Who’s running to represent Clay County in Jefferson City? Candidates’ views on key issues

Missouri voters will have the chance to cast a ballot on Nov. 8, or earlier — anyone can vote in-person absentee for this election starting on Oct. 25. Voters will decide on five statewide ballot questions and numerous races from the federal down to the county level of government. Kansas City voters will decide on two city questions too.

Below are links to candidates’ responses to The Star’s survey from those running for the state legislature in Clay County districts.

And here is a link to all of the Missouri races on the ballot for voters around Kansas City, and to the Clay County Commission candidates.

If you’re not sure, you can look up your voter information to see which district you live in, and where your polling site is.

How the voter guide works:

Click on the race you are curious about, and you’ll go to a page with candidates’ responses. There, you can use the jump menu to get to a specific race or district.

Any candidates that do not have answers below their names did not respond to the survey. Our team at The Star contacted campaigns multiple times via both email and phone calls over the past month.

If you are a candidate and would like to get in touch with us and submit responses still, you can email us at kcq@kcstar.com. Voters will continue using this tool all the way through election day.

A note on editing and fact-checking

Some survey responses were very lightly edited for grammar, but the substance of the responses were not edited at all and are the candidates’ own words. The Star did not fact-check all of the candidates’ responses.

If you are concerned about misinformation or would like to learn more about some of the issues referenced in candidates’ responses, we wanted to include this past story about how to spot misinformation: How to tell if a politician is lying? A scholar who studies what they say has some advice.

District 8

Josh Hurlbert, Republican

Rep. Josh Hurlbert filled out The Star’s candidate survey but left all of the answers blank aside from his campaign website.

Campaign website: joshhurlbert.com

Alyssa Dial, Democrat

After numerous attempts to contact via email and phone over a span of more than two weeks, Alyssa Dial did not respond to The Star’s request to complete the candidate survey.

Campaign website: www.facebook.com/AlyssaDial4MO

District 15

Adam Richardson, Republican

After numerous attempts to contact via email and phone over a span of more than two weeks, Adam Richardson did not respond to The Star’s request to complete the candidate survey.

Campaign website: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064801848676

Maggie Nurrenbern, Democrat

What should Missouri do about the teacher shortage? And what kinds of laws should the legislature prioritize that would affect Missouri schools?

Great teachers are the most important factor to ensuring that all students learn, grow and are successful. Disappointingly, Missouri’s average starting teacher salary is the lowest in the nation. Permanently raising beginning teacher pay to $38,000 (from the current $25,000) is a start, but we need to do more to get new teachers in the classroom and retain our experienced educators. We should offer college tuition assistance for students who commit to teach in Missouri. Paying teachers more and ensuring they are given the autonomy to be able to practice the craft of teaching should be a priority.

How should Missouri legislate a person’s access to abortion and other reproductive health care? Would you take any steps to amend Missouri’s abortion ban or pass new state laws around abortion or reproductive health care?

It is imperative that all women have access to safe, affordable reproductive health care, including abortion. Complicated medical decisions are best left to women, their families and their doctors — not legislators in Jefferson City. Missouri’s restrictive abortion ban was crafted to score political points and has now become one of the most dangerous, egregious laws in the nation. Women carrying non-viable pregnancies and survivors of rape and incest are now forced to give birth in our state. Crafting exemptions and clearly defining medical emergencies must be a top priority for those in the legislature.

Do you think Missourians should legalize recreational marijuana by voting yes for the amendment on the ballot? Do you have any concerns with the wording of the amendment?

I agree that we should no longer criminalize marijuana use and possession; however, I continue to have concerns about the wording of Amendment 3. There will be stiff fines for public consumption and inadequacies with the expungement process for past marijuana-related convictions. In addition, we know that people of color have been disproportionately impacted by marijuana prohibition, yet they will face incredible barriers to entering the market. As a mom and former teacher, one of my largest concerns continues to be about the negative impact on minors if we make marijuana more readily available.

Do you believe that the 2020 presidential election was fairly decided and that Joe Biden is the legitimate president, and do you condemn the Jan. 6 insurrection?

President Biden was fairly elected in the 2020 election. The Jan. 6 siege on the Capitol is a tragic, dark stain on our democracy. Unfortunately, the widespread, false claims of voter fraud pushed by conspiracists continue to have detrimental consequences, namely with onerous voter suppression laws. Because of these conspiracies of voter fraud, Missouri recently enacted cumbersome registration and photo ID requirements that will make it more difficult for citizens to access the ballot box. Safe, fair and accessible elections are a cornerstone of any functioning democracy. Restricting eligible voters from voting undermines our democracy.

Do you have a position on a specific issue that crosses partisan lines, or that you think is often misunderstood? What is it, and what do you wish voters better understood about your stance?

