Primary election results: Guthrie, Pond elected to county posts

Unofficial election results from local races in Saline County.

From left, Franky Goodman and Hayden Doane help carry election materials into the courthouse as the first poll workers begin arriving at Saline County Courthouse about 7:35 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 7.
(Eric Crump/Democrat-News)

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In the Southern District, appointed Commissioner Monte Fenner received 80 percent of the vote, defeating Dee Friel for the chance to face Republican Eric Rader in November.

Incumbent Assessor Margaret Pond was re-elected after receiving 79.53 percent of the vote. Challenger Michelle Fuehring received 20.47 percent.

In the Republican race for county treasurer, Marty Smith won with 55.08 percent of the vote over Bev McCracken.

Smith, who waited with his family most of the evening to watch results come in, offered thanks for all the help he received in the campaign so far.

"I just want to thank the voters who turned out today," he said, "and everybody that helped me in this campaign, putting out signs, calling people, going door-to-door."

He added good words for his opponent, too.

"She did a good job," he said. "She worked hard herself. I was proud of her."

Smith will face Democrat Ginger Jones Brucks in November.

Unopposed Saline County Sheriff Wally George received 2,230 votes from Democratic voters. His opponent in November, Republican Leo Grothaus, recieved 1,297 from GOP voters.

Poll workers dropping off ballots and equipment reported decent turnouts in their precincts.

"(Marshall) Ward 3 had about 400," said Roy Hinton. "For a primary, that's pretty good."

Ward 3 was not alone, apparently. County Clerk Debbie Russell had estimated turnout would be about 27 percent, and the total topped the 28 percent mark.

Workers also reported progress in the use of touchscreen voting machines. Each precinct now has one touchscreen machine and at least one optical scan for paper ballots.

"We talked a bunch of people into trying the touchscreen," said Nora Windmeyer, who worked in the Grand Pass precinct. "We told them it was fun."

"It was young and old people, too," said her colleague, Pat Hammer. They said about half the voters in their precinct used the touchscreen machine.

Louise Blumhorst, a poll worker at Marshall's Ward 4 precinct, also reported a good turnout for a primary election and said the touchscreen is catching on there, too.

"I love it. I thought it was fantastic," she said.

Saline County voters favored Gary L. Grigsby, with 63.88 percent of the vote to Raymond Kinney's 36.12 percent in the Democratic contest for the state House of Representatives 51st District.

Saline Countian Bill Stouffer came in third in the Republican race for secretary of state race with 30.3 percent of the vote. Shane Schoeller got the nod from voters with 35.3 percent. Scott Rupp was second with 34.5 percent.

Schoeller will face Democrat Jason Kander in November.

In Saline County, Stouffer received 82.61 percent of the vote.

In the race for lieutenant governor, Republican incumbent Peter Kinder topped the field with 44.2 percent of the vote. He will face Democrat Susan Montee in November.

Saline Countian Becky Plattner received 3.8 percent of the votes in the lieutenant governor race.

Saline Countians favored John Brunner, with 33.15 percent of the vote, to face U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill in November. But Todd Akin took the Republican nomination, with 36 percent of the vote.

Saline County voters gave Republican Dave Spence a large margin of victory in the race to challenge Gov. Jay Nixon in November. Statewide, Spence won the nomination with nearly 60 percent of the vote. His nearest competitor, Bill Randles, received 16.3 percent.

In the state Senate 21st District, David Pearce received 63.54 percent of the vote in Saline County. Districtwide, Pearce received more than 65 percent to Mike McGhee's 35 percent. Pearce will face Democrat ElGene Ver Dught in November.

Constitutional Amendement No. 2, the "prayer amendment," received 3,810 "yes" votes and 470 "no" votes in the county. Statewide, the amendment cruised to approval by a similar margin, with 83 percent "yes" votes and 17 perceent "no" votes.

Helping carry polling materials into the courthouse were Hayden and Hadley Doane, Franky Goodman and Cole Bredehoeft.

Updated results and more details will follow.