Candidate for Boone County Presiding Commissioner disqualified

COLUMBIA — Bondi Wood, a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Boone County Presiding Commissioner, has been disqualified from the race.

She failed to file a personal financial disclosure statement with the Missouri Ethics Commission by the deadline of April 20, according to a statement from Boone County Clerk Wendy Noren. Her name will not appear on the ballot for the primary or the general election.

Noren said in the e-mailed statement that it is an "unfortunate situation."

"Due to the seriousness of this, the matter was referred to my legal counsel who advised me that I had no legal recourse but to remove Ms. Wood from the primary ballot," Noren said in the statement. "It is always better for voters to have ample opportunity to choose between candidates, but the law, in this case, appears to be very clear regarding a candidate’s responsibility to file."

Wood announced her intention to run Jan. 14 after current Presiding Commissioner Ken Pearson announced he would not seek re-election. She said at her campaign kickoff on Feb. 18  that she was running on maintaining the status quo, as previously reported by the Missourian.

Democratic candidates J. Scott Christianson and John Sam Williamson are still in the race. Following the August 3 primary, one of those candidates will face Republican Ed Robb. The former state representative was the only Republican to file.

Wood has raised $17,280, according to a quarterly report filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission in mid-April. This includes $12,875 in monetary contributions and $4,405 in in-kind contributions.

Wood raised almost $10,000 more than Christianson reported.

Wood is holding a press conference at 9:30 a.m. today. The Missourian is following this story and will have more information later today.