Piper defeats Jones in GOP runoff

Everett Piper defeated incumbent District 1 Commissioner Randall Jones on Aug. 23 for the Republican nomination by a count of 986 votes to 660 votes.

While fewer votes were cast in the runoff than were cast in the June 28 first primary for the Osage County District 1 Commissioner seat, Piper increased his vote total by 115 votes from the 871 votes he received on June 28, and Jones attracted 61 fewer votes, dropping from 721 to 660.

Piper will move onward to the Nov. 8 general election. Thomas Trumbly has filed to run as a Democratic Party candidate. He faced no primary opposition.

In other races of local interest Aug. 23, Charlie Cartwright defeated Chad Ray for the GOP nomination for the District 3 Commissioner seat. Cartwright received 567 votes, to 419 for Ray. Cartwright will move onward to the November general election versus Democratic Party candidate Joe Williams.