Three Republican candidates ran for the position of county clerk, including incumbent Jera Pruitt, Russ “Wojo” Wojtkiewicz and Mary Calvillo.
On Aug. 4, Calvillo came out on top, receiving more than 40 percent of the vote. Pruitt received 31 percent and Wojtkiewicz received 28 percent.
Calvillo will now move on to face Democrat Hans Peter in the November general election.
Calvillo, 66, is from Kansas City. Married with no children, she holds a bachelor’s degree in personnel management and international marketing. She has decades of professional experience in office management, executive assistance, supervisory leadership, and customer service.
“I’ve spent 45 years building processes that get results for the people I serve,” Calvillo said. “That’s exactly what the clerk’s office needs — a leader who ensures every taxpayer leaves having gotten their questions answered, their problems solved, and having felt like they mattered. That’s not a slogan for me; it’s what I’ve learned throughout my career and life. It’s not about me — it’s about the taxpayer.
“I’ve had my share of exciting and rewarding careers — years in corporate careers where I felt important; as a flight attendant having fun. Now it’s time to put that experience to work for someone else. I want to give back to the people of Platte County as a hard worker who protects their best interests, not just my own. We all reach a point in our lives where we realize, there’s more to this and I have more to give.”
Calvillo said she brings a genuine passion for smooth, functional government, a strong work ethic, and a deep commitment to giving back to the community. Voters will get a dedicated public servant who takes pride in a good day’s work.
“Platte County needs its elected officials to truly collaborate,” she said. “Every official — regardless of office or party — works for the same taxpayer. When we lose sight of that common purpose, taxpayers lose. Restoring real cooperation among our county’s elected leaders is essential to protecting residents’ interests now and in the years ahead.”
If elected, she said she would fiercely protect taxpayer interests — full stop.
“Being a frustrated taxpayer myself is one of my motivations to run for office; watching county government from the outside and not liking what I saw,” she said. “I had a choice: stay frustrated, or step in and help. I chose to step in. That’s who I am, and that’s the clerk Platte County will get with me.”