About one-third of the county’s registered voters arrived at polling precincts Tuesday to decide four constitutional amendments and elect a representative to Congress.
Texas County Clerk Don Troutman said 5,381 voters — about 34 percent of the county’s 16,000 registered voters — arrived at precincts. The outcome on the constitutional issues in Texas County mirrored those of the final statewide voting. There were no local races.
Constitutional Amendment 3, a teacher measure once supported by wealthy investor Rex Sinquefield, was one of four ballot measures put before voters Tuesday.
The Sinquefield-backed group, Teach Great, gathered enough signatures to get the teacher tenure initiative on the November ballot, and the retired investor contributed $1.6 million into Teach Great’s campaign fund. But two months before the election, the group suddenly dropped its campaign efforts.
In Texas County, it was pounded nearly 4-1. The vote: 4,111-1,171.
Voters also axed an early voting measure, but approved one expanding the type of evidence prosecutors can use in sexual abuse trials and another broadening lawmakers’ say over what a governor withholds in the state budget.
A wide margin of Missouri voters opted no on Amendment 6, which would have allowed Missourians to vote in person or by mail for six business days ending the Wednesday before a General Election. No reason would have to be given. The early voting period would not include any Saturdays or Sundays. It also was defeated 3,803-1,304 in the county.
Prosecutors now will be able to introduce prior criminal acts by a defendant in criminal sexual abuse trials involving victims younger than 18. Voters approved Amendment 2. Such evidence was banned by the Missouri Supreme Court in 2007. Before that, Missouri allowed the use of it at a judge’s discretion in sexual abuse trials involving victims under 14. In Texas County, voters supported it 3,809-1,342.
Late-night tallies also showed voters giving their stamp of approval to Amendment 10, which allows legislators to override a governor’s withholdings much like they do his line-item vetoes. It won 3,260-1,826 in the county.
Under current law, the governor can withhold money when state revenue is less than the estimate the appropriations are based on, to be released if they improve.
Houston voters easily approved a five-year extension of a quarter-cent sales tax for street and sidewalk improvements, 316-148.
U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, easily won re-election in southeast Missouri. In Texas County, the vote was: Barbara Stocker, Democrat, 997; Smith, 3,877; Rick Vandeven, Libertarian, 97; Doug Enyart, Constitution, 89; and Terry Hampton, Independent, 196. In the 8th Congressional District, Smith won with nearly 67 percent of the vote.
Running unopposed locally were State Rep. Robert Ross, Associate Circuit Judge Doug Gaston, Presiding Commissioner Fred Stenger, Circuit Clerk Marci Mosley, County Clerk Don Troutman and Recorder of Deeds Susan Elmore Warkentin. Elected to first terms were John Beger, circuit judge; and Parke Stevens Jr., prosecutor.
State Auditor Tom Schweich, a Republican, coasted to re-election to a four-year term.
The highest voter turnout occurred at Fairview, where 36 percent voted. The lowest was at Summersville — 29.7 percent.
PDF: Unofficial results from General Election