This year’s primary election, much like the August of 2024, was unlike any other.

More than 6,000 residents cast their votes on everything from county positions to state amendments, and from the perspective of a neutral newspaper, there were as many predictable results as surprises.

The biggest local race on the ticket — Barry County prosecutor — delivered a predictable result with a surprising margin. I had a hunch incumbent Amy Boxx would struggle to keep her post, even though her 12 years of experience far outmatched that of her challenger, Andrew Cole.

Yet, a 77% to 23% margin in the challenger’s favor is one few would have predicted. It’s a result so wide other publisher friends of mine have asked me what led to the disparity, given most county primary candidates rarely receive above 60% support. 

I can’t recall any local candidate in recent memory who tallied more than 4,600 votes in any race. The last primary election with this much interest was the sheriff race in 2024, which was ultimately decided in a recount with a difference of 48 votes among more than 6,600.

Clearly, the voters were not satisfied with Boxx’s performance over the last dozen years. Boxx has had numerous successes in her time in office, but also over that period of time, there have been numerous cases with results unacceptable to the populace who follows judicial proceedings in the county. Whether you supported her or not, all of that is water under the bridge now.

Looking forward, Cole has a mountain of work ahead of him, and I hope he’s up to the task. From what I have heard over this election cycle, people want a prosecutor that will be tougher on repeat offenders and perpetrators of sex crimes, especially involving children. They also want greater transparency and greater access to the prosecutor, a time-consuming prospect given the number of cases that roll through the office each day, week, month and year.

I am excited for 2027, when prosecutor offices across the state will be mandated to share metrics from their cases. Currently, tracking case outcomes and metrics as a journalist requires essentially making a spreadsheet using CaseNet. I’ve had colleagues who have done so, but they are lengthy projects requiring more man hours and staff than we have at the Democrat.

Hopefully, when those numbers start being delivered next year, we can begin to glean something from them that gives a fuller picture of how our county prosecutor is performing.

The race for presiding commissioner resulted in a more common tight victory for incumbent Steve Blankenship, taking 52% to second-time challenger Chad Johnson’s 48%. Blankenship’s resilience to win a three-man race four years ago and this two-man race should be a point of pride.

Going in, it seemed like a coin flip. Ultimately, like I said in following his 2022 victory, I think Blankenship’s traditional knock-on-doors effort is what continues to carry him across the line. Johnson ran a great campaign and was knowledgeable and qualified for the job. However, Blankenship’s genuine nature combined with his connections in the farming community, not to mention his eagerness to hear any an all concerns and criticisms from county residents, gives him a leg up only a successful incumbent can capitalize on — and he did.

Beyond the county positions, the biggest surprise, to me anyway, was how voters in a county that vote overwhelmingly for Republican candidates in state and national elections absolutely demolished two Republican-proposed statewide amendments.

The 78% to 22% margin in favor of Amendment 1, to renew the sales and use tax supporting state parks and soil and water conservation was no surprise given Roaring River State Park and Table Rock Lake are major driver of tourism and local tax dollars across the county.

However, the equally wide margins on Amendments 4 and 5 came as a bit of a surprise. A total of 77% of votes said nay to the Amendment 4 proposal to require the majority of voters from each congressional district to approve initiative petitions to amend the constitution. And, a total of 84% of county voters said no to the phasing out of the individual state income tax.

Both of these proposals came out of the Republican-led legislature, and both of them fell statewide by equally disparate margins. This should be a massive wake-up call to state leaders. There’s not much more to say when counties who vote 80% in favor of your candidates are voting 80% against your policy proposals.

We did not get our state leaders’ positions on these amendments on record, and in hindsight, I wish we had. Now, it’s back to the drawing board for the legislature, and I hope they listen to the will of the people that has so clearly been presented.

Whether it was the county races or the amendments, kudos go to you, voters. A turnout of more than 30% countywide is respectable — not incredible — but respectable. As the saying goes, if you don’t cast your ballot, you don’t get to complain about the results. Given that more than 6,000 voters did so, and agreed at such margins, is an ode to the rights enshrined in our democracy.

Well done, Barry County.

Kyle Troutman has served as editor of the Cassville Democrat since 2014 and owner/publisher since 2023. He is a three-time ISWNE Golden Dozen award winner. He may be reached at 417-847-2610 or [email protected].