Democratic Party primaries in Missouri, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 10
- Early voting: N/A
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: No
- Voter ID: Non-photo ID required
- Poll times: 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
| Democratic Party primaries, 2018 |
 |
| Primary Date |
| August 7, 2018 |
| Federal elections |
| Democratic primary for U.S. Senate |
| Democratic primaries for U.S. House |
| State elections |
| Democratic primaries for Missouri legislature |
| State party |
| Democratic Party of Missouri |
| State political party revenue |
Primary elections—in which registered voters select a candidate whom they believe should run on their party's ticket in the general election—can reflect internal conflict over the direction of a party.
Heading into the 2018 election, the Democratic Party sought to increase its power at the state and federal levels under the Trump administration. Its membership, however, disagreed on several major policy areas, including healthcare, free trade, education funding, a federal job guarantee, and a proposal to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).[1][2]
Candidates endorsed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee won 31 of 33 primaries in 2018.[3] Democratic Socialists of America member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's (D) primary victory over incumbent Joseph Crowley (D) in New York's 14th Congressional District was a notable victory for progressive activists.[4][5][6]
Democrats also won a U.S. Senate seat in Alabama for the first time in 30 years and flipped longtime Republican seats in the Wisconsin state Senate and Pennsylvania's 18th Congressional District. A record number of Republican congressional retirements also led to large Democratic fields for typically non-competitive seats.[7]
This page focuses on the Democratic primaries that took place in Missouri on August 7, 2018. In addition, the page provides context for understanding the state party apparatus.
Federal elections
U.S. Senate
McCaskill had significant party support, however, and set a record in the first quarter of 2017 for the most money raised by a Senate candidate in Missouri during a nonelection year.[10]
To see a full list of candidates in the Democratic primary, click "Show more" below.
Democratic primary candidates
U.S. House
District 1
Democratic primary candidates- William Lacy Clay (Incumbent) ✔
- Cori Bush
- Demarco Davidson
- Joshua Shipp
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection surveyDistrict 2
Democratic primary candidatesDistrict 3
Democratic primary candidates = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection surveyDistrict 4
Democratic primary candidates = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection surveyDistrict 5
Democratic primary candidates- Emanuel Cleaver (Incumbent) ✔
District 6
Democratic primary candidates = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection surveyDistrict 7
Democratic primary candidates = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection surveyDistrict 8
Democratic primary candidates = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection surveyState elections
Missouri Party Control: 1992-2025
Eight years of Democratic trifectas • Thirteen years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| Senate | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
State party overview
- See also: Democratic Party of Missouri
State political party revenue
State political parties typically deposit revenue in separate state and federal accounts in order to comply with state and federal campaign finance laws. The following table displays the Democratic Party of Missouri's revenue over a six-year period from 2011 to 2016. Revenue totals are broken down by account type and year. The data was compiled through publicly available state and federal campaign finance reports.
| Democratic Party of Missouri revenue, 2011 to 2016[11][12] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Federal account | State account(s) | Total |
| 2011 | $612,340.21 | $715,082.26 | $1,327,422.47 |
| 2012 | $5,506,160.59 | $1,523,555.14 | $7,029,715.73 |
| 2013 | $327,620.14 | $568,281.37 | $895,901.51 |
| 2014 | $364,780.39 | $2,895,423.04 | $3,260,203.43 |
| 2015 | $472,474.12 | $684,643.88 | $1,157,118.00 |
| 2016 | $6,815,180.00 | $3,133,657.43 | $9,948,837.43 |
Missouri compared to other states
The Democratic Party and the Republican Party maintain state affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and select U.S. territories. The following maps display total state political party revenue per capita for the Democratic and Republican state party affiliates from 2011 to 2016. The blue map displays Democratic state parties and the red map displays Republican state parties. Click on a state below to view the state party's revenue per capita totals:
Total Democratic and Republican state political party revenue per capita in the United States, 2011-2016
Primary election scheduling
Missouri was one of four states to hold a primary election on August 7, 2018.
Voter information
How the primary works
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Missouri utilizes an open primary system, in which registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary.[13][14][15]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Poll times
In Missouri, all polling places are open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Central Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[16]
Registration requirements
- Check your voter registration status here.
