The next Jefferson County Clerk won’t have a long getting-to-know-you time with her office.
With Ken Waller deciding against running for a second four-year term, voters in the Nov. 8 general election will choose from two current employees of the office.
Republican Jeannie Goff, who has served mainly as the second-in-command in the office for 35 years under five county clerks, opted to run for the top spot, and she’ll face a challenge from co-worker Tracy Johnson, a 13-year veteran of the office.
Johnson ran unopposed in the August primary election, while Goff defeated Jeremy Day in the Republican primary.
The county clerk is the county’s election authority as well as the keeper of county records. The office also issues liquor and solid waste licenses and administers notary public commissions.
The office pays a salary of $86,120.
GOFF, 56, of De Soto is the chief of staff in the County Clerk’s Office. She and her husband, Don, have two daughters and one granddaughter. A 1984 graduate of St. Pius X High School, she attended Jefferson College and became a certified elections-registration administrator through Auburn University.
Website/social media: Website: jeanniegoff.com Facebook: Jeannie Goff for Jefferson County Clerk
JOHNSON, 63, of Herculaneum is an elections clerk in the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office. She has a son and two grandchildren. A graduate of De Soto High School, she also attended Allied Medical School. She is the treasurer of Giving Something Back to the Community and member of the Herculaneum Park Board.
What experience do you have (elected office, civic organizations, volunteer work, etc.) that might serve you well in this position?
Goff: I have committed more than 35 years working for the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office. My experience is from working in this office, supervising the staff and all aspects of the office. I have continued my election expertise by attending county clerk and election authority conferences, county clerk regional meetings and the National Association of Election Officials Election Center conferences.
Johnson: In my 13 years in the County Clerk’s Office, I have been involved in many duties, particularly elections. I have attended annual conferences to keep up to date on new laws and procedures. I have volunteered for voter registration drives, events for Comtrea, Mary’s House of Hope, the Howard Wagner Golf Tournament, Shop with a Cop and the Jefferson County Foster Children’s Christmas, among others.
What are the county clerk’s duties? Why are you qualified to carry them out?
Goff: The County Clerk serves as the custodian of records and the secretary to the Board of Equalization. The clerk is the liaison between the county and state departments, certifying tax levies and financial reporting for local political subdivisions. The clerk serves as the election authority, conducting elections for the state, county and all its political subdivisions. I am qualified because I can efficiently perform all duties of the office effectively.
Johnson: The main duties are to conduct countywide elections, issue liquor licenses, collect and report district tax rates to the state, swear in notaries, keep records for the County Council, and provide general assistance to the public. Having worked in the office for more than 13 years, I have already done many of those duties.
What would you do to improve customer service?
Goff: I would like to make certain public records in the County Clerk’s office more accessible by making them available online. I also would like to enhance the relationship with media outlets to ensure that relevant information is conveyed to the public. Although the development research has already begun, I would like to confirm that the liquor and solid waste licenses processes are available online. I would work with local communities and organizations to educate registered voters regarding procedures that are not known to many, such as voting options.
Johnson: I believe our office has good customer service, but there are always ways to improve upon it. One way I would like to help our customers – the taxpayers – is to provide our permanently disabled voters free postage to return absentee ballot requests to our office. Postage is provided for the ballot itself, but not for the application. These are already voters who cannot get out of their homes, even to buy a stamp. Voting is supposed to be free, and should never cost anything, not even the cost of a stamp.
What, if anything, should the Missouri Legislature do to make elections in the state more secure?
Goff: The Legislature, secretary of state and county clerks across Missouri should continue to improve their relationships ensuring that each county has the means to maintain the most updated paper ballot voting machines and registration databases, along with providing the utmost cybersecurity measures to protect against any interference with the election infrastructure.
Johnson: In my opinion and experience, elections are very secure in our county. The Secretary of State’s Office has provided assessments of each county’s election security. We have implemented their suggestions and will continue to follow any guidelines. We work closely with our vendor to make sure that all programming is accurate and is tested in accordance with state laws before and after each election. The legislature just passed a new election law closing the gaps in several areas, making elections more secure.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Goff: Experience and a strong work ethic are imperative to carry out the duties of this office. Jefferson County residents deserve a county clerk who will work for them and ensure that they are given the best public service. As the chief of staff, I have supervised the conduct of more than 100 elections and provided quality service to voters effectively and conservatively. I know all operations of the office, including voter registration, candidate filing and ensuring the calculation of the county’s tax rates are compliant with state statutes. I want to increase awareness of voting rights and streamline office processes.
Johnson: I have served the county for 13 years and want to continue to do so – looking forward, not back. My goals are to provide a new, fresh look at old procedures, improve on the everyday tasks and continue the integrity and security of our elections.