Changes

==Government==

==Government==

Local government in Scott County is provided by the elected officials. Though these positions have traditionally been dominated by the [[Democratic Party]], the [[Republicans]] have made inroads in recent years and now hold several.

Local government in Scott County is provided by the elected officials. Though these positions have traditionally been dominated by the [[Democratic Party]], the [[Republicans]] have made inroads in recent years and now hold a slim majority.

{| class="wikitable"

{| class="wikitable"

! Scott County, Missouri: Elected countywide officials

! Scott County, Missouri: Elected countywide officials

|-

|-

| Assessor || Teresa Houchin || Democratic

| Assessor || Carla Essner || Republican

|-

|-

| Circuit Clerk || Christy Hency || Democratic

| Circuit Clerk || Stacey Naile || Republican

|-

|-

| County Clerk || Rita Milam || Democratic

| County Clerk || Rita Milam || Democratic

| Commissioner (presiding) || Jim Glueck || Republican

| Commissioner (presiding) || Jim Glueck || Republican

|-

|-

| Commissioner (District 1) || Dennis Ziegenhorn || Democratic

| Commissioner (District 1) || Terry Cole || Republican

|-

|-

| Commissioner (District 2) || Donnie Kiefer || Democratic

| Commissioner (District 2) || Donnie Kiefer || Democratic

| Prosecuting Attorney || Amanda Oesch || Republican

| Prosecuting Attorney || Amanda Oesch || Republican

|-

|-

| Public Administrator || Julia Crader-Dolan || Democratic

| Public Administrator || Julia Crader-Dolan || Republican

|-

|-

| Recorder || Tara Mason || Democratic

| Recorder || Tara Mason || Democratic

|}

|}

At the state level, Scott County lies within parts of three separate legislative districts for the Missouri House of Representatives. Most of the county is part of the 148th District, which also includes a portion of Mississippi County. It is currently represented by Holly Rehder (R-Sikeston), who was re-elected in November 2018 without opposition.

At the state level, Scott County lies within parts of three separate legislative districts for the Missouri House of Representatives. Most of the county is part of the 148th District, which also includes a portion of Mississippi County. It is currently represented by Jamie Burger (R-Benton), who was elected to his first term in November 2020 without opposition.

Part of the Sikeston area falls within the 149th District, which also includes all of New Madrid and parts of Mississippi and Pemiscot Counties. It is currently represented by Don Rone (R-Portageville), who was re-elected in November 2018, defeating Democrat Bill Burlison.

Part of the Sikeston area falls within the 149th District, which also includes all of New Madrid and parts of Mississippi and [[Pemiscot County, Missouri|Pemiscot]] Counties. It is currently represented by Don Rone (R-[[Portageville, Missouri|Portageville]]), who was re-elected to a fourth term in November 2020, without opposition.

 

 

The western parts of the county, including the Chaffee and Oran areas, are in the 151st District, which also includes all of Stoddard County. It is currently represented by Herman Morse (R-[[Dexter, Missouri|Dexter]]), who was re-elected in November 2018, defeating Democrat Jerry Howard.

| Jerry Howard || Democratic || 2,455 || 18.739%

Within Scott County, Morse won decisively by a margin of 1,670 votes to 454 for Howard.

The western parts of the county, including the Chaffee and Oran areas, are in the 151st District, which also includes all of Stoddard County. It is currently represented by Herman Morse (R-[[Dexter, Missouri|Dexter]]), who was re-elected to his second full term in November 2020 without opposition.

In the Missouri State Senate, Scott County is part of the 27th District, which also includes [[Bollinger County, Missouri|Bollinger]], Cape Girardeau, Madison, Perry, and Wayne Counties. It is currently represented by Wayne Wallingford (R-Cape Girardeau), who was re-elected in November 2016, defeating Democrat Donnie Owens.

In the Missouri State Senate, Scott County is part of the 27th District, which also includes [[Bollinger County, Missouri|Bollinger]], Cape Girardeau, [[Madison County, Missouri|Madison]], [[Perry County, Missouri|Perry]], and [[Wayne County, Missouri|Wayne]] Counties. It is currently represented by Holly Rehder (R-Sikeston), the former representative for the 148th District, who was elected to her first term in November 2020, defeating Democrat Donnie Owens.