To vote in Missouri, one must be 18 years old, a United States citizen, and Missouri resident.[17] An applicant may print an application, pick one up from a county clerk's office, or request that an application be mailed. The completed application must be returned by mail. All returned applications must be postmarked at least 27 days prior to Election Day in order to be processed. An applicant may also register to vote online.[17]
Automatic registration
Missouri does not practice automatic voter registration.[18]
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
Missouri has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.[18]
Same-day registration
Missouri does not allow same-day voter registration.[18]
Residency requirements
To register to vote in Missouri, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify the length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible. Voters may file change-of-address forms after the registration deadline, up to and including Election Day, provided that they can present photo identification upon doing so.[19][20]
Verification of citizenship
Missouri does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.[17]
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[21] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
The Missouri Secretary of State's office allows residents to check their voter registration status online.
Voter ID requirements
Missouri requires voters to present photo identification while voting.[22][23]
The following were accepted forms of identification as of October 2025. Click here for the Missouri Secretary of State's page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.
Voters can present the following forms of information:
- A nonexpired Missouri driver or non-driver license;
- A nonexpired military ID, including a veteran’s ID card;
- A nonexpired United States passport; or
- Another photo ID issued by the United States or the state of Missouri which is either not expired or expired after the date of the most recent general election.
If a voter does not have an ID, he or she can obtain one for free by filling out this form.
Early voting
Missouri permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.
Absentee voting
A voter is eligible to vote absentee in an election if he or she cannot make it to the polls on Election Day for one of the following reasons:[24]
- The voter will be absent from his or her regular polling place on Election Day.
- The voter is incapacitated or confined due to illness or physical disability. Additionally, an individual who is caring for an incapacitated person may vote absentee.
- The voter is unable to visit the polls for religious reasons.
- The voter is employed by an election authority.
- The voter incarcerated but has retained voting qualifications.
- The voter is unable to visit the polls because of safety concerns.
To vote absentee, an application must be received by 5 p.m. on the Wednesday prior to the election. If returned in person, the ballot must be submitted by 5 p.m. the day before the election. If submitted by mail, the ballot must be received by the close of polls on Election Day.[24]
See also
| Federal primaries in Missouri | State primaries in Missouri | Missouri state party apparatus | Missouri voter information |
|---|---|---|---|
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Footnotes
- ↑ CNN, "Why a 'federal jobs guarantee' is gaining steam with Democrats," April 26, 2018
- ↑ The Atlantic, "What ‘Abolish ICE’ Actually Means," July 11, 2018
- ↑ CNBC, "Despite Ocasio-Cortez upset, Democratic primaries have not gone as far left as some argue," June 28, 2018
- ↑ New York Times, "There Is a Revolution on the Left. Democrats Are Bracing." July 21, 2018
- ↑ New York Times, "Democrats Are Moving Left. Don’t Panic," July 23, 2018
- ↑ Time, "How Democrats in Congress Responded to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Surprise Win," June 28, 2018
- ↑ CNN, "9 Democratic primaries to watch in 2018," October 26, 2017
- ↑ The Hill, "Democrats prep for next round of healthcare fight," August 20, 2017
- ↑ Roll Call, "McCaskill Gets Primary Challenger," August 10, 2017
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal, "Senate Democrats’ Fundraising Jumps Ahead of 2018 Election," April 14, 2017
- ↑ Missouri Ethics Commission, "Campaign Finance," accessed May 2016 (Search terms MO Republican Party and MO Democratic State Committee)
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Candidate and Committee Viewer," accessed May 2016 (Search terms Missouri Republican State Committee-Federal and Missouri Democratic State Committee)
- ↑ NCSL,"State Primary Election Types," accessed April 4, 2023
- ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted December 26, 2013, through January 3, 2014, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
- ↑ John R. Ashcroft Missouri Secretary of State,"Frequently Asked Questions," accessed April 4, 2023
- ↑ Missouri Secretary of State - Elections and Voting, "Frequently Asked Questions," accessed April 4, 2023
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Missouri Secretary of State, "Register to Vote," accessed April 4, 2023
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 NCSL, "State Profiles: Elections," accessed August 27, 2024
- ↑ BillTrack50, "MO HB1878," accessed April 4, 2023
- ↑ Missouri Secretary of State, "FAQs Voter Registration," accessed August 27, 2024
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ Missouri Secretary of State, "How To Vote," accessed October 7, 2025
- ↑ Missouri Secretary of State, "Do I need an ID to vote?" accessed October 7, 2025
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Missouri Secretary of State, "Request for Missouri Absentee Ballot," accessed April 4, 2023
