News from the South - Missouri News Feed
Turnover among election officials reaches new high, report finds
by Jonathan Shorman, Missouri Independent
August 21, 2025
Election officials turned over at the highest rate in at least a quarter century during the last presidential election, according to new research from the Bipartisan Policy Center.
An analysis of shifts in election officials published Tuesday found nearly 41% of election officials administering the 2024 election were different than those in 2020. Turnover has accelerated over the past two decades, rising from about 28% in 2004 to 40.9% last year.
The growing percentage of departing election officials comes after years of challenges. They navigated the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, as well as harassment and false conspiracy theories surrounding stolen elections that persist today.
The analysis released by the Bipartisan Policy Center, a Washington, D.C.-based group that seeks to foster policy cooperation across party lines, represents an updated version of a report that previously examined turnover from 2004 to 2022. The new research, which extends the data through 2024, shows the turnover rate continued to climb.
The change means that, over time, election officials have less experience. The research found that the share of chief local election officials with six or more years in their role has dropped from 60% in 2006 to 47% in 2024.
But last year, 60% of election officials had previously overseen the administration of a presidential election in their jurisdiction.
“Despite increasing turnover and loss of experience, the majority of chief election officials still have experience running at least one presidential election cycle,” the analysis said. “This is important because presidential elections typically see the highest turnout and are the most visible elections administered.”
The analysis found that over the long term, election official turnover rates have been rising gradually in small jurisdictions, defined as areas with fewer than 100,000 voting-age residents. But large jurisdictions have experienced a more sudden jump in turnover.
Small jurisdictions had a 27% turnover rate in 2004 that had risen to 40% in 2024. But large jurisdictions enjoyed a turnover rate as low as 31% in 2018 before climbing rapidly to nearly 46% last year.
Stateline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@stateline.org.
Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: info@missouriindependent.com.
The post Turnover among election officials reaches new high, report finds appeared first on missouriindependent.com
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
This content presents factual information based on research from the Bipartisan Policy Center, an organization known for promoting cooperation across party lines. The article maintains a neutral tone by focusing on election worker turnover data without editorializing or pushing a partisan agenda. It provides context on challenges election officials have faced while avoiding politically charged language, reflecting a balanced and nonpartisan approach.
News from the South - Missouri News Feed
‘He has overreached his authority’; Shannon County Coroner speaks out against Sheriff’s allegations
SUMMARY: Shannon County Coroner Allen Ford fears arrest due to ongoing conflicts with Sheriff Steven Hogan, who accuses Ford of interfering in investigations and harassment. Hogan announced felony charges against Ford, though the prosecutor has not received them. Ford, serving since January and with EMS experience since 2010, denies wrongdoing and cites state law granting coroners authority over death investigations. He claims Hogan’s alleged bullying and interference have caused stress and hindered his work. The dispute has created tension in the small county of 7,275 residents, with Ford expressing concern over his safety and the sheriff’s office’s impact on the county’s reputation.
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The post ‘He has overreached his authority’; Shannon County Coroner speaks out against Sheriff’s allegations appeared first on www.ozarksfirst.com
News from the South - Missouri News Feed
MLB hints at division realignment: What could it mean for the Cardinals?
SUMMARY: MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred suggested that future expansion to 32 teams could prompt geographic realignment to reduce travel and improve the postseason. The current three five-team divisions in each league might shift to four four-team divisions, requiring two new franchises and possible league switches for existing teams. The St. Louis Cardinals, centrally located in the NL Central, could face significant divisional changes. Three recent proposals group the Cardinals with teams like the Cubs, Reds, Brewers, or Royals, Astros, and Rangers. Realignment aims to balance geography and preserve rivalries but remains hypothetical, potentially occurring in the 2030s with many factors to consider.
The post MLB hints at division realignment: What could it mean for the Cardinals? appeared first on fox2now.com
News from the South - Missouri News Feed
Missouri districts begin new school year with state-mandated cell-phone ban
by Annelise Hanshaw, Missouri Independent
August 20, 2025
Amidst a plethora of back-to-school reminders, Missouri public schools are making a special effort to inform parents about a new state law banning cell phones during the school day.
The law, signed by Gov. Mike Kehoe in July, requires school districts to set a policy barring students from using mobile devices except for in emergencies or when instructed by a teacher. And with most students returning to classrooms this week, districts have been warning parents about the new expectations.
“I don’t know any district that’s fighting this,” Susan Goldammer, policy chief for the Missouri School Boards’ Association, told The Independent. “Most of the folks that I’ve spoken to are secretly quite happy that they have a little bit of additional authority to explain to parents why (devices) are not allowed.”
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Goldammer wrote the association’s model policy that many Missouri school boards have personalized and adopted within the last month. Districts have asked about details, like exceptions for students with medical issues requiring access to cell phones, but they are largely ready to start the school year with the new policy.
Some Missouri districts already had bans on cell phones, while others were considering adding restrictions. For them, the law is a welcome addition and helps fight any pushback from parents and students.
“I have been surprised at how easy it was for districts to do this, and I can’t help but think that’s because all of the adults now are realizing it is not good to have the kind of electronic connectivity that kids have all the time,” Goldammer said.
The law is more restrictive than other states by banning cell phone usage throughout the entire school day instead of only during instructional time. But it allows for some nuances, giving districts the ability to choose how to enforce the policy and how devices will be stored.
Most districts have told parents that smartwatches are barred, citing the law’s ban of any “portable device that is used to initiate, receive, store, or view communication, information, images or data electronically.”
The Rockwood School District in Eureka, in a message to parents, indicated that it wasn’t completely banning smartwatches but that it expects students “to only use their smartwatch for the purpose of keeping time and not for communication purposes during school hours.”
The North Kansas City School District, though, will restrict all uses of smartwatches. The district included the question “Can my student wear their smartwatch if they aren’t using it for communication?” on its website, telling parents that smartwatches are barred but fitness trackers without message capabilities are allowed.
Districts also have different expectations on how devices will be stowed, though most are allowing students to have their devices turned off in their backpacks.
St. Louis Public Schools’ board of education approved a policy that allows for each school to choose its phone-collection method.
“This flexibility acknowledges the diverse operational needs and preferences expressed by elementary and secondary staff and families,” Superintendent Millicent Borishade wrote in her August newsletter.
In its Aug. 12 meeting, the board also approved the purchase of locking phone pouches from Yondr for Gateway STEM High School at a cost of $40,000.
Goldammer anticipates that more districts will be considering purchasing phone-storage systems and evolving their policies before next school year. With a little over a month between the law’s passage and the first day of school, districts had time to set policies, but many were not able to make large purchases that quickly, she said.
But for now, administrators will be working on the best ways to execute the policy.
“There will be a learning curve,” Goldammer said. “There will be kids that break the rules. There always are.”
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Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: info@missouriindependent.com.
The post Missouri districts begin new school year with state-mandated cell-phone ban appeared first on missouriindependent.com
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
This article presents a straightforward, factual account of a new Missouri law banning cell phone use during the school day, detailing how schools are implementing the law and providing various perspectives from educators and administrators. The coverage is neutral and descriptive, focusing on policy details without expressing strong opinions or ideological framing, which suggests a centrist approach. There is no evident favoring of progressive or conservative viewpoints, and the tone is informative rather than persuasive.
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