There is a bipartisan interest in updating Missouri’s foundation formula, the mechanism we use to fund our public schools. One of the inherent flaws is that the formula makes no adjustments for inflation. When doing so, we are funding our schools today below 2008 levels. 25% of schools in Missouri have now switched to a four-day school week in an attempt to recruit teachers and reduce expenses. The legislature must work with our local school districts to reconfigure the foundation formula and increase the state’s share of general revenue towards public education.

Campaign website: maggie@maggieformo.com

Steve West, Independent

What should Missouri do about the teacher shortage? And what kinds of laws should the legislature prioritize that would affect Missouri schools?

Public schools are having problems because public schools are failing. We need school choice for every Missouri family. If we take the money we’re wasting on public education and let parents decide where that should be spent, on public, private or home schooling, things will work out. Parents are their child’s first natural advocate wanting their children to succeed. I trust parents, not school boards, administrators or government. Competition will raise public education. A rising tide raises all boats. Public education is all about money and politics now, our money, and their politics.

How should Missouri legislate a person’s access to abortion and other reproductive health care? Would you take any steps to amend Missouri’s abortion ban or pass new state laws around abortion or reproductive health care?

I don’t believe abortion should ever be used for birth control or to cover up a crime. If a woman claims she’s been forcibly raped, she must be willing to file charges, I want the man prosecuted. Then she can decide to have the child, keep it or adoption. If a woman is forcibly raped, the father could have mental or drug problems affecting the child, not to mention the trauma she’s suffered. These should be considerations. In some cases child predators are taking girls to abortion clinics to cover up their crimes with no questions asked. This has to stop. For a tubal pregnancy, where her life is truly at stake, that should be a consideration.

Do you think Missourians should legalize recreational marijuana by voting yes for the amendment on the ballot? Do you have any concerns with the wording of the amendment?

Absolutely not. We need Missouri citizens, especially youth, thinking clearly. Marijuana is fat soluble and remains 30+ days after it has been consumed. It dulls the senses and affects coordination and reasoning. Traffic fatalities have skyrocketed in states where it’s legalized. People who use it habitually have much higher rates of mental illness and schizophrenia. It is a huge carcinogen leading to higher cancer rates. This bill would also give big business control of the market. Nothing in this bill is good.

Do you believe that the 2020 presidential election was fairly decided and that Joe Biden is the legitimate president, and do you condemn the Jan. 6 insurrection?

The election was stolen. Voter fraud is rampant, especially in Democrat districts, but the 2020 election took it to new heights: voting machines, software, servers overseas, dead voters, drop boxes, voting in multiple states, etc. When will we have hearings for the riots in Seattle, Portland, Baltimore, etc. etc. etc. and how many were detained from these events. They became the agitators that turned the Jan. 6 peaceful protest into the media spectacle by design. RINO (“Republican in name only”) Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft put marijuana on the ballot after their failed petitions to increase Democrat turnout in this election. He needs to go. He’s a fraud just like his dad, John Ashcroft! Parson is no better.

Do you have a position on a specific issue that crosses partisan lines, or that you think is often misunderstood? What is it, and what do you wish voters better understood about your stance?

In 1955, we had censorship, not political speech, but profanity, violence, sedition and porn. The Supreme Court legalized porn, and everything changed! In 10 years America had an epidemic of sexual predation of young women and children. So today most of us have neighbors on the sexual predator list. Sexual predation is a huge factor affecting sexual dysfunction, leading to alternative lifestyles, often repeating this sad tragic cycle of abuse. Some countries block internet porn so that only adults who apply for it can access it. Today kids get porn on their cell phones, making siblings and younger children vulnerable to abuse. This has to stop! We can block internet porn!

Campaign website: stevewest4missouri.com

District 16

Chris Brown, Republican

After numerous attempts to contact via email and phone over a span of more than two weeks, Chris Brown did not respond to The Star’s request to complete the candidate survey.

Campaign website: www.chrisbrownformo.com

Fantasia Rene Bernauer, Democrat

After numerous attempts to contact via email and phone over a span of more than two weeks, Fantasia Rene Bernauer did not respond to The Star’s request to complete the candidate survey.

Campaign website: www.upballot.com/fantasia-bernauer

District 17

Bill Allen, Republican

After numerous attempts to contact via email and phone over a span of more than two weeks, Bill Allen did not respond to The Star’s request to complete the candidate survey.

Campaign website: www.billallenformo.com

Mark Ellebracht, Democrat

What should Missouri do about the teacher shortage? And what kinds of laws should the legislature prioritize that would affect Missouri schools?

We need to pay teachers more. Plain and simple.

How should Missouri legislate a person’s access to abortion and other reproductive health care? Would you take any steps to amend Missouri’s abortion ban or pass new state laws around abortion or reproductive health care?

Abortion and the attendant medical procedures associated with it are a privacy issue. I do not like the idea of abortion (I don’t think that any sane person “likes” abortion), but cannot support infringing upon an individual’s right to privacy, even if I do not support how they exercise that right. Abortion should be regarded similarly to the way that other personal and private medical procedures are regarded. It is a decision that should be left up to the woman, her family (where appropriate) and her physician.

