CherryRoad Media investigation reveals 9 officials from 10 counties elected April 8 are unqualified to serve, according to state law
By Gregory Orear
Senior Editor/Cherry RoadMedia
JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri law requires all candidates to meet four qualifications to be elected.
Those qualifications include a minimum age, residency, no felony convictions or delinquent taxes.
However, an investigation directed by the Lincoln County Journal that included several other CherryRoad Media newspapers discovered not only a lack of oversight to ensure those candidates meet those criteria, but also numerous cases where non-qualified candidates were elected, frequently defeating qualified candidates.
10 Counties, 9 Violations
The Lincoln County Journal, in conjunction with the Savannah Reporter, Chillicothe Constitution-Tribune, Linn County Leader, Moberly Monitor-Index, Hermann Advertiser-Courier, Centralia Fireside Guard and Liberty Courier-Tribune/Gladstone Dispatch, checked 151 officials from 10 counties (Andrew, Boone, Clay, Gasconade, Livingston, Lincoln, Marion, Pettis, Randolph and Saline) elected April 8 for compliance with one of the four qualifications: delinquent taxes.
The investigation revealed of the 151 elected candidates, 29 failed to pay their taxes on time (19.2%), while nine failed to pay by the April 8 election.
During the investigation, local county officials verified the addresses on the past due tax bills matched the addresses listed on the candidate’s filing affidavit.
The consequences for failing to pay by April 8 are severe, according to the Secretary of State Office which oversees elections.
“Under §115.306.1, RSMo, any person who is delinquent in the payment of …personal property taxes, municipal taxes, or real property taxes on their place of residence is disqualified from being a candidate for elected office,” Director of Communications Rachael Dunn said.
And while six of the nine candidates have paid their taxes after the election, Dunn said that has no bearing as they remain unqualified to serve.
“The issue is functionally irresolvable under Missouri law once the candidate has been elected, if they were ineligible at the time of filing or election,” Dunn said. “While the term ‘irresolvable’ is not used in the statute, the law does not provide a mechanism for retroactive qualification. Therefore, paying the taxes after the election does not resolve the disqualification…this statutory disqualification is not subject to cure by post-election compliance.”
Post-election though, Dunn said the secretary of state has no authority to remove a non-qualified official. That decision, she said, rests with the local prosecutor.
The Unqualified
The nine individuals identified in the investigation include a mayor of a small town, two school board members, a fire board member, a city councilman and a board of alderman member, all of whom defeated qualified candidates in contested elections.
Three other officials, including Christine Goodwin (Amazonia Alderman/Andrew County), Megan Brumley (Cairo Board of Trustees/Randolph County) and Jennifer Miller (Gasconade Alderman/Gasconade County) won non-contested races or were write-in candidates.
Of the 10 surveyed counties, only Saline had multiple unqualified candidates, leading the way with three, including a mayor and two school board members.
In Nelson, a town with a population of 152, voters elected Zan Anderson 25-16 over Barbara Peeples to serve as the mayor. However, at the time of the election, Anderson owed both his 2023 and 2024 personal property taxes.
He paid both years’ back taxes May 1, according to online records maintained by the Saline County Collector.
Saline County voters also elected two non-qualified candidates to local school boards. In Malta Bend, Board President Jenna Klinge lost by four votes, 44-40, to Eddie Williams. An incumbent as well, Williams didn’t pay his 2024 taxes until April 28.
In Miami, challenger Courtney Arndt defeated the Miami County R-1 board secretary and treasurer, Abigail Schroeder.
Arndt’s 2024 taxes remain unpaid as of June 3.
Other non-qualified candidates who won contested races include Danielle Rockwell in Elsberry and Molly Gibson in Gladstone.
Gibson won a close election over an incumbent, Bill Garnos, 50.7-48.5%. However, soon after the election, the council became aware of the delinquent taxes and refused to seat Gibson.
The council appointed Cameron Nave at its May 12 meeting and the new council member will serve a one-year term until the regular municipal election in April 2026.
Gibson meanwhile told The Liberty Courier-Tribune she was hiring an attorney to fight for her seat on the council.
“… This is about more than one seat. It’s about whether the people of Gladstone get to choose their leaders — or whether those in power get to choose for them,” Gibson said in a statement to the newspaper.
