Voting Guide

Be an informed voter.

For more than a decade, The Voting Guide in The Odessan and Focus on Oak Grove has helped local voters learn about candidates up for election.

Candidates for local office are invited by the newspaper to participate in an in-person interview with Odessan reporters. Interviews and ensuing profiles include both biographical information about the candidates and their view on the position and important issues in the election.

In addition to candidate profiles, the Voting Guide includes information on ballot questions including state constitutional amendments and propositions, local tax questions and more.

In Missouri, written material can be taken with you into the polling booth, so you can consult the material in the Voting Guide as you vote.

April 7 Voting Guide

Scheduled coverage

This list is accurate of its publication and intended to be updated as candidates commit to interviews. Scheduled coverage is subject to change.

The Odessan

  • February 26 Issue

    City of Odessa ballot questions

    •3/8¢ public safety sales tax

    •Proposition U use tax

    Odessa mayor

    •Bryan Barner, incumbent

    •Bruce Whitsitt

    City of Odessa, Alderman ward two

    •Amy Finch

    Ron Finn

  • March 5 Issue

    Odessa R-7 Schools questions

    •Bond issue

    •Levy increase

    Odessa R-7 Board of Education

    •Kelsey Legate, incumbent

    •Adam Bradley, incumbent

    •Glenda Bainbridge

    •Scott Young

  • March 12 issue

    Lafayette County ballot issues

    •Use tax reallocation

    •Assessment cap (SB3)

    Wellington mayor

    •Randy Florence

    Candidate David Russell has not yet responded to requests to be interviewed

    Wellington alderman, two year term

    •Audrey Buckallew

    •Rick Rukavina

    Candidate Richard Claypole has not yet responded to requests to be interviewed

    Wellington alderman, one year term

    •Anthony Rukavina

  • March 19 issue

    Sni Valley Fire ballot question

    •Bond issue

    Odessa Fire board

    •Ruth Ann Dillon, incumbent

    •Carina Castilleja

  • March 26 issue

    Mayview mayor

    •Jeff Paul

    Mayview alderman

    Candidate Tom Emerson has not yet responded to requests to be interviewed

    Bates City alderman

    Candidates Jo Hilbrenner and Mark Leatherman have not yet responded to requests to be interviewed

  • April 2 issue

    City of Odessa, alderman ward one

    •Mickey Starr

    City of Odessa, alderman ward three

    •Forest Palmer

  • April 9 issue

    Election results

    Wellington-Napoleon R-9 Board of Education

    This board is running after the election because it qualifies for nonelection and will not appear on local ballots

    •Andrew Lockhart

    •Caleb Kropp

    •Melissa Register

    Click Here

Want to go more in-depth?

We are publishing audio from the Voting Guide interviews for select races.

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Focus on Oak Grove

  • March 5 issue

    Oak Grove mayor

    •Dana Webb, incumbent

    •Scott Kirk

  • March 12 issue

    Oak Grove ward three

    •Meaghan Woodward

    •Bart Easter

  • March 19 issue

    Sni Valley Fire

    •bond issue

  • March 26 issue

    City of Oak Grove, ward one

    •Shane Shawbaker, appointed incumbent

    City of Oak Grove, ward two

    •Pam Pope, incumbent

  • April 2 issue

    Oak Grove R-6 Board of Education

    •Theresa Honeycutt, incumbent

    •Keith Moyer, incumbent

    •Jason Brown, incumbent

  • April 9 issue

    Election results

    Click Here

  • Voter registration deadline: March 11

    In-person election day Voting: 6 a.m.-7 p.m. at your polling place

  • Back issues of The Odessan within a year of publication can be purchased at The Odessan office for $1.50.

    Older issues from previous Voting Guides can be purchased with limited availability for $5.

  • Sample ballots are published in The Odessan in the two weeks leading up to the election. For the April 7 election, they will be published March 26 and April 2

  • The Voting Guide is published every April for the Missouri Municipal Election, and includes ballot issues as well as candidates for local Board of Aldermen, school boards, fire boards and more.

    In years with general or midterm elections, the Voting Guide is published in August and November. While rare, if a ballot issue or special election is held in a non-general election or midterm year, the Voting Guide will be published then as well.