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Missouri Supreme Court elections, 2016
| 2016 State Judicial Elections |
|---|
 |
| Part 1: Overview |
| Part 2: Supreme Courts |
| Part 3: Partisanship |
| Part 4: Changes in 2016 |
One seat on the Missouri Supreme Court was up for retention election on November 8, 2016. Judge Richard Teitelman faced a retention election. If retained, a supreme court judge serves for 12 years prior to the next retention election.
Judges who faced retention
Election results
Richard Teitelman was retained in the Missouri Supreme Court, Teitelman's Seat election with 63.91% of the vote.
| Missouri Supreme Court, Teitelman's Seat, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes votes | |
 Richard Teitelman | 63.91% | |
| Source: Missouri Secretary of State Official Results | ||
Political composition
Judges on the Missouri Supreme Court are nonpartisan and appointed to their seats. Chief Justice Patricia Breckenridge and Judge Zel Fischer were appointed by Gov. Matt Blunt (R). The remaining five judges were appointed by Democratic governors.
| ■ Chief Justice Patricia Breckenridge | Appointed by Matt Blunt (R) in 2007 | |
| ■ Judge Zel Fischer | Appointed by Matt Blunt (R) in 2008 | |
| ■ Judge Laura Denvir Stith | Appointed by Bob Holden (D) in 2001 | |
| ■ Judge Richard Teitelman | Appointed by Bob Holden (D) in 2002 | |
| ■ Judge Mary Rhodes Russell | Appointed by Bob Holden (D) in 2004 | |
| ■ Judge George Draper | Appointed by Jay Nixon (D) in 2011 | |
| ■ Judge Paul C. Wilson | Appointed by Jay Nixon (D) in 2012 |
Selection
- See also: Judicial selection in Missouri
The Missouri Appellate Judicial Commission selects judges of the court according to the Missouri Plan. When a seat on the court becomes vacant, the commission submits three names to the governor to determine the replacement. If the governor neglects this duty, the responsibility goes to the commission. After one year on the court, the appointed judge must stand in the next general election to retain his seat. Judges serve 12-year terms before also facing retention elections.[1][2]
Qualifications
According to Article V, Section 21 of the Missouri Constitution, to be considered a qualified candidate for the Missouri Supreme Court, one must be at least 30 years of age, licensed to practice law in the state, a U.S. citizen for at least 15 years and be a qualified voter of the state for at least nine years prior to the person's candidacy. Additionally, candidates must be younger than 70 years of age, as there is mandatory retirement at that time.[1]
Chief justice
Judges sitting on the court elect their own chief justice. The state constitution requires that the chief justice preside over the court and act as the "chief administrative officer of the state judicial system."[3]
State profile
| Demographic data for Missouri | ||
|---|---|---|
| Missouri | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 6,076,204 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 68,742 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 82.6% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 11.5% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 1.8% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 0.4% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.4% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 3.9% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 88.4% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 27.1% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $48,173 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 18.2% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Missouri. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
- See also: Presidential voting trends in Missouri
Missouri voted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
More Missouri coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in Missouri
- United States congressional delegations from Missouri
- Public policy in Missouri
- Endorsers in Missouri
- Missouri fact checks
- More...
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms 'Missouri court elections' OR 'Missouri Supreme Court 2016' OR 'Missouri Supreme Court election'. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
Footnotes
| ||||||||||
Federal courts:
Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Missouri, Western District of Missouri • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Missouri, Western District of Missouri
State courts:
Missouri Supreme Court • Missouri Court of Appeals • Missouri Circuit Courts • Missouri Municipal Courts
State resources:
Courts in Missouri • Missouri judicial elections • Judicial selection in Missouri