Gladstone officials said enforcement of the state law isn’t optional.
“This is not a situation of the city’s making. The state law that disqualifies individuals with unpaid taxes from holding elected office has been in effect for decades,” the city stated in the Gladstone Dispatch. “As a municipality, the city is obligated to uphold state law and does not have the authority to selectively enforce it.”
In Elsberry, Rockwell was elected convincingly to a third term, defeating Stacy Knoche 37-12. However, unlike Gibson, Rockwell would be sworn into office at the Elsberry April meeting, a few days before she paid her 2024 taxes.
While she has yet to resign, the Lincoln County Prosecuting Attorney is investigating the case.
When interviewed by The Lincoln County Journal, Rockwell confirmed she always pays her taxes later, after she and her husband receive their tax refund.
“It is not the best way to manage finances, but this has been our routine for many years,” Rockwell said. “Time got away from us this year and our taxes were not paid until April 21.”
Voters also elected Dawn Sapp to the Southern Boone County Fire Protection District over Bill Lloyd. As of June 3, Sapp still has not paid her 2024 personal property taxes, according to county records.
No Oversight
While candidates are required to sign an affidavit stating they meet the qualifications to be elected, and confirm those qualifications in the oath of office, there is no verification process on the local or state level.
For those who lost the April 8 election to a candidate who by law, can’t legally serve, that lack of oversight is disappointing.
“I think there should be a better system in place for checks and balances on this. Somewhere, somebody needs to be held accountable and whether it be at the community level, the county level or the state level even,” Knoche said. “Something needs to be put in place. There should be some sort of system so this doesn’t happen again because this can’t keep happening.”
After conducting three school board campaigns, two of which were successful, Schroeder assumed someone was checking the affidavit she signed for accuracy.
“I am very surprised that nobody was checked,” she said. “I always thought somebody was checking that.”
While stating the election of non-qualified officials was a “big problem,” Schroeder was contemplating her next steps.
“I am very much a right is right and wrong is wrong person,” she said. “I don’t think it’s right for the voters and taxpayers to not know.”
Peeples said she is disappointed knowing she lost the election to someone whose name even shouldn’t have been on the ballot.
“I don’t really know what I’m going to do about this,” she said after being informed of the investigation’s findings. “I just want to clean the town up. It’s such a mess. I was hoping he would do that but he hasn’t. But yeah, I’m disappointed by this and would have had no idea.”
A Powerless Official
While the Missouri Secretary of State, Denny Hoskins, theoretically oversees Missouri elections by law, even he is powerless to remove an unqualified candidate from the ballot before an election or from office after the fact.
“Missouri law sets clear expectations for who is eligible to hold public office, including being current on tax obligations. Candidates are required to submit a sworn statement affirming they meet those qualifications,” Hoskins said in an interview with The Lincoln County Journal. “However, enforcement is largely handled at the local level, and the Secretary of State’s Office does not have authority to verify eligibility in many local elections. When concerns arise, they’re typically resolved by local election officials or through legal channels.”
When asked what his office could do to ensure the integrity of candidates in the future, Hoskins answer was basically, not much, beyond training.
“Our office supports election officials by providing training, guidance, and standardized forms, including the affidavit that every candidate must complete,” Hoskins said. “While the office is not authorized to conduct eligibility checks in local races, we help local officials understand the process and refer any concerns to the appropriate authorities.”
And without a change in Missouri law, Hoskins said there wouldn’t be much his office could do in the future to prevent this from happening again, placing the onus on local officials.
“We play a direct role in candidate filings for statewide and legislative offices, but for most local races, it’s up to the local election authority of the filing officer for a political subdivision to ensure filings are complete and accurate,” he said. “Our job is to support them with the tools they need and to make sure voters know what qualifications the law requires. If complaints are made, we help direct them to the proper place for review.”
Knoche agrees local authorities should be more vigilant to protect local elections.
“This is something our city attorney should have caught,” Knoche said. “I think he dropped the ball on this. It’s his job to make sure the city follows the law.”
Editor’s Note: Several attempts were made to contact all nine officials elected April 8 with delinquent taxes. Most were unavailable for comment or declined to respond.
