VIENNA — This time next week the August 2 Primary Election will be behind us. Maries County Clerk Rhonda Rodgers, the county’s election authority, is predicting a voter turnout next Tuesday of 23 percent. 

Rodgers said she is basing the voter turnout on the low number of absentees ballots that have been cast. She reported 50 absentee ballots had been cast and for a primary election there should be a total of about 200 by election day. That number can change as a lot of people could come forward to vote absentee between now and the election.

“I hope I’m wrong,” Rodgers said about the 23 percent voter turnout she is predicting. Her office encourages all registered voters to exercise their right to vote and to do so next Tuesday. 

There are no locally contested races on the primary election ballot. Local contests increases voter turnout. There is one county-wide issue, Proposition A, which asks voters if the office of prosecuting attorney should be made into a full time position in Maries County.

At a recent Maries County Commission meeting, Rodgers answered some questions about Missouri’s new election law, which was signed by the governor. The new law becomes effective Aug. 28, 2022, so it will not impact the Aug. 2 Primary Election. But it will be in force for the November General Election. 

The new law requires all voters to show a photo ID. The last two weeks of absentee voting will not require in person absentee voters to state a reason or excuse for why they are voting absentee. 

Local election authorities are not allowed to correct absentee ballot envelope errors. Rodgers said this will make it more difficult for some absentee voters who sometimes make mistakes and her office helps correct them. This is no longer allowed and will cause some ballots to not be counted because of it. 

In the new law, poll workers can be from other counties if necessary. 

A voter who is registered to vote in Missouri can change their address to a new county at any time and the former four-week voter registration deadline no longer applies just because a voter moved into a new county. 

Also, voter registration forms will change in Jan. 2023 and include an option for political affiliation. Voters can also choose to be unaffiliated and all voters can still choose to vote which ballot they want in a primary election.

Only the year of a voter’s birthday is public record now. Anyone, other than a governmental entity, who solicits more than 10 voter registration applications shall register with the Secretary of State’s Office as a voter registration solicitor. 

Counties can’t receive or spend private money for an election, including registering voters. Rodgers said Maries County does not do this. Nor does Maries County use direct recording electronic touchscreen machines (DREs). 

The new law also prohibits an individual, group, or party from soliciting a voter to apply for an absentee ballot and no absentee ballot applications shall have the information pre-filled. Also prohibited are absentee ballot drop boxes. 

Poll watchers are allowed but they must register with the county clerk’s office, and there are restrictions. If the watchers see something they think is being done wrong, they report it to the county clerk. 

Standard allowance

Presiding Commissioner Victor Stratman said the county probably will not have to do an audit on its federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money this year. With the CARES Act money, the county had to do an audit and set aside the funds from the federal COVID-19 money to do it. Travis Elliott, the MAC attorney, is to offer guidelines on spending this money.

Stratman said he’s been thinking about what they can do with the ARPA money they have left. The commissioners anticipate receiving $800,000 soon. This money is the balance of $1.6 million federal ARPA money and was supposed to arrive in the county’s bank account in June, but there is some hold up they are working out. Stratman said he thinks they should take the standard allowance for the county, which is what attorney Elliott suggested counties do. The money can be used for fuel and repairs and maybe the generator for the courthouse they talked about. He said he needs to talk to MRPC about the FEMA grant they were planning to apply for to help pay for the generator. Stratman said a generator for the courthouse is “an investment in the future.”

Job programs

University Extension in Maries County has partnered with The Rolla Job Center to provide opportunities for job seekers. People who can’t drive to Rolla can come to the courthouse in Vienna. Christy Metzler, who works in the county extension office can assist people with making contacts. They are getting programs off the ground right now. 

There is a Rolla Regional Hiring Event on Aug. 18, 2022 that has multiple job opportunities available. It will be held at the Columbia College campus in Rolla located at 550 Blues Lake Parkway. Prospective job seekers are asked to bring copies of their resume, come dressed professionally, and to be prepared for interviews. 

Propane bid

The bids for propane to keep the courthouse warm this winter were opened. Capital Energy bid $1.89.9 per gallon, MFA Propane bid $1.98.9, and Lock’s Mill bid $1.89. Dickneite Oil declined to bid. The commissioners accepted the low bid by Lock’s Mill. This same company was used last year when the price was $1.35.

Western District Commissioner Ed Fagre said that’s a pretty good price. He’s heard of places around that have higher bid prices. 

Dollar Tree 

Stratman said he’s heard the contractors now working on the new Dollar Tree/Family Dollar store in Vienna will be finished with their work by Aug. 12. After that, a crew will come in to stock the store. The company currently is hiring employees to work at the new store, which is located on the west side of Highway 63, just north of Ballpark Road. 

Five more days

Rodgers reported talking to Nicole Stratman who is the supervisor of the Drivers License Examiners who work at the courthouse on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. Stratman said in 2023 they are discussing adding the fifth Wednesday of the month as an additional day in Maries County. Fagre googled it and that will add five more examination days in 2023. The volume in Vienna has been high for this service and this is an attempt to help with that. 

District 55

Mike Haffner stepped into the county commission room at the end of the meeting last Thursday and introduced himself. He is a Republican who was elected to the Missouri State House District 55 in 2018. His home town is Pleasant Hill. He was scheduled to meet with Rep. Benny Cook at the courthouse that morning. Haffner told the commissioners he is a member of the rural caucus and that his group “will do what we can to allow you guys to conduct your own affairs.” 

He is running to be the leader of the house, hoping to become Speaker of the House. In a leadership position, he can do more for rural counties and for agriculture. He said there is “dysfunction” in the state legislature with too much going on “behind closed doors.” He added there are a couple of guys in the house that make all the decisions. In the rural caucus there are bills the group supports that don’t make it out of committee. 

He told the commissioners he understands their position and he wants to help. 

Fagre said changing the salary commission is a good place to start. 

Haffner had a fine career in the US Navy. He currently owns and operates a Christmas tree farm.