- Turnout beats expectations: 13.8% turnout, higher than the ~10% projected
- Festus reset: Every incumbent on the ballot was defeated
- Arnold shift: Michael P. Rother unseats incumbent Brian McArthur in Ward 2 and in Ward 4 Brad Cary defeats Gary Plunk in a decisive win
- School board impact: Fox C-6 incumbents hold seats, joined by newcomer Joe Looney
- Tax rejected: Herculaneum voters defeat Proposition U
- Rare tie: Kimmswick Proposition Capital Improvements ends in an 11–11 deadlock
- Voter signal: Increased turnout paired with multiple incumbent losses suggests an engaged electorate
Jefferson County voters headed to the polls Tuesday, April 7, delivering a wave of local election results that will reshape city councils and municipal leadership across the county.
According to unofficial results from the Jefferson County Election Authority, 22,637 ballots were cast out of 164,546 registered voters, for a turnout of 13.8 percent. While that number may appear modest at first glance, it exceeded expectations, as local officials had anticipated turnout closer to 10 percent.
That higher-than-expected participation adds weight to the outcomes, particularly in races where voters chose change over continuity.
County Question 1
County Question 1 asked voters whether Jefferson County should effectively freeze property tax revenue starting in 2027, preventing the county from collecting additional revenue from rising property values. Under the measure, growth would be limited primarily to new construction, meaning longtime property owners would not see tax increases tied to reassessments. Supporters framed it as a way to protect taxpayers from “silent” tax hikes, while critics warned it could constrain the county’s ability to keep up with rising costs and future service demands.
Arnold — Proposition M
Voters in Arnold approved Proposition M, signaling support for the measure and reflecting a broader trend across the county, where voters took a selective approach to tax-related decisions.
Arnold: Contested Races Break Against Incumbents
In Arnold, a clear pattern emerged: every incumbent who faced a challenger was defeated.
The results came just one day after the release of a state audit report involving the City of Arnold, adding additional context to an election that already carried heightened local attention.
While several races on the ballot were uncontested, the outcomes in the contested seats point to a clear voter signal: when given a choice, voters opted for change.
Festus: Voters Sweep Out Incumbents
Festus saw one of the most significant shifts of the night, with voters removing incumbents across the board.
Across all four wards, challengers prevailed, marking a complete reset of the city council and signaling a clear shift in voter sentiment.
Herculaneum and Kimmswick
In Herculaneum, voters rejected Proposition U, signaling hesitation toward new tax measures even as leadership remained stable.
Kimmswick delivered one of the most unusual outcomes of the night, where Proposition Capital Improvements ended in an exact 11–11 tie. Without a majority, the measure does not pass.
Full Election Results
City Elections
Arnold
Ward 1 – Council Person
- EJ Fleischmann — 349 votes (93.8%)
Ward 2 – Council Person
- Michael P. Rother — 345 votes (56.2%)
- Brian McArthur — 263 votes (42.8%)
Ward 3 – Council Person (2-Year Term)
- Rodney D. Mullins — 506 votes (93.2%)
Ward 3 – Council Person (1-Year Unexpired Term)
- Matthew Saller — 424 votes (57.7%)
- Peggy L. Allen — 310 votes (42.2%)
Ward 4 – Council Person
- Brad Cary — 557 votes (73.8%)
- Gary L. Plunk — 191 votes (25.3%)
Treasurer
- Mark Hood — 1,788 votes (94.2%)
Festus
Ward 1 – Councilman
- Karl Weekley — 208 votes (65.8%)
- Jim Collier — 112 votes (34.2%)
Ward 2 – Councilman
- Allen Joseph McCarthy — 312 votes (71.6%)
- Brian Wehner — 90 votes (20.6%)
- Matt Stout — 36 votes (8.3%)
Ward 3 – Councilman
- Dan Moore — 273 votes (50.1%)
- Jesse Cordova — 151 votes (27.7%)
- Robert “Bobby” Venz — 96 votes (17.6%)
- Tim Bennett Jr — 25 votes (4.6%)
Ward 4 – Councilman
- Rick Belleville — 527 votes (65.4%)
- Jim Tinnin — 158 votes (19.6%)
- Charles Underwood — 104 votes (12.9%)
- Luke Adams — 14 votes (1.7%)
Crystal City
Mayor
- Mike Osher — 351 votes (97.5%)
Treasurer
- Hanely E Cherry Jr — 339 votes (98.8%)
Ward I – Councilperson
- John Bailey — 93 votes (97.9%)
Ward II – Councilperson
- Rick Fischer — 63 votes (92.6%)
Ward III – Councilperson
