In a campaign that may cause some deju vu among voters, Republican Ken Waller is running against Democrat Randy B. Holman for a county government office.
On Nov. 6, voters will choose a county clerk, who, among other duties, runs the county’s elections.
Eight years ago, the two were running against each other to become the first county executive. Waller won that time, and Holman, who stepped down after 16 years as county assessor to run for county executive, was appointed a month after the election to the State Tax Commission, from which he stepped down after 5 1/2 years in April 2016.
When Democrat Wes Wagner resigned as county clerk in the middle of his third four-year term in February 2017, Waller appointed Holman to replace him.
Waller announced last summer that he would not seek a third four-year term. He earlier this year filed for the county clerk’s spot, setting up the rematch.
Waller also served as the county’s treasurer from 2005-2008.
The county clerk is paid $81,149 a year.
WALLER, 56, lives at 202 Santschi Circle, Herculaneum. He and his wife, Trina, have three children. He received an associate degree in business administration from Jefferson College in 1982 and a bachelor’s degree in public administration from the University of Missouri-St. Louis in 1985. He has been on the Jefferson-Franklin Community Action Corporation board since 2012, the East-West Gateway Council of Governments board since 2011 (and was its vice chairman in 2015 and chairman in 2016), the Community Mental Health Fund board since 2013, Jefferson-Franklin Consortium Office of Job Training Programs since 2011 and the Jefferson County Economic Development Corporation board since 2011. He formerly served on the board of directors of the Jefferson County Family YMCA.
Social media: Facebook: Ken Waller County Clerk
HOLMAN, 58, lives at 2180 Sunnyside Road, Festus. He and his wife, Tammy, have two daughters, a nephew and six grandchildren. A 1978 graduate of Herculaneum High School, Holman earned an associate degree in administration from Jefferson College and a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in management in 1982 from Southeast Missouri State University.
He is a member of the Missouri County Clerks Association Legislative Committee, Hillsboro Rotary Club and Good News Community Church.
In addition to his tenure on the State Tax Commission and term as assessor, Holman was a member of the Festus R-6 Board of Education from 1993 to 2008, was president of the Missouri Assessors Association in 2007 and was its education chair from 1997-2010. He also has served on the executive board of the Missouri Association of Counties, and was a member of the Hillsboro Community Civic Club and International Association of Assessing Officers. He served for two years as the chairman of the county’s Boy Scout food drive.
Social media: Facebook: Randy Holman Jefferson County Clerk
What are the county clerk’s duties? Why are you qualified to carry them out?
Waller: County clerks have many duties. They oversee the accounts payable department for the county and are the custodian of all county records. They receive bids for county services and distribute notary commissions. They issue liquor licenses annually. The most recognizable duty is they are the chief election authority and responsible for the conduct of all elections. This includes training and recruiting more than 1,000 election judges to work the polls. My eight years as county executive and four years as county treasurer have equipped me with the knowledge to run this office effectively.
Holman: The county clerk administrates all elections and is responsible for voter registration and maintaining the voter rolls, accounts payables for all county departments, maintains the official records of the county, certifies all tax roll totals to the taxing jurisdictions, issues county permits and licenses and performs many other administrative duties. My experience in the position most qualifies me, as I have been overseeing these responsibilities. Additionally, my prior experience on the State Tax Commission, which directly worked with all county clerks in the state, gave me a comprehensive understanding of the demands for the position.
What would you do to improve public access to data controlled by your office?
Waller: Increase the information to the public online but in a very secure manner. Create a public portal that would be able to allow residents to see how their tax money is being spent in the county clerk’s office. Work with other officeholders to ensure that the approved county budgets are posted online.
Holman: Since becoming county clerk, one of my priorities has been that very issue. I have made improvements to our county website, have provided information and links to data and information via the office’s Facebook page and we are rolling out a new web-based election result reporting system that will change the way election data is made available in Jefferson County. The public will now have immediate access to specific information they want from the luxury of their homes. Serving the public will continue to be my priority.
What would you do to improve customer service?
Waller: Make the office more versatile by helping to empower employees to serve all the needs of residents. Create helpful apps to conduct business concerning the office. This could help with voter registration and election information. It could also include sample ballots at polling locations and accepting credit card payments for services rendered in the office. I would work with legislators on “no-excuse absentee voting legislation” to increase voter participation.
Holman: The primary interaction the public has with the office is related to registering to vote or updating their registrations. We have focused on making this as simple a process as we can. We now provide this capability online for the public’s convenience, but also can work directly with a voter if they prefer. We reach out to every school, library and license office to better assist our residents in registering at these locations as well. We spend a tremendous amount of time training our election judges to provide efficient, courteous service focusing on enhancing the voting experience.
What would you do to protect the integrity of elections?
Waller: Make sure we hire quality people as election judges. We need to make sure they get good training and supervision. Every voter should receive transparent and ongoing communication from the county clerk’s office. I would continue to use social media to talk about upcoming elections and polling locations.
Holman: Being proactive is critical to prevent election fraud and tampering. The new election system we put in service this year is the most secure system available, as it is paper ballot-based and none of our equipment is ever connected to the internet. This makes hacking and file tampering virtually impossible and our elections secure. All data transferred from our polling sites are encrypted and the tabulation system is as well. Jefferson County recently joined the Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center, which monitors our procedures, ensuring protocols are in place to protect our information.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Waller: My 12 years of experience in county government gives me a unique perspective for this position. A county executive for the past eight years, I have worked with this office almost daily and understand its many functions. I would work to make it easier for veterans, the elderly and disabled to vote. I would work with our local legislators on “no-excuse absentee voting legislation” to increase voter turnout. I would involve young people, especially college students, in the election process, getting them registered to vote. I would recruit more people to become election judges.
Holman: We have made many positive changes during my tenure. We have simplified the registration process, implemented youth involvement programs, enhanced customer service, used grants to save taxpayers’ money, implemented numerous security conventions, streamlined procedures, focused on education through social media, worked on legislative reform and much more. I am not one to be complacent because in today’s rapidly changing world, if you are not moving forward, you are regressing. I will continue to find ways to improve efficiency, transparency, fiscal accountability and the engagement of youth and promote the importance of the election process.