Perry County voters go to the polls Tuesday for Missouri’s 2024 Primary Election, and County Clerk Jared Kutz is confident he and his staff are prepared to count the votes in a manner that accurately reflects the desires of the electorate.
“I'm not naive to think that there are not people messing with the system in some way that they can,” Kutz said. “I mean, we are the state where the Pendergast party bosses lived. Those are facts. So, there are certainly always people who are trying to affect the system. I appreciate folks having confidence in me, but I have to believe that people like me are doing this same job in other places, and they want the voting results to be accurate.
Describing himself as an “elections geek,” Kutz admitted that he finds the voting process “so intriguing.”
“What I typically tell people to do is to come watch it,” he said. “Before every election, we test every single machine that goes out there. I've got a printer right here that never gets connected to the internet because I don't want the computer to be connected to the internet.
“In 2016, the first election I was part of — a big one — was presidential. We had all these things, but we didn't talk about them as much. Two-factor authentication, buffers in the system, web gaps, all these things. These are real things we get. I get weekly reports from the FBI on what's going on out there across the country.”
Kutz believes that the “coolest” part about the United States electoral system is that the country has 50 ways of conducting elections.
“And within those 50 ways of running elections for each of the states and the rules that they have to adhere to, there are multiple ways of delivering the election to the people providing that service,” he said. “In the state of Missouri, there are 116 ways to reach the statutory requirements of elections. We don't use the Internet. We have electronic devices at the polls that count the ballots and that we check in on. Those two devices cannot talk to each other.
“Whenever we test our machines, I receive a CD with our data on it, and I put it onto each one of the devices via a jump drive called a TN. Those go in every single machine used in the election. Hundreds of ballots will be run through it before it is approved to go out to the precinct. I invite people to come and watch the process. I’ve never had anybody stay for the full process because it's quite boring. They ask me, ‘You do this with every machine?’ Yes, we do, and whenever the election is over, by state statute, we have to count 5 percent of our machines and do a recount of one precinct electronically. We also have to do a hand count of one precinct.”
After hand-counting ballots, Kutz admitted that he and his fellow county clerks have learned that voting machines provide a more accurate count.
“Why?” he asked. It's simple. You start work at 5 a.m. at the polls, which open at 6. You receive voters all day — from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. — and then get the precinct closed and sit down and count. You've had two meals. You ate breakfast. A lot of them will bring breakfast, and they'll potluck it. In the larger elections, we typically provide lunch for them.
“So, they've had two squares, but they're going to wait to eat until they get home. They’re hungry. They’re exhausted. Usually, it's retired folks who manage our elections, so they get tired a little easier. What happens? Well, just look at the statistics. Ask anybody who's ever managed employees. As you get tired, you're less productive and less accurate.”
Kutz explained that when people ask him about the accuracy of machines counting ballots, he asks one simple question.
“I'll ask them if they do any banking on their cell phone,” he said. “If you'll trust your money to a machine, why won't you trust a tested and then retested machine to count your votes?
People say they trust me, but every time they ask me if we’re going to hand count all of our ballots, the answer is' no. ' And it's a very firm ‘no.’
“Unless the state requires us to make a hand count, we're going to follow state law and use the tools we have to most accurately count our elections here in Perry County. If there are any problems, we address those problems. We find out what's going on. Typically, that doesn't happen. It typically matches spot on. My computer system isn’t the biggest source of error. Human error is our biggest source of error.”
Republican Party Candidates
All the Aug. 6 Democratic primary candidates for national, state and local offices seek primary wins to face off against the Democratic and Libertarian primary winners in the November election.
Nationally, incumbent Josh Hawley is running unopposed for another term as U.S. senator and incumbent Jason Smith is facing two first-time primary opponents for the District 8 U.S. representative seat.
Nine state-level candidates, none of whom are incumbents, are vying for governor; six are running for lieutenant governor, eight are seeking the position of secretary of state, six are running for state treasurer, and two are vying for the position of attorney general.
In judicial and county races, the Republican candidates running for office include incumbent Jay Wengert and Jeff Bohnert, seeking the position of District 1 commissioner; incumbent Keith A. Hoehn, facing off against Damon Lee Dillard, Rocky Schumer and Douglas Martin to retain his position as District 2 associate commissioner; incumbent William “Bill” Bohnert running against Meghan Buerck-Ellis for coroner; Deputy Public Administrator Janelle French Moore seeing the public administrator position; and incumbents Jason L. Klaus, Timothy Baer and Frank E. Miller, who are running unopposed for another term as sheriff, surveyor and Circuit 32 Division 2 circuit judge, respectively.
