Candidate filing for the Aug. 4 primary began Feb. 24 for local races, and many contests are already developing in Jefferson County.
Jefferson County voters will be selecting candidates for associate circuit judges, circuit clerk, county executive, county clerk, county council members, recorder of deeds, collector of revenue, auditor, prosecuting attorney and numerous township committee positions.
Races for two associate circuit judge positions will be on the primary ballot. Associate judges are paid an annual salary of $166,154 and serve four-year terms.
State Rep. Renee Reuter, R-Imperial, announced in January that she no longer plans to run for the state Senate but instead will run for the Jefferson County Division 12 associate judge position. She will face Colby Smith-Hynes of Hillsboro in the primary. Smith-Hynes is the deputy director of legal services for the Jefferson County Juvenile Office and is a municipal judge in Byrnes Mill and Pevely.
Current Division 12 associate judge Antonio (Tony) Manansala of Cedar Hill will run for the Division 15 position. He will face incumbent Charlie Argana of Festus.
Three have filed for the county executive position. Dennis Gannon currently serves in the position but announced in October 2024 that he would not be seeking reelection. The county executive is paid an annual salary of $124,971 and serves a four-year term.
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Col. Tim Whitney, the undersheriff and chief financial officer, announced he would seek the Republican nomination for county executive in October 2024. He will face Republican challengers John Stockton of Festus and Chris Howard of Cedar Hill. Howard is St. Louis County’s budget policy coordinator.
There are contested races in three of the four county council seats up for election in August. Council members are paid $13,366 annually and can choose whether to opt into the county’s health insurance plan. If not, council members receive an additional $100 monthly stipend. They serve four-year terms.
Councilwoman Lori Arons will face challenger Johnathan M Sparks for the District 3 seat, which represents portions of Arnold and Imperial. Arons was appointed to the seat in January 2024, when Shannon Otto resigned 11 months into her first term, and now seeks a full term. Sparks currently serves on the Planning and Zoning Commission, representing District 3. His term expires on Nov. 14, 2028.
Republicans Anthony Pousosa and Timothy Bennett, both of Festus, will vie for the District 5 seat at the August primary. The district covers Festus, Crystal City and portions of Herculaneum and Pevely. Councilman Scott Seek stepped down from the District 5 seat after the Jan. 12 regular meeting, and the spot is currently vacant.
Republican Joshua Williams of Dittmer will challenge incumbent Bob Tullock for the District 7 seat. The district covers a large portion of unincorporated Jefferson County, including House Springs, Cedar Hill, Dittmer and Grubville.
Three Republicans will face off for the county clerk position: Steve Wyatt Earp of Hillsboro, Jaclyn Riebold of Cedar Hill and Brent Myers of Hillsboro. County Clerk Jeannie Goff announced in June 2025 that she will not seek reelection after her term ends this year. She has worked in the clerk’s office for 40 years.
The county clerk is paid an annual salary of $86,120 and serves a four-year term.
As of March 9, no candidates have filed for the following elected positions: Big River Township committeewoman, High Ridge Township committeeman, Meramec Township committeewoman, Plattin Township committeewoman, Riverview Township committeeman and committeewoman, and Windsor Township committeeman and committeewoman.
Filing for the Aug. 4 primary election runs through March 31. The general election will be Nov. 3.
The following is a list of candidates who have filed:
■ Associate Circuit Judge Division 10: Jeffrey Coleman of Arnold (Republican) (incumbent). No Democrats have filed.
■ Associate Circuit Judge Division 11: Juli Hand of De Soto (Republican) (incumbent). No Democrats have filed.
■ Associate Circuit Judge Division 12: Renee Reuter of Imperial (Republican), Colby Smith-Hynes of Hillsboro (Republican). No Democrats have filed.
■ Associate Circuit Judge Division 13: Katherine Hardy Senkel of Festus (Republican) (incumbent). No Democrats have filed.