{| class="wikitable"

{| class="wikitable"

|-

|-

! Candidate !! Party !! Votes !! Vote Percentage

! Candidate !! Party !! Votes !! Vote Percentage

|-

|-

| Wayne Wallingford || Republican || 56,750 || 74.44%

| Holly Rehder || Republican || 63,644 || 76.88%

|-

|-

| Donnie Owens || Democratic || 19,486 || 25.56%

| Donnie Owens || Democratic || 19,135 || 23.12%

|}

|}

Wallingford slightly underperformed his average margin in Scott County, winning 11,752 votes to 4,727 for Owens.

Rehder almost exactly matched her average margin in Scott County, winning 13,391 votes to 4,003 for Owens.

At the federal level, Scott County is part of Missouri's 8th Congressional District, which includes most of southeast and south-central Missouri. It is represented by Jason Smith (R-Salem), who won re-election in November 2018, defeating Democrat Kathy Ellis.

At the federal level, Scott County is part of Missouri's 8th Congressional District, which includes most of southeast and south-central Missouri. It is represented by Jason Smith (R-Salem), who won re-election in November 2020, defeating Democrat Kathy Ellis.

{| class="wikitable"

{| class="wikitable"

|-

|-

! Candidate !! Party !! Votes !! Vote Percentage

! Candidate !! Party !! Votes !! Vote Percentage

|-

|-

| Jason Smith || Republican || 194,042 || 73.39%

| Jason Smith || Republican || 253,811 || 76.86%

|-

|-

| Kathy Ellis || Democratic || 66,151 || 25.019%

| Kathy Ellis || Democratic || 70,561 || 21.367%

|-

|-

| Jonathan Shell || Libertarian || 4,206 || 1.591%

| Tom Schmitz || Libertarian || 5,854 || 1.773%

|}

|}

Smith slightly overperformed his average margin in Scott County, winning 76.41% of the vote.<ref>https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/s_default</ref>

Smith slightly overperformed his average margin in Scott County, winning 77.62% of the vote.<ref>https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/s_default</ref>

'''Political Culture'''

'''Political Culture'''

As the above numbers indicate, despite its tendency to vote Democratic at the local level, Scott County is solidly Republican at the state and federal level. In recent elections, with the exception of Haywood City and certain neighborhoods of Sikeston (these being majority African-American), every local municipality has voted Republicans into office by a heavy margin. In the 2016 general election, the county overwhelmingly supported [[Donald Trump]], who won 75.95% of the vote.<ref>http://www.scottcountymo.com/cmsAdmin/uploads/november-6-2018-general-election-breakdown.pdf</ref>

As the above numbers indicate, despite its tendency to vote Democratic at the local level, Scott County is solidly Republican at the state and federal level. In recent elections, with the exception of Haywood City and certain neighborhoods of Sikeston (these being majority African-American), every local municipality has voted Republicans into office by a heavy margin. In the 2016 general election, the county overwhelmingly supported [[Donald Trump]], who won 75.95% of the vote; this was increased to 77.58% in the 2020 election.<ref>https://www.scottcountymo.com/cmsAdmin/uploads/november32020official.pdf</ref>

Like much of southern Missouri, Scott County can be included within the [[Bible Belt]], and tends to combine social [[conservatism]] with economic [[populism]]. In 2004, it voted overwhelmingly in favor of Constitutional Amendment 2, which recognized marriage as between a man and a woman only—the measure passed in Scott County with 85.32% support. In 2006, while the state overall narrowly passed an amendment to fund embryonic stem-cell research, the county decisively defeated the measure with 64.85% voting against. At the same time, in the November 2018 election, the county voted in favor of an increase in the state minimum wage (though by a much smaller margin than elsewhere in the state). These results generally align with the rest of Southeast Missouri.

Like much of southern Missouri, Scott County can be included within the [[Bible Belt]], and tends to combine social [[conservatism]] with economic [[populism]]. In 2004, it voted overwhelmingly in favor of Constitutional Amendment 2, which recognized marriage as between a man and a woman only—the measure passed in Scott County with 85.32% support. In 2006, while the state overall narrowly passed an amendment to fund embryonic stem-cell research, the county decisively defeated the measure with 64.85% voting against. At the same time, in the November 2018 election, the county voted in favor of an increase in the state minimum wage (though by a much smaller margin than elsewhere in the state). These results generally align with the rest of Southeast Missouri.