Dec. 9—The filing period for people to run for area school boards and city councils in the April 8 municipal election opens Tuesday and ends Dec. 31.
The city of Joplin only has city elections in even-numbered years, so it will not be having a city election in 2025.
Candidates file at their respective city halls or school administration offices.
Some school district administrative offices will be open for limited hours after Friday, Dec. 20, or Monday, Dec. 23, because of the Christmas holiday.
Carthage mayor?
The Carthage City Council has seven open seats — that of mayor and six of 10 seats on the council.
Following the October impeachment of Carthage Mayor Dan Rife, Mayor Pro Tem and Ward 4 council member Alan Snow was sworn in as mayor Nov. 1.
That means the mayor’s seat is up for election April for a one-year term, then will be up again in April 2026 for its regular four-year term — unless Rife prevails in one of his two court challenges to the impeachment. A hearing in one of those cases is set for 8:30. a.m. Friday in Joplin.
If Rife wins, he will be returned to office to serve the final year in the term he was elected to in 2022.
Jasper County Clerk Charlie Davis said ballots have to be finalized by Jan. 28. He said he’ll have to consult the county attorney for what to do if Rife’s legal challenges have not been settled by then.
Each of Carthage’s five wards will have one seat open for election to a two-year term in April.
A vacant seat in Ward 3 also will be up in this election because of the resignation of Dustin Edge in September. Edge was elected to a two-year term in April 2024.
Incumbent Terri Heckmaster’s Ward 3 seat is also up for reelection in April.
Incumbent Chris Taylor’s seat is up in Ward 1, and vacant seats in wards 2, 4, and 5 will be up for election in April.
If any of those vacant seats are filled by appointment between now and the election, the people appointed will have to file for the April 2025 election if they are interested in keeping the seats.
People can get more details about filing at Carthage City Hall by calling 417-237-7000.
—The Webb City City Council has four seats on its eight-seat council up for election.
Two-year seats held by Andy Queen in Ward 1, Gina Munson in Ward 2, Brad Baker in Ward 3 and Debby Darby in Ward 4 are open in the April election.
People interested in more details about the Webb City City Council can call City Hall at 417-673-4651.
—Carl Junction residents will elect a mayor and four members of the Board of Aldermen to two-year terms.
The current mayor is Mark Powers. Seats held by Hollie LaVigne in Ward 1, Rick Flinn in Ward 2, David Pyle in Ward 3 and LaDonna Allen in Ward 4 are also open in this election.
People can contact Carl Junction City Hall at 417-649-7237 for more details on the election.
—Two seats on the seven-member Neosho City Council — held by Ward 4 council member Carl Cobb and council member-at-large Angela Thomas —are up for election in April. The terms are for three years.
For more details on running for City Council, people can call Neosho City Hall at 417-451-8050.
Boards of education
All school boards in Southwest Missouri have two three-year seats up for grabs in the April 2025 election unless there’s a vacancy in one of the other seats.
The ballots will include everyone who properly files for the seats. The top two vote-getters take their seats.
—Joplin School District voters will vote for people for the seats currently held by Donald L. Greenlee II and David Weaver.
The Joplin administration office, 825 S. Pearl Ave., will take candidate filings from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. daily through Dec. 20. The office will be closed Dec. 23-30 and reopen from 3-5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31.
People can call 417-625-5200 for details.
—In Carthage, the terms for school board members Nikki Cloud and Ryan Collier are up in April.
The school administrative office at 709 W. Centennial Ave. will be open from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekdays through Dec. 19. The office will be open from 8 a.m.-noon Friday, Dec. 20, and then closed Dec. 23-30. It will then be open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31, the final day of filing.
For more details, call 417-359-7000.
—In Neosho, the seats held by school board members Stuart Puckett and Jonathan Russell are up for election this year.
Filings will start at the Neosho School District administration offices at 418 S. Fairground Road at 8 a.m. Tuesday and continue during regular business hours, 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m., until Dec. 20.
The office will be closed if school is called for inclement weather and from Dec. 23-30. The office will reopen from 3-5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31, for last-minute filers. For more details, call the office at 417-451-8600.
—Residents of the Webb City School District will vote on seats occupied by Dan McGrew and Stephen Crane as well as for a seat that became vacant when Jeanne Newby resigned earlier this year. The vacant seat carries a one-year term.
People can file at the district administrative office at 411 N. Madison Ave. from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday and from 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekdays through Dec. 20.
The office will be open Tuesday, Dec. 31, with hours still to be determined. For more details, call the office at 417-673-6000.
—Residents of the Carl Junction School District will elect people to serve in the seats currently held by Larry Cowger and Bob Hays.
The schools administration office will be open for people filing for those seats from 8 a.m-3:30 p.m. Tuesday, then 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. weekdays until Thursday, Dec. 19. The office will be open from 8 a.m.-noon Friday, Dec. 20, and then be closed for the Christmas holiday until 3-5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31, by appointment only. People should contact the superintendent’s office at 417-649-7206 for information or an appointment Dec. 31.