The Index Vol. 110 Issue 8

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UPCOMING ELECTION TUESDAY, NOV. 6

Truman State University tmn.truman.edu

MEET THE CANDIDATES

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2018

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@TrumanMediaNet

NICOLAS TELEP, RYAN PIVONEY, AND ADAM MORAN Managing Editor, News Editor and Staff Writer

U.S. Senate Josh Hawley - R

Claire McCaskill - D

Claire McCaskill has had a long career in politics, first being elected in 1982 to the Missouri House of Representatives, then Jackson County prosecutor, state auditor and finally U.S. Senate in 2006. McCaskill is running for her third term in the Senate, branding herself as an independent voice for Missourians, according to her Senate website. McCaskill visited Truman State University in September to talk about the voting age gap, health care and higher education subsidies. She answered questions from students centered around health care, prescription drug prices, and the confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh. McCaskill said she supports the Medicare system, but Medicare for all might have financial issues.

State Senate District 18 Cindy O’Laughlin - R

Crystal Stephens - D

Local Democratic party leader Crystal Stephens, who hails from Hannibal, said she would prioritize clean water, infrastructure and education if elected. At the candidate forum, she spoke strongly against dark money in Missouri politics, calling it obscene. Stephens also spoke about the importance of broadband and communication access and its effect on economic and community growth, and she said she supports building the Greenwood Autism Clinic. Stephens said she is not a career politician.

Cindy O’Laughlin, a businesswoman and first-time candidate from Shelby County, beat out three sitting state representatives for the Republican nomination in August. O’Laughlin branded herself as a political outsider during the primaries. At the Kirksville Area Chamber of Commerce candidate forum, O’Laughlin said she firmly supports the creation of the Greenwood Autism Clinic. O’Laughlin also said she wants to see more widespread access to broadband internet and would work toward entitlement and education reform if elected.

State House District 3 Danny Busick - R

Joni Perry - D

Joni Perry, a professional counselor living in Kirksville, has the Democratic nomination for Missouri House of Representatives. This is Perry’s first time running for office. At the Kirksville Area Chamber of Commerce candidate forum, Perry said she supports funding higher and K-12 education. She also endorsed Amendment 1, claiming the ballot measure is a step in the right direction, and she said Missouri should take advantage of the federal Medicare expansion program. Perry often speaks about her willingness to be an open and easily accessible representative if elected.

Danny Busick, a small-business owner and retired minister from Newtown, has the Republican nomination for the Missouri House of Representatives. Busick is the owner of Jim’s Radio & TV and has made Northeast Missouri values some of his top campaign priorities. At the candidate forum, Busick said he supports the economic development of the Kirksville area, but the area water supply needs more improvements to encourage more growth. He said he thinks health insurance companies should cover pre-existing conditions and education should be handled by local school boards, not the state legislature.

Adair County Prosecuter Mark Shahan - R

Rick Steele - D

Steele is currently serving his second term on the Kirksville City Council. At the forum, he said his city council experience has allowed him to work with a budget larger than that of the county’s, and the county budget is the most important issue he believes needs work. Steele also said he would like to look for more grants to supplement the county budget and fund repairs to county infrastructure.

Shahan has worked at the Kraft Foods plant in Kirksville for about three decades and has had a number of small business ventures in the area. Shahan said at the Kirksville Area Chamber of Commerce’s candidate forum his experience handling budgets prepares him for handling the county budget. Shahan said the county’s funds can be used to fix and maintain the county’s roads and bridges, and he would like to look for grants to use for these projects.

Associate 2nd Circuit Judge Ben Gray - I

Kristie J. Swaim - D

Swaim has served as associate 2nd circuit judge since 2003. Swaim said at the candidate forum she brings experience and familiarity to the position. She said she believes sentencing and bail is set by state law, and she opposes deviating from the sentencing guidelines set forward by law. She said anything else is judicial activism, and it isn’t up to a judge to consider their personal feelings when setting bail and sentencing.

