Recount official: Bill Allen winner of Missouri House District 17 seat

“The election board had initial figures on election night and then several days later after they counted them themselves, they had a different result, so it was after they had two different results in the same election and it was within half a percentage point, so statutorily entitled to the recount and so that is what we did to get an accurate vote count,” Ellebracht said of the reason for the recount.

According to Secretary of State John Ashcroft and the final recount total, Allen received 5,788 votes to Ellebracht’s 5,751 votes.

Ellebracht said he appreciates the support he has received since first joining the statehouse more than a handful of years ago.

“I greatly appreciate the honor of being able to represent the community for the past six years in Jefferson City, said Ellebracht. “It’s been a real honor.”

Allen said he is grateful for those who voted for him.

“I want to thank the Clay County Election Board, the House Republican campaign committee and all the people who sacrificed holiday time to ensure that every vote was accurately counted,” he told the Courier-Tribune after recount certification came in. “This was actually the third recount, and each time the voters selected me to represent them. District 17 is evenly split between Republican and Democrat, and I realize I must represent all voters in a fair and respectful way.”

Some of Ellebracht’s strongest support came from automotive unions in and around the Ford plant in Claycomo. Allen recognizes that and said he wants unions to know he also supports them. Allen said he also respects Ellebracht.

“I truly wish him the best and thank him for his previous service,” Allen said. “Now it’s time for me to roll up my sleeves and get to work representing all citizens in District 17 with the consideration they deserve.”

Some of that work, Allen said centers on legislation regarding school shooting safety, property taxes on the elderly and education reform. Allen prefiled a bill ahead of the current legislative session that deals with allowing retired police officers to be armed in schools if the school and school district choose.

“I think that’s very important because we have the opportunity to prevent death in the next school shooting that happens,” he told the Courier-Tribune Friday, Jan. 6. “I’m very sincere in that we need to enact this. To not do that would make us complicit in the next school shooting, so I care a lot about that.”

Allen said reining in property tax rates leveled on retirees 65 and older on fixed incomes is also a priority.

“We’ve got to be very careful and consider that rising property taxes on fixed incomes is not only counterintuitive, but not fair,” he said.

Allen said he also wants to be open-minded about education reform, adding people haven’t always done a good job of listening to both sides and finding common ground.

“To get anything, including education reform, we’re going to have to find a middle ground in the areas that we agree on and look for that with an open mind and open heart, realizing that neither side is wrong and we’re all truly trying to do the best thing for our students and our parents,” he told the Courier-Tribune.

Common ground issues include the need for accountability in school performance, he added.

“We don’t have to be oppositional,” he said. “Neither side is wrong, we just have different ideas and we need to listen to those ideas with an open mind and an open heart.”