct Committeeman
Roger M Sherman
3rd Ward, 2nd Precinct Committeewoman
Beverly Enger
3rd Ward, 3rd Precinct Committeeman
Richard E DeFord
3rd Ward, 3rd Precinct Committeewoman
Christine McKinney
Debbie Covington
4th Ward, 1st Precinct Committeeman
Christopher Woolery
4th Ward, 1st Precinct Committeewoman
Susan Clevenger
4th Ward, 2nd Precinct Committeeman
Beverly Dillon
4th Ward, 3rd Precinct Committeeman
Gary Young
4th Ward, 3rd Precinct Committeewoman
Carla Young
Blackwater Township Committeeman
Philip Clevenger
Blackwater Township Committeewoman
Barbara Clevenger
Bowling Green Township Committeewoman
Amanda Kroeger
Cedar Township Committeeman
Clark Fobian
Cedar Township Committeewoman
Barbara Hagebusch
Dresden Township Committeeman
Jim Marcum
Elk Fork Township Committeeman
Keith Donaldson
Elk Fork Township Committeewoman
Sarah Donaldson
Flat Creek Township Committeeman
David D Dick
Flat Creek Township Committeewoman
Sherry Vinson
Green Ridge Township Committeewoman
Betty Hopkins
Heath Creek Township Committeeman
Chris Ramey
Heath Creek Township Committeewoman
Kelly Ramey
Houstonia Township Committeeman
Kevin E Gregory
Houstonia Township Committeewoman
Barbara Gregory
Hughesville Township Committeeman
David Brown
Hughesville Township Committeewoman
Cheryl Brown
Lake Creek Township Committeeman
David Van Holten
Lake Creek Township Committeewoman
Brandy Van Holten
La Monte Township Committeeman
Coty Comfort
La Monte Township Committeewoman
Kim Lyne
Longwood Township Committeeman
Michael Jean Arnett
Longwood Township Committeewoman
Brandy Arnett
Prairie Township Committeeman
Stanley Cox
Prairie Township Committeeman
Marsha Boeschen
Sedalia East Township Committeeman
Chris Koetting
Sedalia East Township Committeewoman
Jeanna L Slivkov
Sedalia West Township Committeewoman
Sherry Jo Painter-Torres
Smithton Township Committeeman
Shane Graeser
Smithton West/Brooking Park Township Committeeman
Tony Monsees
Philip J Sherman
Smithton West/Brooking Park Township Committeewoman
Pat Monsees
Washington Township Committeeman
William Cloud
Washington Township Committeewoman
Sara Sawyer
Democrat Central Committee Candidates
1st Ward, 1st Precinct Committeeman
John Long
1st Ward, 1st Precinct Committeewoman
Tina Schroeder
4th Ward, 2nd Precinct Committeeman
Robert Sullivan
4th Ward, 2nd Precinct Committeewoman
E Garnetta Sullivan
Sedalia West Township Committeeman
Enrique Torres
Saline County
Associate Circuit Judge, Division 5 (15th Circuit)
Jill Harriman Lilleman (R)
Associate Circuit Judge, Division 6 (15th Circuit)
Wm. Page Bellamy (D)
Presiding Commissioner
Jill Hamilton Hollabaugh (R)
Becky L Plattner (D)
County Clerk
Brittni Allison Burton (R)
Circuit Clerk
Becky Tebbenkamp Uhlich (D)
Recorder Of Deeds
Jessica L Baker (R)
Prosecuting Attorney
Tim Thompson (R)
Auditor
Karlin M Breshears (R)
Collector
Cindi A Sims (R)
Republican Central Committee Candidates
Arrow Rock Committeeman
Derek Davis
Arrow Rock Committeewoman
Lyndsey Davis
Blackwater Committeeman
Dixon Smith
Blackwater Committeewoman
Edon Smith
Elmwood Committeeman
Bennett Kirchhoff
Shanon Nichols
Elmwood Committeewoman
Joy Kirchhoff
Clay Committeeman
Harold Kruger Jr
Grand Pass Committeeman
Walden Chevalier Jr
Grand Pass Committeewoman
Melissa Chevalier
Miami Committeeman
Wayne Wise
Miami Committeewoman
Vickie Wise
Marshall Ward 1 Committeeman
Kip Bethel
Marshall Ward 1 Committeewoman
Jessica Goodman
Marshall Ward 2 Committeeman
Thomas Ward
Marshall Ward 2 Committeewoman
Linda Ward
Marshall Ward 3 Committeeman
Leo Grothaus
Marshall Ward 3 Committeewoman
Kathy Blumhorst
Marshall Ward 4 Committeeman
John Data
Marshall Ward 4 Committeewoman
Cynthia St Arnold
Marshall Rural Committeeman
Andreas Enyart
Marshall Rural Committeewoman
Dana Zinn
Krystal Enyart
Slater Ward 2 Committeeman
Edward “Wayne” Hein
Slater Ward 2 Committeewoman
Connie Barbey
Cambridge Committeeman
Robert Bagnell
Cambridge Committeewoman
Tonya Bagnell
Sweet Springs Rural Committeeman
Jared Brewer
Sweet Springs Rural Committeewoman
Cindi Sims
Democratic Central Committee Candidates
Blackwater Committeeman
John Sprigg
Blackwater Committeewoman
Rhonda Sprigg
Liberty Committeeman
Greg Miles
Liberty Committeewoman
Amy Miles
Miami Committeeman
Charles Peterson
Miami Committeewoman
Patricia Peterson
Marshall Ward 1 Committeeman
Larry Thornton
Marshall Ward 2 Committeeman
Roy Hunter
Marshall Ward 2 Committeewoman
Susan Hunter
Marshall Ward 4 Committeewoman
Pam LaFrenz
Slater Ward 1 Committeewoman
Pam Sebastian