Updated Mo & St. Louis City Candidate Qualifications, Requirements

2026 is an election year. In Missouri, State Auditor and all US House of Representative seats are up. In St. Louis City, there’s an election for State Senator (open seat due to term limits); all State House seats; County offices of Collector of Revenue, License Collector, Recorder of Deeds; a Community College seat representing southwest City; and two School Board seats up in November.

I tried to update the blog page for information on running for public office in St. Louis City and Missouri but there’s missing information because…

  • St. Louis School Board has no information on November candidate filing process and neither does Board of Election
  • St. Louis Community College Board of Trustees has no information on April Subdistrict 3 candidate filing process and neither does Board of Election

10 Weeks Until Filing Day

Candidate filing begins February 27th in Missouri for the August 6th Primary Election for county offices, General Assembly, Statewide offices, U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, and political party committeepeople. Filing ends March 26th.
Candidate Filing Information
Candidate Qualifications

Candidates for county office in City of St. Louis file with St. Louis City Board of Election Commissioners in Downtown.

Candidates for Missouri legislative office file with the Missouri Secretary of State in Jefferson City

In the City of St. Louis, the following County and State Legislative offices will be elected in 2024. See Missouri & St. Louis City Age & Residency Requirements

Circuit Attorney (four year term, no Term Limit): Gabe Gore, appointed in May 2023 by Governor Mike Parson to fill vacancy of Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner who resigned
Sheriff (four year term, no Term Limit): Vernon Betts– elected 2016, 2020
Treasurer (four year term, no Term Limit): Adam Layne- appointed April 2021 by Mayor Tishaura Jones to fill out her term as Treasurer after her election as Mayor

Missouri Senate (Term Limit of two four-year terms)
5th District: accused rapist Steven Roberts Jr.- elected 2020
Missouri House of Representatives (Term Limit of four two-year terms)
66th District, mostly St. Louis County: Marlene Terry- elected 2020, 2022
76th District: Marlon Anderson- elected 2020, 2022
77th District: Kimberly-Ann Collins- elected 2020, 2022
78th District: Vacancy due to resignation of Rasheen Aldridge after his election as Alder
79th District: LaKeySha Bosley- elected 2018, 2020, 2022
80th District: Peter Meredith- elected 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, Term Limited
81st District: Steve Butz- elected 2018, 2020, 2022, he is the only openly anti-abortion legislator from St. Louis City
82nd District: Donna Baringer- elected 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, Term Limited
83rd District, mostly St. Louis County: Sarah Unsicker– elected 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, Term Limited
84th District: Del Taylor- elected 2022

August 6th is also when political parties elect one Committeeman and one Committeewoman from each of the City’s fourteen wards to serve on party Central Committees. This will be the first such election since wards were reduced to 14 from 28.

Deadline for filing as an Independent Candidate for November 5th General Election is July 29th. An Independent Candidate’s name appears on the printed ballot.
Independent Candidate Declaration Form for Non-Federal Office

Deadline for filing a Write-In Candidate Declaration of Intent for November 5th General Election is October 25th. A Write-in Candidate’s name does not appear on the printed ballot nor is there is list of Write-In Candidates posted at polling places. An unsuccessful candidate in the 2024 Primary Election may not file as Write-In Candidate for the same office in 2024 General Election. Write-in votes are counted only for the candidates who have filed a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate.
Write-in Candidate Information
Write-In Candidate Declaration of Intent for Non-Federal Office

Candidate Qualifications Page Updated

Photo of U.S. President Harry Truman holding up newspaper November 3, 1948, at Union Station St. Louis, with headline "Dewey Defeats Truman"

Updates have been made to this blog’s Missouri & St. Louis City Candidate Age & Residency Qualifications page.

Where to file, nominating petitions, Presidential Caucus/Primary, more, have been added.

Filing Begins February 27, 2024 and ends March 26, 2024 for the following offices affecting St. Louis City…

St. Louis City County Offices: Circuit Attorney, Sheriff, and Treasurer.

State legislative offices: all Missouri House seats and 5th District Missouri Senate (currently held by accused rapist Steve Roberts Jr.)

Statewide offices: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, and Attorney General

Federal offices: U.S. President, one U.S. Senate seat, and all U.S. House seats including 1st District seat, currently held by Cori Bush. I have supported Cori since her first run for public office, donate to her campaign, so hell yeah I am going to promote her here.

Board Prez, Alder Candidate Deadline Next Friday

Vote Run Lead

The Deadline in St. Louis City to file for Board President or Alder is 5 pm Friday, January 6th.

Here are the qualifications and requirements.

A candidate for Board of Alder President must be at least 30 years of age, a U.S. citizen for at least 5 years, St. Louis City resident for at least 5 years, an assessed City taxpayer for at least 2 years, and must not have been convicted of malfeasance in office, bribery or other corrupt practice or crime.

A candidate for Alder must be at least 25 years of age, a U.S. citizen for at least 5 years, St. Louis City resident for at least 3  years, a resident of the ward from which elected for at least one year, an assessed City taxpayer for at least 2 years, and must not have been convicted of malfeasance in office, bribery or other corrupt practice or crime.

✔️ All candidates for City office will need petition signatures for Certificate of Nomination.

✔️ All candidates must obtain a receipt from City Treasurer for payment of a filing fee  equal to 1% of the salary of the office sought.

✔️ All candidates must obtain a Statement of Tax Clearance confirmation the candidate  is not delinquent in the payment of city taxes and water and refuse bills- from City Collector of Revenue.

Candidates must take their Certificate of Nomination, receipt for payment of filing fee, and Statement of Tax Clearance to the Board of Election to file by the deadline.

✔️ Candidates must also file campaign finance reports with Missouri Ethics Commission.

Also see Board of Election Candidate Filing Information.

Check out the fourteen New Ward Profiles- current officeholders, candidates, a much more, here.