UPDATE: 10:13PM:
The AP calls the democratic nomination for Susan Montee (Lt. Governor) and the republican nomination for Akin (US Senate). Though we're still waiting on over 1,000 precincts statewide, so stay tuned.
Every single Boone County precinct is in. Recapping, again, the important races:
Northern District Commissioner: Bormann just barely inched ahead with 59 votes. This one was a hair raiser!
District 44 State Representative: 29-year old republican Caleb Rowden takes his party's nomination. He'll face democrat Ken Jacob.
District 47 State Representative: John Wright easily takes the democratic party's nomination. He'll face 29 year-old Mitch Richards (what's with all the 29 year-olds?).
Governor: Republican David Spence will face incumbent Jay Nixon in the fall.
Attorney general: Republican Ed Martin will face democrat Chris Koster in November.
Lt. Governor: Democrat Susan Montee. No clear winner yet between republicans Brad Lager and Peter Kinder.
District 4 US Representative: Republican Vicky Hartzler will face democrat Teresa Hensly in the fall.
Secretary of State: Jason Kander. Republican challengers are still in a three-way race. Shane Schoeller has pulled ahead slightly but we're still waiting on a few precincts.
Amendment 2: The AP has called "Yes." Looks like a landslide to us, with 414,626 ayes to just 64, 018 nays. That's with over half the precincts in.
UPDATE 10:00 PM:
Nearly all the precincts are in Boone County. State House district looks pretty good in favor of John Wright for the democrats. He'll be facing 29 year-old Mitch Richards in the fall.
The Northern District Commissioner race is the tightest we've seen this August. With only 1 precincts left, Robbins is up over Bormann with just over 13 votes.
UPDATE 9:30PM:
Things are moving along! Nearly half of the votes are in statewide and a bunch of races have been called by the AP . Let's recap.
Governor: The AP has called the republican nomination for David Spence. He'll face incumbent Jay Nixon in the fall.
Attorney general: The AP is calling the republican nomination for Ed Martin. He'll face democrat Chris Koster in November.
Lt. Governor: The AP is calling the democratic nomination for Susan Montee. Brad Lager and Peter Kinder are still neck and neck in a tight race.
District 4 US Representative: Vicky Hartzler has called the republican nomination for herself. She'll face democrat Teresa Hensly in the fall
Secretary of State: Jason Kander has accepted the democratic nomination. Meanwhile, his republican challengers are in a three-way race that's too close to call.
Amendment 2: The AP has called "Yes." Looks like a landslide to us, with 414,626 ayes to just 64, 018 nays. That's with over half the precincts in.
UPDATE 9:15PM:
Almost half of Boone County's precincts are reporting in. Robbins and Bormann are neck and neck for the Northern District Commissioner nomination. On the Democratic side, things are less even: Thompson leads Fugit in the double digits. We expect these races will be decided soon.
UPDATE 9:08PM:
Vicky Hartzler calls her win for the Republican nomination in the District 4 US Rep. race. Amendment 2 is poling at 52% but votes are still early. The AP is calling the GOP nomination for Ed Martin (Attorney General) and Dave Spence (Governor). More soon.
UPDATE 8:45PM:
We're at 11% precincts reporting statewide and we've got our first non-absentee ballots from Boone County. Don Borman falls 7 points behind Lance Robbins in the Republican primary for the Northern Commissioner's seat. On the Democratic side, public defender Janet Thompson surges ahead with 60% of the vote.
In state rep. races, 29 year old Caleb Rowden is doing well in the republican race for the 44th.
In other news, it's slow going over here! Just about everyone and their mother is trying to get up-to-the second voting tallies from the Secretary of State's website. It's been crashing periodically throughout the evening . In a tweet, the Secretary said that new software and heavy traffic were slowing down the servers . They say they're looking for a solution.
UPDATE 8:16PM:
We're up to 2% precincts reporting, and results are pretty evenly spread in the Senate race between Steelman, Akin and Brunner. In the primary for the Governor race, Spence takes a hearty lead with 64% of these early votes. In the Lt. Governor's race, Lager and Kinder are neck and neck for the Republican primary, hovering around 25% of the votes. The the democratic primary, Susan Montee takes a solid lead.
UPDATE 7:38 PM:
Results from absentee ballots are released but just 1% of precincts reporting statewide. These early numbers are showing support for McCaskill in the Senate race and Janet Thompson in the Boone County Commissioner race.
Races we're following closely:
Boone County Commission (northern district)
This open seat has a number of democratic and republican candidates vying for their parties' nominations.
State House district 44
A number of republicans are vying for nomination to run against the single Democratic candidate, Ken Jacob.
State House district 47
Democrats John Wrightand Nancy Copenhaver seek the nomination to run against Republican Mitch Richards (unopposed) in November.
United States Senate
Three Republicans want their party's nomination for a shot against incumbent Claire McCaskill, who's poll numbers suggest she's vulnerable to any of these challengers. We'll have two reporters in Rolla visiting with the Sarah Steelman camp.
Amendment 2
Our faith and values reporter will be following this contentious state constitutional amendment that affects the religious freedoms of children in public schools.
Check back here this evening for updates. Also, our colleagues at the Columbia Missourian put together this handy guide covering most of the races above.
