Shanna Burns wins primary race for Platte County public administrator
Platte County Public Administrator Shanna Burns won her Republican primary Tuesday, as she seeks a second term in office.
Burns, who was was first elected to the seat in 2020, took 61% of votes cast over challenger Samantha Price’s 39% in unofficial results released Tuesday night. Burns claimed a margin of victory of about 1,800 votes.
No Democrats ran for the seat, so Burns will be the sole candidate on the ballot in November’s election.
The public administrator is charged with managing the affairs of people who are disabled, incapacitated or are minors, under the direction of probate court.
“I’m excited that the citizens of Platte County have entrusted me to another four years,” Burns told The Star on Tuesday night. “I feel like this job is a calling for me, and I am super excited to continue to do the work that I’ve done.”
Ahead of the election, Burns said having a special needs child of her own gave her a unique perspective on citizens who are the most vulnerable. She touted her own experience working in areas like Social Security benefits, Medicaid benefits, with Veterans Affairs and with prosecutors in some instances. Before taking office, she worked in a deputy role in the department starting in 2018.
Price did not respond to requests for information from The Star in the lead-up to the primary.
According to her LinkedIn profile, Price has worked as a funeral director since January 2022. Price previously ran for the seat against Burns in 2020. In that race, Burns took 54% of the vote to Price’s 46%.
This story was originally published August 6, 2024 at 8:55 PM.