In local township races, Thomas Unger and Jim Palisch are running for the position of Brazeau Township committeeman; Brian Cooper, Scott Sattler and Keith Carroll are seeking the job of Central Township committeeman; Chris Francis and Brenda Thurm Hopfer are in a race for Central Township committeewoman; Terry L. Hill is running against Dana A. Baer-Hoehn for Salem Township committeewoman; Allen Muench is vying against Tom Ritter for Saline Township committeeman; Pamela Muench is facing off against Marsha Hutchison for Saline Township committeewoman; and Damon Lee Dillard and Craig Schuessler are in a race for Union Township committeeman.
Democratic Party Candidates
All the Aug. 6 Democratic primary candidates seek primary wins to face off against the Republican and Libertarian primary winners in the November election. They include four candidates seeking a primary win for U.S. senator, five candidates running for governor, two candidates vying for lieutenant governor, three candidates seeking the position of secretary of state and two candidates, Randi McCallian and Franklin Delano Roth II, facing off against each other to run against the winner of the Republican primary for District 8 U.S. representative. The Democratic candidates for state treasurer and attorney general are running unopposed.
Libertarian Party Candidates
All the Aug. 6 Libertarian primary candidates seek primary wins to face off against the Republican and Democratic primary winners in the November election. They include uncontested races for U.S. senator, governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, attorney general and District 8 U.S. representative.
Constitutional Amendments
Along with the Republican, Democratic and Libertarian candidates running for spots in the November Presidential Election, Perry County voters can vote for two Missouri constitutional amendments.
Amendment No. 1 asks voters if the Missouri Constitution should be amended to allow places for individuals, corporations, organizations, and associations providing childcare outside of the child’s home to be exempt from property tax. According to the amendment's wording, it is intended to make childcare more available, supporting the well-being of children, families, the workforce, and society. According to state governmental entities, it is estimated that the state’s Blind Pension Fund could lose up to $400,000 in annual lost revenue. Additionally, local governments can expect an undetermined financial impact. Vote “yes” if you are in favor of the amendment. Vote “no” if you are against the amendment.
Amendment No. 2 asks voters if the Missouri Constitution should be amended to authorize laws passed before Dec. 31 that increase minimum funding for a police force established by a state board of police commissioners to ensure it has additional resources to serve its communities. According to the amendment’s wording, it would authorize a law passed in 2022 to increase required funding by the City of Kansas City for police department requests from 20 percent of general revenue to 25 percent, an increase of $38,743,646, although the city previously provided that level of funding voluntarily. No other state or local governmental entities estimate costs or savings if the amendment is passed.
Vote “yes” if you are in favor of the amendment. Vote “no” if you are against the amendment.
Primary Election Polling Places
Belgique/Sereno Our Lady of Victory Hall, 172, PCR 920, Sereno
Altenburg Altenburg City Hall, 8904 Main Street, Altenburg
Frohna Frohna City Hall, 6297 Main Streat (rear), Frohna
Perryville P-1 Perry Park Center, 800 City Park Lane, Perryville
Perryville P-2 Perryville City Hall, 215 N. West Street, Perryville
Perryville P-3 Knights of Columbus, 31 Church Street, Perryville
Perryville P-4 Perry Park Center, 800 City Park Lane, Perryville
Perryville P-5 Elks Lodge Hall, 921 N. Perryville Blvd., Perryville
Biehle St. Maurus Parish Center, 10198 Hwy B, Biehle
Highland Highland Catholic Church Hall, 2640 Hwy K, Highland
Crosstown Bethlehem Baptist Church Hall, 160 PCR 350, Crosstown
Farrar Bethlehem Baptist Church Hall, 160 PCR 350, Crosstown
Brewer Elizabeth Seton Hall, 59 Shady Ln., Brewer
Lithium Elizabeth Seton Hall, 59 Shady Ln., Brewer
Silver Lake St. Rose Lima Church Hall, 10165 Hwy T, Silver Lake
Yount St. Rose Lima Church Hall, 10165 Hwy T, Silver Lake
Longtown Grace Lutheran School Basement, 84 Grace Ln., Uniontown
Uniontown Grace Lutheran School Basement, 84 Grace Ln., Uniontown
Polling places will be open from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. Anyone properly registered to vote in the county can cast his or her ballot between those hours.
