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New Madrid County voters OK marijuana sales tax
NEW MADRID, Mo. — New Madrid County voters decided to impose a sales tax on those purchasing marijuana.
According to unofficial totals provided by New Madrid County Clerk Amy Brown, 977 voters cast yes votes compared to 600 no votes on the proposal which would impose a 3 percent sales tax on “all tangible personal property retail sales of adult use marijuana sold in the County of New Madrid, Missouri.”
Despite a number of local issues and races on Tuesday’s ballot for community residents to decide, just over 15%, or 1,690 of the county’s 11,237 registered voters, turned out.
Canalou voters elected Walter Campbell mayor with 8 votes cast in his favor and in Ward 2, Steve Huyett received three votes for alderman. Both ran unopposed.
None of the candidates for office in Gideon faced opposition. On the ballot were Lindal Cossey for mayor, 30 votes; Austin Adams, North Ward alderman, 16 votes; and Zachary Lacewell, South Ward alderman, 16 votes.
Lilbourn voters want to continue electing their city collector. In a vote on whether the office should change from an elected position to one which is appointed by the Board with the approval of the mayor, there were 99 no votes compared to 72 yes votes.
Larry Hamilton, who is currently serving as mayor, was defeated by challenger Robert Taylor. Hamilton polled 44 votes to 128 for Taylor. Incumbent city collector Virgie Johnson edged out challenger Brian K. Mays with a vote of 83 for Johnson and 77 for Mays.
In Lilbourn’s Ward 1, Cynthia Dodds had 45 votes for alderman defeating Larry Jackson, who received 24 votes, and Pamela A. Small, who had 25 votes. In Ward 2, Richard “Dickie” Kolwyck won the spot on the Board of Alderman with 36 votes defeating Benji Henry, who had 22 votes, and Denise Comstock, who had 17 votes.
There was only one race and one candidate in Marston and no one apparently bothered to vote. Julie Brock had filed for re-election but unofficial tallies showed no votes cast on Tuesday.
The two two-year terms for alderman-at-large in the city of Matthews will be filled by Blane Keith Duke who was re-elected with a total of 16 votes, and Travis Russom who had 42 votes.
Neither incumbent was opposed for re-election in Morehouse. Ward 1 voters gave Darren Dial 25 votes and Randy Dill in Ward 2 received nine votes for the two-year terms on the Council.
New Madrid voters opted for Nick White as the town’s next mayor. White, a longtime alderman, had 446 votes defeating former mayor Richard Bodi (Dickie), who polled 188 votes, and incumbent mayor Kevin Lyons, who received 51 votes.
None of the candidates for alderman in New Madrid were opposed. Incumbents Tommy Chism garnered 162 votes in Ward 1 and Ryan Riley in Ward 3 received 213 votes. In Ward 2, newcomer Derek Lawfield received 232 votes.
Filling the two openings on the Village of North Lilbourn’s board of trustees will be James Richardson and Gregory Hughes. Both candidates received four votes each.
In Parma, Kim Watson was unopposed for Ward 1 alderman and received 15 votes while in Ward 2 Charles Taylor was also unopposed and had 24 votes.
Portageville residents decided not to renew a sales tax of one-half of 1 percent for the purpose of funding capital improvements. The unofficial tally showed 288 voters casting no votes to 131 yes votes.
In the race for alderman in Portageville’s Ward 1, incumbent Patricia Estes Johnson lost to Gary Faulk by a vote of 109 for Faulk and 53 for Johnson.
In Ward 2, Michael Cook Jr. easily won the two-year term in office by receiving 194 votes. Edna Robinson was a write-in candidate; unofficial results showed 41 write-in votes.
Neither candidate for Risco’s Board of Alderman had an opponent on the ballot. Sheila Halford was elected the West Ward alderman with eight votes while Charles Bert Todd, the candidate for the East Ward, had four votes.
Sikeston residents who live in New Madrid County cast ballots for mayor and Ward 3 councilman. Greg Turnbow who was unopposed for a three-year term as mayor had 34 votes cast for him in the portion of Sikeston in New Madrid County. Sikeston residents in New Madrid County added 35 ballots for David Teachout, who was unopposed for the three-year term as councilman.
SCHOOL BOARDS
New Madrid County R-1 School District patrons selected incumbent Mary Kay Davis and newcomer Aaron Griffin for the two three-year openings on the Board of Education. Davis with 615 votes led the three-way race followed by Griffin who had 568 votes with Kevin Lyons polling 378 votes.
Cathey Daniels, who was appointed to fill an unexpired term earlier on the R-1 Board, was elected for the two-year unexpired term. There were 860 votes cast for Daniels.
From a field of six candidates patrons in the Portageville School District picked Ronnie Gene Adams and Jarrett Warren for the two three-year terms on the board. The vote totals were: Matt Brasher, 171; Ronnie Gene Adams, 204; Chris Sutton, 112; Towina M. Jones, 136; Tiffany Jackson-Edmondson, 57; and Jarrett Warren, 181.
Because the Risco and Gideon School Districts had the same number of candidates as openings, the state of Missouri did not require them to hold an election.