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Gray is an attorney active in the state who has never served as a judge before, but he said at the candidate forum he does not believe Swaim’s court is fair. Gray said he thinks the court should be run more smoothly. He said he believes his experience as an attorney has adequately prepared him for the judgeship, especially the tough schedule and long days.

Polling places in the 3rd District

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VOLUME 110 ISSUE 8 © 2018

Josh Hawley is currently attorney general of Missouri. The West Missouri native is a Yale Law School graduate. Hawley won the Republican primary for U.S. Senate, beating several opponents, notably Austin Petersen and Tony Monetti. Hawley has the endorsement of President Donald Trump, and Hawley and Trump have appeared at events together. Hawley is an advocate for religious liberty and opposed Affordable Care Act before becoming Missouri attorney general, according to his campaign website. He will fight governmental overreach of farms and family businesses if elected, according to the website. Hawley has not visited Truman State University.

The Adair County Government website lists seven voting locations in the 3rd District. Residents of Adair County vote at a location based on their permanent address. Specific information about where to vote can be found on the Adair County Government website. Voting locations will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Nov. 6. Polling locations include: 1. Adair County Annex Building 2. Adair County Public Library 3. Missouri Department of Family Services 4. Moose Lodge 5. Nazarene Church 6. Rehoboth Baptist Church 7. Truman State University Student Union Building

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New voter registration trends CASSIDY KREWSON Staff Writer

The average age of Adair County voters is slowly decreasing as citizens of all ages have registered to vote in the upcoming election. The average age of voters in Adair County is around 50, but that average is changing with more people registering to vote. “We have had some newly registered voters that have showed up to vote for the first time, and they are in their 60s and 80s,” Deputy County Clerk Tammy Miller said. “It is not just necessarily the younger generation, but a lot of people that have not participated in voting before are starting to come out and vote more.” Younger voters are coming out, but they are still lacking in substantial numbers to disrupt current voting trends. Miller said a fair amount of voter registration for young people in Adair County comes from Truman State University. Only a small percentage of those registered actually cast ballots. In past elections, Adair County has typically voted for Republican candidates. However, because many vote for the candidate over strict party affiliation, a few Democratic candidates have secured positions in office over the years. Overall voter turnout in Adair County depends on what type of election is happening and how significant the issues, propositions and amendments on the ballot are to residents. If there are no heated races and not a lot of issues, voter turnout will be lower, Miller said. Turnout is always higher for presidential elections. She said for those, there is a bigger drive to get people involved in voting, and some people only vote in presidential elections. Compared to other Missouri counties, Adair typically has moderate or average voter participation. Because each county has different local issues, participation always varies, because the content on each ballot draws out a varying amount of people. Adair County residents face the barrier of living in a rural area. Rural polling locations can be a long drive for some, Miller said. Some polling locations in rural areas do not have the necessary accessibility for disabled voters. There are numerous issues on the ballot for the 2018 general election. Miller said many of the propositions and amendments require extensive reading, so the voting process might be slowed down depending on whether people have researched the information presented on the ballot. “The lines could back up, but it’s not because we are processing so many more voters or because the process time is so much longer,” Miller said. “We have to wait until somebody gets done voting for you to have a booth to vote at.” Miller said the more educated people are on the ballot issues, the faster the voting process will be. Miller said she believes voter turnout for the upcoming general election will be high. “I think it will be a very good turnout,” Miller said. “We do have a few heated races at the state level, but the biggest draw is going to be the amendments and propositions.” In recent years, political messages and controversy have been spread instantly with social media. It might not affect participation, but social media can act as a reminder for active voters, Miller said. Social media most likely won’t create a significant impact on the number of voters, she said. Because of constant, widespread media coverage, political controversy can influence uninvolved citizens to vote, Miller said. People can discover the opinions of candidates and be inspired to oppose or support those candidates. She said controversy can also cause even committed voters to stay home.


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