You can call Luke Boyer, Judge Boyer, now.

The Webb City attorney defeated two other candidates vying to become District 6 associate judge. He’ll succeed Jerry Holcomb, who has served in the position since being elected in 2018 but did not seek reelection.

Boyer received 6,403 votes, compared to 4,696 for Sarah Luce Reeder and 4,513 for Nicole Carlton.

Boyer will be unopposed on the Nov. 8 general election ballot. 

Another Webb City candidate, Gene Mense, lost his bid to unseat Jasper County Auditor Sarah Hoover.

Mense, formerly on the Webb City Council, is a certified public accountant, with a Joplin office. He received 5,205 votes, while Hoover retains her position with 10,080 votes.

There will be one county race in November when Presiding Commissioner John Bartosh is challenged by Democrat Joshua Shackles. Bartosh defeated his Republican primary opponent Mikey Robertson 8,682 to 6,470.

Uncontested in the primary and facing no opposition in November are: Division 2 Judge Dean Dankelson, Division 4 Judge John Nicholas, Division 5 Judge Joe Hensley, Circuit Clerk Melissa Holcomb, Prosecuting Attorney Theresa Kenney, County Clerk Charlie Davis, Recorder of Deeds Charlotte Feather Pickering, and Collector Steven McIntosh.

Two area propositions fail

The proposition to raise Joplin’s property tax to $1 per $100 assessed valuation, to primarily retain and hire more police and firefighters, failed to get a simple majority (3,586 yes – 4,463 no).

A majority of Carthage R-9 School District voters were in favor of issuing $18 million in bonds for a performing arts addition to the high school – but a 57.1% majority was necessary for passage.

Sen. Bill White defeated

Sen. Bill White was defeated in the Republican primary by Jill Carter – 13,437 (52.3%) to 12,278.

White, formerly a state representative, was eligible to serve one more term as a senator.

Carter will be unopposed on the November ballot.

Local representatives Bob Bromley and Cody Smith were unopposed in the Republican primary and don’t have opposition in November.

Eric Burlison led the Republican candidates vying to succeed Billy Long as the 7th District’s representative in Congress.

Burlison received 39,422 votes, or 38.2% of the total. Runner-up Jay Wasson got 23,234 votes. And Alex Bryant came in third with 18,512 votes.

In November, Burlison will be on the ballot against Democrat Kristen Radker-Sheafer.

Billy Long came in second to Eric Schmitt in Jasper County but was a distant fourth statewide (5%) in the Republican primary race to succeed U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt.

Schmitt received 298,852 votes (45.7%). Vicky Hartzler came in second (22.1%), followed by Eric Greitens (18.9%).

Trudy Busch Valentine will be on the ballot against Schmitt in November after she won the Democratic primary with 159,583 votes (43.2%). Lucas Kunce was a fairly close second with 140,953 votes.