A Jackson County judge on Monday declared Franklin D. Tatro ineligible to be a candidate for Lee’s Summit City Council because of an earlier felony conviction, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced today.
Judge James Kanatzar held a hearing Monday afternoon to consider a civil action initiated by the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office on Sunday after Lee’s Summit police alerted it of Tatro’s earlier conviction. Kanatzar ruled that Tatro is not qualified to be a candidate for election of Lee’s summit City Council District #1 and would be prohibited from being sworn in, if elected. Kanatzar also ordered that the Jackson County Election Board shall not release any information which would show the number of votes cast Tuesday for Tatro. Also, the election board shall post a notice at each poll where the Council District #1 race appears on the ballot. The notice will state Tatro is not a qualified candidate and votes cast for him will not be reported.
“Voters in Lee’s Summit and across Jackson County should be assured that every candidate on the ballot meets the minimum requirements of the law to hold office. They deserve to know their votes will count,” Baker said.
Baker stated that her office acted as quickly as possible to protect the integrity of Tuesday’s election.
See attached order.