Several races in Tuesday’s general election may have to wait until provisional ballots — those ballots that are contested due to the validity of the voter’s residency — are counted next week by county commissioners.

The race in the USD 447 Board of Education may hinge on the provisional ballot being counted in Montgomery County, Wilson County and Neosho County. The results from Tuesday’s general election show incumbent Gina Booe as the clear winner with 331 total votes (19.0 percent) while Bruce L. Thornton finished in second place with 313 votes (18.0 percent). Kenny Baker finished in third place with 208 votes (12.0 percent), but only two points behind was Jasmin Forman with 206 votes (11.8 percent). A few provisional ballots cast in favor of Forman could sway that third and final open seat on the USD 447 Board of Education.

Also gaining votes but not finishing among the top three slots for the board were Randell Studebaker (188 votes) Jeff Menzer (171 votes), Michael Blake (162 votes), Robert John (135 votes) and Richard Basham (23 votes).

Another race that could hinge on the provisional count is that of Independence Community College Board of Trustees. Tim Emert was the clear winner for one of the three open seats with 1089 votes (24.6 percent) while Lisa Drumeller drew 699 votes for second place (15.81 percent). In third place was Dan Dollison with 639 votes (14.45 percent). Only eight votes behind was Norman Chambers, the current trustee chairman. Should Chambers receive eight or more provisional votes, the outcome of that third and final seat that is assumed to be won by Dollison could change.

Montgomery County commissioners act as the board of canvassers and will go through the provisional ballots at their meeting next Monday. Neosho County and Wilson County commissioners also will canvass their provisional ballots next Monday.

More details of Tuesday’s general election can be found elsewhere on this website or in the April 9th edition of the Montgomery County Chronicle.