CARTHAGE, Mo. — Jasper County voters on Aug. 7 will make choices in races for county sheriff, Eastern District associate commissioner, county treasurer and county coroner.

All of the nominees selected in the primary are likely to fill the offices come November. Only in the sheriff’s race is there a non-GOP candidate on the fall ballot, and in that instance he is a Libertarian candidate with little name recognition.

GOP challengers are running against the current sheriff, Eastern District commissioner and coroner, while three candidates are seeking to succeed longtime Treasurer Jeannie Wells. All responded to questions from the Globe about goals and priorities for office, and why voters should choose them for the job.

SHERIFF

Candidates are Archie Dunn, the incumbent, Larry Newman and Randee Kaiser.

Dunn, 67, of Carthage, is seeking his third full term. He said that if he is re-elected, his top priority would be to continue the programs promised to voters when they approved the quarter-cent law enforcement sales tax in 2005.

“We’ll work to improve our officer training and service to the public,” he said. “We’ll also continue to lead in technology; we’ve set the pace in information-sharing technology used to solve crimes.”

He said he should win another term “because of 40 years of law enforcement experience and proven leadership in what we’ve been able to do.”

“I can handle the budget; I carry money over every year,” he said. “I stand up for what’s right and I can make the tough decisions.”

A county native, Dunn was with Missouri State Highway Patrol from 1969 to 2000, including time as a zone commander. He is a graduate of the Missouri Highway Patrol Academy.

Newman, 58, of Carthage, said his top goal is to tackle the county’s drug problems.

“They’ll know they need to get out of the county or expect to go to jail,” he said.

Then, he said, he would put together plans to manage the sheriff’s budget, stop “excessive” spending, and ensure that sheriff’s buildings get upgrades, using department money.

“I’ll also make sure that when people call for a deputy, they’ll get one, and a positive experience,” he said.

Newman said he’s the best candidate because of his background in business and law enforcement, adding, “I’m the only one who has worked as a road patrolman, as a detective and in the jail.”

He joined the Sheriff’s Department in 2003. He is a county native and a graduate of the law enforcement academy at Missouri Southern State University.

Kaiser, 44, of Carthage, said his first priority would be to let sheriff’s employees “know my leadership style.”

“They would be expected to work, to treat the citizens right and not to do things that would put the department in a bad light,” he said. “And any budget issues would be worked out with the commission in a spirit of cooperation.”

Kaiser said experience and education make him the best candidate, adding: “People know I’ll use diplomacy to get the job done. I have experience working with others, and I understand we can’t let disagreements get in the way of serving to the taxpayer.”

Kaiser was born in Barton County, is a graduate of the MSSU Police Academy and has a master’s degree in criminal justice administration from MSSU. He has served in the Carthage Police Department 16 years, the last four as assistant chief.

ASSOCIATE COMMISSIONER

In the race for Eastern District commissioner, Jim Honey, the incumbent, is being challenged by Ron Hitchcock and Blane Mitchell.

Honey, 67, of rural Carthage, is seeking his fourth term. He said he wants to continue to work to make the panel “a unified voice” for the county.

“The commission needs to work with all the officials,” he said.

Honey said his experience and knowledge make him the best candidate.

“I want to continue what’s been done in terms of facilities, budgets and roads,” he said. “I think we have a first-class road and bridge system, and highway department.”

He is a county native. He worked 32 years as an agriculture teacher, then director of the Carthage Technical Center. He holds a bachelor’s degree in agriculture and a master’s in education from the University of Missouri.

Hitchcock, 61, of Carthage, said his goal would be to bring “some harmony and rapport to the commission” and its relationship with other offices.

He said he would be frugal with taxpayer money and would serve only two terms, adding, “I believe in term limits.” He said his years on the Fire Department and with the school board in Carthage have given him experience in management and budgeting.

“I would have an open-door policy,” he said. “I’m good at listening and bringing people together.”

He is a lifelong county resident. He served with the Carthage Fire Department for 33 years and on the Carthage School Board for six years.

Mitchell, 63, of Carthage, said his priority would be “to try to bring some unity to the commission and get everybody working together to accomplish something for the taxpayers.”

He said he would be a fiscal conservative but would encourage the panel to take on more projects to benefit the taxpayers.

Mitchell cited his business experience. “I understand bidding and personnel management, and I can work with anybody,” he said.

He retired after owning construction and manufacturing firms, and is a 50-year resident of the county.

TREASURER

Candidates for county treasurer are Mary Lou Newman-Teel, Denise Rohr and Justin Neel Baucom.

Newman-Teel, 43, of Carthage, said her goal would be “to keep the office running smoothly and keep checkbook balances to the penny.”

She said has the most experience in running the office and was trained to oversee the operation in the absence of the treasurer.

“I know I can do the job,” she said. “I excel on the financial side, and that’s where I can do the best job for the people.”

She is a county native and has worked for the county 17 years, now in the county clerk’s office and for 11 years as deputy treasurer.

Rohr, 52, of Carthage, said she would “keep the checks and balances in place and keep a good relationship with the banks.”

“I’d keep up the professionalism of the office, stay current with the laws,” she said.

Rohr said she is chief deputy treasurer, has been mentored by the current treasurer for the past five years, and previously worked 18 years in the auditor’s office.

She is a lifelong county resident.

Baucom, 31, said his priority would be “to run an office that is as accountable and efficient as possible.”

An attorney, he said his education and work experience make him the best candidate.

“I have management experience, and I understand the law,” he said. “I worked as a grant writer for Lafayette House, so I’m familiar with the social services and grants for them that run through the treasurer’s office. I’ve also worked in finance.”

The Carthage native received his law degree from the University of Oklahoma, and degrees in public administration and psychology from Missouri State University. He was elected to the Carthage School Board in 2010.

CORONER

Incumbent Rob Chappel is being challenged by Scott Keatts.

Chappel, 40, of Carl Junction, has held the post for four years. His goal, he said, “is to keep common sense in the coroner’s office.”

“We work on a very tight budget and try to keep expenses to a minimum while still doing thorough death investigations,” he said.

Chappel said his work during the 2011 Joplin tornado, from which 161 ultimately died, gave him “a lifetime of experience. Through that horrific event, I learned so much I’ve already shared with other coroners.”

He is a lifelong county resident and owns Thornhill-Dillon Mortuary, and Chappel Casket and Crematory. He attended Missouri Southern State University and completed death investigation training.

Keatts, 36, of Webb City, said his top goal would be to conduct thorough death investigations and ensure accurate records. He said that if possible, he would institute a digital record-keeping system.

His medical background makes him the best candidate, Keatts said.

“Jasper County is the largest county without a medical examiner, so the office should be filled by someone with a medical background.,” he said.

A county resident for 18 years, Keatts is a paramedic for Mercy MedFlight and an adjunct professor in emergency medical services at MSSU. He is a graduate of paramedic programs at MSSU and death investigation programs at Saint Louis University.

Absentees

Offices of the Jasper County clerk in Carthage and Joplin will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday for voters to cast absentee ballots. The Carthage office is on the main floor of the courthouse; the Joplin office is on the second floor of the courts building at Sixth Street and Pearl Avenue. Today is the last day an absentee ballot may be mailed out.