- Kenneth Bradley — 55 votes (96.5%)
Ward IV – Councilperson
- Jeff Kempfer — 114 votes (98.3%)
De Soto
Councilperson – 3 Year Term (Vote for 2)
- Autumn Blanchard — 594 votes (38.6%)
- Mike Bone — 594 votes (38.6%)
- Tonia Pierce Schmitt — 221 votes (14.4%)
- Todd Mahn — 136 votes (8.8%)
Councilperson – 1 Year Unexpired Term
- Kathy Ingram Smith — 578 votes (69.8%)
- Danny Manning — 249 votes (30.1%)
Herculaneum
Ward 1 – Alderman
- Dennis Herbert Tesreau — 98 votes (88.3%)
Ward 2 – Alderman
- Christopher Robert Baker — 59 votes (96.7%)
Ward 3 – Alderman
- Todd Michael Hogan — 180 votes (94.7%)
Hillsboro
Ward 1 – Alderperson
- Richard Abel — 35 votes (94.6%)
Ward 2 – Alderperson
- Christopher Degeare — 27 votes (93.1%)
Ward 3 – Alderperson
- Kevin D. Bremer — 42 votes (91.3%)
Ward 4 – Alderperson
- Gerald V. Parrish — 26 votes (57.8%)
- William Scott — 19 votes (42.2%)
Pevely
Ward 1 – Alderman
- Don Menkhus — 143 votes (95.3%)
Ward 2 – Alderman
- Stephanie M. McCain — 92 votes (96.8%)
Ward 3 – Alderman
- Tyler Leeder — 61 votes (87.1%)
Ward 4 – Alderman
- Bryan Eckles — 37 votes (97.4%)
Kimmswick
Ward I – Alderman
- Andrew Arnold — 6 votes (66.7%)
Ward II – Alderman
- Donna Paszkiewicz — 10 votes (100%)
Byrnes Mill
Ward 1 – Alderperson
- Dennis Martin — 94 votes (89.5%)
Ward 2 – Alderperson
- Cynthia Davies — 87 votes (94.6%)
Ward 3 – Alderperson
- Steve Mayer — 67 votes (97.1%)
Eureka (Jefferson County Portion)
Ward 2 – Alderperson
- Kevin Kilpatrick — 36 votes (87.8%)
School Board Elections
Windsor C-1 School District
School Board Member – 3 Year Term (Vote for 3)
- Lindsay Winkler — 722 votes (33.88%)
- Dustin Schwartz — 686 votes (32.19%)
- John DeWalle — 685 votes (32.14%)
School Board Member – 2 Year Unexpired Term (Vote for 1)
- Aby Reitzel — 796 votes (97.19%)
Fox C-6 School District
School Board Director (Vote for 3)
- Curtiss Frazier — 4,267 votes (26.17%)
- Travis Lintner — 4,043 votes (24.79%)
- Joe Looney — 3,938 votes (24.15%)
- Kenneth Woolsey — 3,832 votes (23.50%)
Northwest R-1 School District
School Director (Vote for 3)
- Michelle Coats — 1,809 votes (22.52%)
- Cindy Hayes — 1,793 votes (22.32%)
- Michelle Adams — 1,677 votes (20.88%)
- Nora Ross — 1,518 votes (18.90%)
- Christine Eoff — 1,148 votes (14.29%)
Grandview R-2 School District
School Board Member – 3 Year Term (Vote for 3)
- Mike Mayberry — 359 votes (30.19%)
- Corey Wayne Powell — 314 votes (26.41%)
- Stephen Kuczka — 274 votes (23.04%)
- Abe Eoff — 231 votes (19.43%)
School Board Member – 1 Year Unexpired Term (Vote for 1)
- Tommy Hahn — 243 votes (54.24%)
- Justin A Verhaeg — 201 votes (44.87%)
Dunklin R-5 School District
School Board Member (Vote for 3)
- Jason Drinen — 547 votes (27.13%)
- Michael Hicks — 533 votes (26.44%)
- Wayne Spencer — 496 votes (24.60%)
- Susan Hartmann — 399 votes (19.79%)
Jefferson R-7 School District
School Board Member (Vote for 3)
- Justin Neel — 716 votes (33.98%)
- Jimmy Jackson — 685 votes (32.51%)
- Pete McPeters — 662 votes (31.42%)
Sunrise R-9 School District
School Board Member (Vote for 3)
- Brandi Richards — 213 votes (26.49%)
- Kristina Lambert — 179 votes (22.26%)
- Justin Peppers — 158 votes (19.65%)
- Alexandria Belfield — 151 votes (18.78%)
- Daken Berry — 93 votes (11.57%)
Meramec Valley R-3 School District
School Board Member (Vote for 3)
- Amanda Nemeth — 119 votes (26.44%)
- Dianna Meyer — 112 votes (24.89%)
- Matthew E. Trower — 109 votes (24.22%)
- Kesha Nichols — 104 votes (23.11%)
Kingston K-14 School District
School Board Member – 3 Year Term (Vote for 3)
- Jennifer L. Johnson — 5 votes (38.46%)
- Shelia Sampson — 3 votes (23.08%)
- Johnathan Wood — 3 votes (23.08%)
- Tonya Gerullis — 2 votes (15.38%)
- Cord Blumenstock — 0 votes (0.00%)
School Board Member – 1 Year Unexpired Term (Vote for 1)
- Donna Valle — 4 votes (80.00%)
Ballot Propositions
Fire & EMS Tax Propositions (Countywide)
Proposition P (Antonia Fire Protection District, Dunklin Fire Protection District, Big River Ambulance District)
Proposition Fire (High Ridge Fire Protection District, Rock Community Fire Protection District, Saline Valley Fire Protection District, De Soto Rural Fire Protection District)
Proposition EMS (Big River Ambulance District, Joachim-Plattin Ambulance District, North Jefferson County Ambulance District)
Valle Ambulance District Property Tax Relief
Only Proposition Fire for Saline Valley Fire Protection District passed. All others failed.
