Vote recount for Scott County prosecuting attorney race set for Wednesday

BENTON, Mo. — A recount of Aug. 2 primary election votes for the Scott County prosecuting attorney race will take place Wednesday at the Scott County Courthouse in Benton.

A preliminary hearing was conducted Monday before 33rd Judicial Circuit Judge David A. Dolan, who ruled Scott County Clerk Rita Milam run an “over vote report” and conduct a machine recount at 9 a.m. Wednesday in the commissioner’s office, according to online court records. An order was also provided for the county clerk to open sealed ballots.

Scott County Prosecuting Attorney Amanda L. Oesch of Scott City, Missouri, filed on Aug. 9 a “petition to contest election” in Scott County’s 33rd Judicial Circuit. The order was filed Aug. 10 by Dolan, and the preliminary hearing was scheduled.

Oesch, who was elected in 2018, lost by 2 votes to her challenger, Donald Cobb of Scott City, in a vote of 2,581 to 2,579 on the Republican ballot in the Aug. 2 primary election.