In the race for Boone County Circuit Court Clerk, incumbent Sherry Terrell, a Democrat, held on to the position despite a challenge from Republican Amanda Old.
With all precincts reported, Terrell led with 55% of the vote compared to Old’s 45%.
Terrell celebrated on election night at a Fraternal Order of Eagles building in Columbia. Family and friends ate barbecue and listened to country music.
Terrell was appointed to the position in 2023, after serving for years as assistant to her predecessor, Christy Blakemore.
Blakemore attended Terrell’s election party Tuesday night.
“I never saw myself doing this,” Terrell said before the results were announced. “I was really the second in command, but I didn’t want anybody to come into this position that had no experience, so that really scared me.”
Old held an election party in Hartsburg to watch results come in. Reached by text late Tuesday, Old said she had gone home for the night and was getting her children ready for school the next day.
Circuit Court Judge
Democrat Stephanie Morrell defeated Republican opponent Jesus Osete on Tuesday in an election for Division III 13th Circuit Court Judge, which serves Boone and Callaway counties in civil and criminal cases.
With all precincts reporting, 52% of voters cast ballots for Morrell, compared to 48% who voted for Osete.
“Not the results we wanted but congrats to Stephanie Morrell. She ran a great race,” Osete said after hosting a watch party at D. Rowe’s restaurant Tuesday night.
“We left it all on the field, but obviously it wasn’t enough. But I’m extremely proud of what I was able to accomplish.”
After the polls closed, Morrell began the night with the Callaway County Democrats then attended a Boone County watch party at The Tiger Hotel.
Morrell, who served two terms as Boone County associate circuit judge before running for the circuit judge seat, focused on mental health and public safety during her campaign.
“We have a lot of individuals in the jail that suffer from mental health issues,” she said, adding that her mission is “making sure that they do not get lost in the system.”
Osete won the race among Callaway County voters, but Morrell fared better in the larger Boone County to win the race.
Missourian reporters Annie Goldman, EJ Haas and Nicole Voss contributed to this report.