Ballot Issues — Jefferson County
County Question 1 (Property Tax Freeze Starting in 2027)
- YES — 13,447 votes (61.03%)
- NO — 8,586 votes (38.97%)
Arnold — Proposition M
- YES — 5,059 votes (65.02%)
- NO — 2,722 votes (34.98%)
Herculaneum — Proposition U
- NO — 342 votes (73.65%)
- YES — 123 votes (26.45%)
Jefferson R-7 — Proposition S
- YES — 689 votes (69.11%)
- NO — 308 votes (30.89%)
Meramec Valley R-3 School District — Proposition S
- YES — 131 votes (62.68%)
- NO — 78 votes (37.32%)
Grandview R-2 School District — Proposition (4-Day School Week)
- YES — 374 votes (69.78%)
- NO — 162 votes (30.22%)
Kimmswick — Special Propositions
Proposition Special Events
- YES — 13 votes (59.09%)
- NO — 9 votes (40.91%)
Proposition Capital Improvements
- YES — 11 votes (50.0%)
- NO — 11 votes (50.0%)
Editorial note
That tied result is notable, in Missouri, ballot measures typically require a majority to pass, meaning a 50/50 split would result in the measure failing unless otherwise specified.
Fire District Boards
Fire District Board Elections
Antonia Fire District — Director
- Greg Dohack — 1,085 votes (96.19%)
Dunklin Fire District — Board Member
- Rickey D. Johnson JR — 623 votes (96.44%)
Rock Community Fire District — Board Director
- Christopher Ferris — 3,821 votes (97.35%)
Saline Valley Fire District — Board Director
- Craig Williams — 1,088 votes (96.71%)
Trustee Races
Trustee Elections — Jefferson County
Cedar Hill Lakes Village
Trustee (Vote for 2)
- Timothy Gray — 21 votes (53.8%)
- Zachariah Ravellette — 18 votes (46.2%)
Parkdale
Ward 1 — Trustee
- Cynthia Bohley — 4 votes (80.0%)
- Mark Terry — 1 vote (20.0%)
Ward 3 — Trustee
- Theresa White — 1 vote (100%)
Peaceful Village
Trustee (Vote for 2)
- Danielle Shannon — 19 votes (70.4%)
- Jack Fambrough — 2 votes (7.4%)
- Jayla Lawrence — 2 votes (7.4%)
- Nicholas McKnight — 2 votes (7.4%)
- Linda Queen — 1 vote (3.7%)
- Larry Shannon — 1 vote (3.7%)
- Jack Farmbrough — 1 vote (3.7%)
Scotsdale
Trustee (Vote for 3)
- Vida McEndollar — 13 votes (20.97%)
- Michael Seth Rangel — 12 votes (19.35%)
- Joyce Skaggs — 5 votes (8.06%)
- Terisa Koehler — 5 votes (8.06%)
- Seth Rangel — 4 votes (6.45%)
- Gregory Larson — 2 votes (3.23%)
- Eric Dennis — 2 votes (3.23%)
- John Caola — 2 votes (3.23%)
- Ethan Koehler — 1 vote (1.61%)
- Isabelle Koehler — 1 vote (1.61%)
- Claudia Haltman — 1 vote (1.61%)
- Jesse Taylor —1 vote (1.61%)
- Thomas Seth Rangle — 1 vote (1.61%)
- Justine Denocheck — 1 vote (1.61%)
- Mr. Rangle — 1 vote (1.61%)
- M. Rangle — 1 vote (1.61%)
- J*** O** — 1 vote (1.61%)
- D*** A** — 1 vote (1.61%)
- V. McEndollar — 1 vote (1.61%)
- J. Skaggs — 1 vote (1.61%)
- Justan Denocheck — 1 vote (1.61%)
- Michael Rangel — 1 vote (1.61%)
- Moran — 1 vote (1.61%)
- Minnie Mouse — 1 vote (1.61%)
- Goofy The Dog — 1 vote (1.61%)
Local government decisions affect your taxes, roads, schools, and economic future, but most residents never hear about them.
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