Bryan Stalder 
Contributor 

On Tuesday, November 4, residents of Jackson County, Missouri turned out to vote in a key charter amendment: 51,395 voted “Yes” to make the county assessor position elected, while 6,891 voted “No.” According to reporting, the “Yes” share ran about 88.2 % of the vote.  Voter turnout on the measure was modest—just 15.4 % of registered voters (39,323 of 254,788) cast a ballot in the special election. 

Interim County Executive Phil LeVota acknowledged the vote as a sign of public demand for accountability. “The past few years have been challenging for the people of Jackson County,” he said. “Citizens have shouldered the burden of confusing assessments, inconsistent messaging, and an overall lack of confidence in the process.” 

Regarding next steps, LeVota confirmed that current Assessor Gail McCann Beatty has been removed from her office following the vote. He told reporters she was given 24 hours to resign and, having not done so, was officially removed. “Gail McCann Beatty will no longer be the Assessor of Jackson County,” he stated. 

LeVota also emphasized that while the charter change takes effect, it will still require a statewide constitutional amendment next year to fully convert the office to elected status (expected first election in 2028). 

Gail McCann Beatty, who had served since 2018 and was appointed by former County Executive Frank White Jr., did not publicly comment at the time of her removal. Her office acknowledged receipt of the charter amendment outcome but has yet to issue a formal statement on her departure. 

With the office shifting from an appointed to an elected position, here’s a look at what’s ahead:

A search will begin immediately for an interim or permanent assessor until the elected version of the office is in place. LeVota said qualified deputy assessors will step into leadership while the process is set. 

The charter amendment alone doesn’t make the assessor elected yet—voters across Missouri must approve a state constitutional amendment in 2026. If approved, the first election for the position could be held in 2028. 

Meanwhile, county officials plan to focus on rebuilding public trust through reforms of the property assessment process, capping increases in some cases and correcting faulty valuations. LeVota noted the county cannot reverse past tax bills but can begin issuing tax‐credits and change the system going forward. 

Earlier this year, Jackson County voters overwhelmingly recalled County Executive Frank White Jr., in a special election held September 30. Many community members cited frustration with the assessment process as a key motivator for the recall. 

White had appointed McCann Beatty in 2018, and during his tenure the county faced multiple legal fights and audits over property assessments, particularly after the 2019 and 2023 cycles. Those controversies helped drive voters to demand greater accountability. 

If you own or rent property in Jackson County, the vote means your assessor will one day (pending the state amendment) be someone elected by the people rather than appointed by the county executive. In the meantime, you may begin to see reforms aimed at correcting assessment errors and providing relief for unusually large tax increases. The intentional upheaval of the assessor office signals the county is responding to constituent concerns about fairness in property taxes.