Dear Carrie,
Congratulations on filing your candidacy for County Recorder in the 2026 election cycle! We appreciate anyone willing to step forward and serve our community.
I’m writing on behalf of the Osage County Republican Central Committee (OCRC) because it appears the Clerk’s office may have accidentally omitted our informational sheet explaining the vetting process for candidates running under the Republican label. I’ve enclosed a copy for your convenience.
Vetting is a simple, free, two-part online process that helps ensure candidates who appear on the ballot as Republicans are aligned with the Missouri Republican Party Platform and conservative principles. It protects the party label so voters can trust the candidates listed as Republicans share core values. Many candidates find it helpful because it demonstrates transparency and commitment to voters.
A quick note about the filing fee: Missouri law (RsMO 115.357)[1] requires the filing fee to be paid to the party committee treasurer (in this case, our Treasurer, Craig Rantz). The county clerk may receive the payment, but the statute requires prompt forwarding to the committee. To date, no fees have been forwarded to us for any filings. If you submitted payment directly to the clerk, you may want to consider contacting them to confirm the fee is being sent to our Treasurer — or, to avoid any delay, you may cancel that payment and remit the fee directly to us (details are on the enclosed sheet).
As a committee, we believe in transparency and fairness. Missouri courts have upheld the right of political parties to control who may use the party name on the ballot — including the authority to avoid potentially unwanted associations — as protected by the First Amendment and affirmed in decisions such as Missouri Republican Committee v. McClanahan (Cole County Circuit Court, May 17, 2024).[2]
We encourage all interested conservatives to participate — it’s quick and demonstrates your commitment to Republican ideals. You can start anytime online at OsageCountyRepublicans.com/Vetting.[3] Our deadline is March 29, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. to allow time for review before filing closes.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out — we’re here to support strong Republican candidates.
Thank you again for your willingness to serve Osage County.
Warm regards,
Linda Rantz, Chair
Osage County Republican Central Committee
OCRC@OsageCountyRepublicans.com
Enclosure: OCRC Vetting Informational Sheet (2026)
[1] https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=115.357
