Clay County voters make their choice loud and clear, approving new constitution changes
Clay County voters overwhelmingly approved a new constitution that will substantially re-shape its government.
More than 81% of voters approved the new constitution, according to unofficial results. The constitution will expand the three-member county commission that governs Clay County to seven members, make elected races nonpartisan and convert five elected offices, often described as ministerial positions, to appointed jobs by a county administrator.
Proponents of the new constitution said it will modernize Clay County government and the various reforms it will enact, such as allowing citizens to recall elected officials, and help transform a county government that suffers a poor reputation in the metro area due to a history of ineffectiveness, a lack of transparency and political backbiting.
“I think voters in Clay County wanted the circus to leave town,” said Greg Canuteson, a former Liberty mayor who served on a bipartisan commission to write the constitution. “And they voted to have transparency, accountability and professionalism in county government and I’m proud of the county for reforming county government.”
The constitution will start to take shape over the next two years. In 2022, an election will create a seven-member county commission. The five elected positions — collector, recorder of deeds, public administrator, treasurer and clerk — will become appointments in 2023.
The new constitution wasn’t the only face lift for Clay County government on Tuesday. Voters elected Megan Thompson and Jon Carpenter to the Clay County Commission.
Thompson, a Republican, will replace Luann Ridgeway as Eastern Commissioner after defeating Dustin Bell with 65% of the vote. Thompson, currently the county clerk who has been credited for blowing the whistle on some of the dysfunction in Clay County, had a well known profile among voters.
“I am humbled by the responsibility our community has placed in my hands,” Thompson said. “I will keep my promise to clean up the corruption on the Clay County Commission and work hard to support the men and women of law enforcement.”
Bell, on the other hand, ran a low-visibility campaign.
Carpenter, a Democrat, will replace Gene Owen as the Western Commissioner. Carpenter, a member of the Missouri House of Representatives, won with 53% of the vote against Lydia McEvoy, a Republican and longtime fixture in Clay County government who is currently the county collector.
“I’m grateful to the voters for trusting me to do this work,” Carpenter said. “Clay County leaders must restore trust with the amazing people who live here and I will work hard every single day to do that and to make them proud.”
Ridgeway and Owen decided not to run for another term. The two have controlled most of the votes on substantive issues facing Clay County. Their critics said Ridgeway’s and Owen’s handling of their responsibilities was to the detriment of the county.
The last four years was a time during which fed up residents have petitioned the Missouri Auditor to examine how the county is functioning. Clay County has also been involved in several high profile legal disputes, including one in which the county sheriff successfully sued the commission to have budget cuts restored.
In other Clay County contests on Tuesday:
This story was originally published November 3, 2020 at 6:58 PM.