Do you think Missourians should legalize recreational marijuana by voting yes for the amendment on the ballot? Do you have any concerns with the wording of the amendment?

I have concerns about the wording of the amendment. It is not my prerogative to tell the voters how they should vote; it is my honor to go to Jefferson City and try to help them accomplish what their wishes are. If they vote to support the amendment then I will work toward helping it become enacted. If they vote against the amendment, I will work to honor the will of the voters.

Do you believe that the 2020 presidential election was fairly decided and that Joe Biden is the legitimate president, and do you condemn the Jan. 6 insurrection?

The 2020 election was at least as fairly decided as any other presidential election we have had in the past 59 presidential elections. Joe Biden is the legitimate president. The individuals that committed crimes on Jan. 6 should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

Do you have a position on a specific issue that crosses partisan lines, or that you think is often misunderstood? What is it, and what do you wish voters better understood about your stance?

I think that the law enforcement issue, especially in the Kansas City area, is very often misunderstood by the media and the general public. Our law enforcement officers have always had a very challenging job in Kansas City, and unlike in other major metropolitan areas, our officers have done an extremely admirable job. We need to reinvest in our officers and the programs we know work; the narrative that this is simply a “pro-law enforcement” or a “defund the police” binary proposition simply fails to understand the unique situation of our police department and the jobs we are asking them to do.

Campaign website: facebook.com/ElectMarkEllebracht/

District 18

Eric Woods, Democrat

What should Missouri do about the teacher shortage? And what kinds of laws should the legislature prioritize that would affect Missouri schools?

In order to attract and retain teachers, Missouri should make the temporary teacher pay increases passed in 2022 permanent and incentivize long-term service by improving the retirement system. The state should avoid passing laws that place unnecessary burdens on teachers, and allow them to create welcoming and inclusive learning environments where students can grow and express themselves. Additionally, the state should allow school districts to innovate and exercise local control over their own policies regarding health and safety, assessment, curriculum and in other areas.

How should Missouri legislate a person’s access to abortion and other reproductive health care? Would you take any steps to amend Missouri’s abortion ban or pass new state laws around abortion or reproductive health care?

Missouri law outlaws nearly all abortions, even in cases of rape and incest. The law is so vague that doctors are unsure when they can perform abortions, even to save the life of the mother, without risking prison. Some Republicans have discussed outlawing IVF and certain kinds of contraception. The state should have no say over when or how a person chooses to start a family, and should not force a woman to be pregnant and give birth against her will. The abortion ban should be overturned and the decision returned to being between a woman and her doctor.

Do you think Missourians should legalize recreational marijuana by voting yes for the amendment on the ballot? Do you have any concerns with the wording of the amendment?

I support legal recreational marijuana, but I have concerns about the language of the amendment. I believe that the amendment as written does not go far enough in expunging the records of people previously convicted on drug charges, and creates a convoluted and not well-defined process that might prevent some from having their records expunged. It also includes prohibitions on use and possession that I find counter-productive, and has an unequal process for distributing licenses to sell recreational marijuana. I remain undecided on the amendment and encourage voters to do thorough research before voting on Nov. 8.

Do you believe that the 2020 presidential election was fairly decided and that Joe Biden is the legitimate president, and do you condemn the Jan. 6 insurrection?

Hundreds of recounts and audits have proven that there was no fraud in the 2020 election; Joe Biden is the legitimate President. The attempts to overturn the 2020 election based on conspiracy theories and lies was a national disgrace which too many Republicans participated in or refused to denounce. The Jan. 6 insurrection was nothing short of an attempted coup, an effort to overturn a free and fair election by force. As a patriot, I condemn it in the strongest way possible. The fact that this question needs to be answered highlights the present and growing threats to our democracy.

Do you have a position on a specific issue that crosses partisan lines, or that you think is often misunderstood? What is it, and what do you wish voters better understood about your stance?

While I believe that government can and should be a force for good in people’s lives, I also believe that sometimes less is more. The fewer arbitrary rules and regulations that we make, the more we can focus on improving systems and services that actually matter to people. I look forward to working across the aisle to reduce unnecessary burdens so that citizens can just live their lives (and not have to worry about getting a ticket for not having a front license plate on that car they just bought from Kansas...not to get too specific or anything).

Campaign website: woodsformissouri.com

District 38

Chris Lonsdale, Republican

After numerous attempts to contact via email and phone over a span of more than two weeks, Chris Lonsdale did not respond to The Star’s request to complete the candidate survey.

Campaign website: www.lonsdaleformissouri.com

District 39

Doug Richey, Republican

After numerous attempts to contact via email and phone over a span of more than two weeks, Doug Richey did not respond to The Star’s request to complete the candidate survey.

Campaign website: https://t.co/Huoocfnlgw

This story was originally published October 20, 2022 at 7:00 AM.