■ Associate Circuit Judge Division 14: Timothy Miller of Hematite (Republican) (Incumbent). No Democrats have filed.
■ Associate Circuit Judge Division 15: Antonio (Tony) Manansala of Cedar Hill (Republican), Charlie Argana of Festus (Republican) (incumbent). No Democrats have filed.
■ Circuit Clerk: Mike Reuter of Hillsboro (Republican) (incumbent). No Democrats have filed.
■ County Executive: Chris Howard of Cedar Hill (Republican), Tim Whitney of Festus (Republican), John Stockton of Festus (Republican). No Democrats have filed.
■ County Council District 1: John T. Parker of High Ridge (Republican), Richard “Stumpy” Durham of House Springs (Republican). No Democrats have filed.
■ County Council District 3: Lori Arons of Imperial (Republican), Johnathan M Sparks of Imperial (Republican). No Democrats have filed.
■ County Council District 5: Anthony Pousosa of Festus (Republican), Timothy Bennett of Festus (Republican). No Democrats have filed.
■ County Council District 7: Joshua Williams of Dittmer (Republicans), Bob Tullock of House Springs (Republicans) (incumbent). No Democrats have filed.
■ County Clerk: Steve Wyatt Earp of Hillsboro (Republican), Jaclyn Riebold of Cedar Hill (Republican), Brent Myers of Hillsboro (Republican). No Democrats have filed.
■ Recorder of Deeds: Debbie (Dunnegan) Waters of Hillsboro (Republican) (incumbent). No Democrats have filed.
■ Collector of Revenue: Jennifer Modray of Hillsboro (Republican). No Democrats have filed.
■ Auditor: Kristy Apprill of Hillsboro (Republican) (incumbent). No Democrats have filed.
■ Prosecuting Attorney: Trisha C Stefanski of Imperial (Republican) (incumbent). No Democrats have filed.
■ Arnold Township Committeeman: Billy Crow of Arnold (Republican), Oscar Harrell of Arnold (Republican). No Democrats have filed.
■ Arnold Township Committeewoman: Lisa Hoffmann of Arnold (Republican). No Democrats have filed.
■ Big River Township Committeeman: Christopher Moenster of Hillsboro (Republican). No Democrats have filed.
■ Central Township Committeeman: Brent Myers of Hillsboro (Republican), Steve Earp of Hillsboro (Republican). No Democrats have filed.
■ Central Township Committeewoman: Rebecca Leonard of Hillsboro (Republican). No Democrats have filed.
■ High Ridge Township Committeewoman: Susan “Suzy” Davis of High Ridge (Republican). No Democrats have filed.
■ Imperial Township Committeeman: Robert (Bob) Curtis of Barnhart (Republican). No Democrats have filed.
■ Imperial Township Committeewoman: Deborah (Deb) Curtis of Barnhart (Republican), Laura Zemann of Imperial (Democrat).
■ Joachim Township Committeeman: George “Bob” Engelbach of Hillsboro (Republican), John Jay Lee of Festus (Republican). No Democrats have filed.
■ Joachim Township Committeewoman: Janet Engelbach of Hillsboro (Republican). No Democrats have filed.
■ Meramec Township Committeeman: Derrick R Good of Cedar Hill (Republican). No Democrats have filed.
■ Plattin Township Committeeman: Nelson Scherrer of Festus (Republican). No Democrats have filed.
■ Rock Township Committeeman: Alan Leaderbrand of Fenton (Republican), William Dettleff of Fenton (Democrat).
■ Rock Township Committeewoman: Ashley Schepers of High Ridge (Democrat). No Republicans have filed.
■ Valle Township Committeeman: Todd Mahn of De Soto (Republican), Bob Boyer of De Soto (Republican), Kevin Hurley of De Soto (Democrat).
■ Valle Township Committeewoman: Tonia Schmitt of De Soto (Republican). No Democrats have filed.
