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Missouri gubernatorial election, 2020 (August 4 Republican primary)
- Primary date: Aug. 4
- Primary type: Open
- Registration deadline(s): July 8
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: No
- Early voting starts: N/A
- Absentee/mail voting deadline(s): Aug. 4 (received)
- Voter ID: Non-photo ID
- Poll times: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
2024 →
← 2016
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| Governor of Missouri |
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| Democratic primary Republican primary General election |
| Election details |
| Filing deadline: March 31, 2020 |
| Primary: August 4, 2020 General: November 3, 2020 Pre-election incumbent(s): Gov. Mike Parson (R) |
| How to vote |
| Poll times: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voting in Missouri |
| Ballotpedia analysis |
| Federal and state primary competitiveness State executive elections in 2020 Impact of term limits in 2020 State government trifectas State government triplexes Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2020 |
| Missouri executive elections |
| Governor Lieutenant Governor |
Incumbent Mike Parson won the Republican gubernatorial primary in Missouri on August 4, 2020.
Missouri's 2020 state legislative elections affected partisan control of redistricting following the 2020 census. In Missouri, the state legislature is responsible for congressional redistricting. Congressional district maps are subject to gubernatorial veto. State legislative redistricting is handled by an appointed demographer and two commissions. For more information about the state legislative redistricting process, click here.
This page focuses on Missouri's Republican gubernatorial primary. For more in-depth information on Missouri's Democratic gubernatorial primary and the general election, see the following pages:
- Missouri gubernatorial election, 2020 (August 4 Democratic primary)
- Missouri gubernatorial election, 2020
Election procedure changes in 2020
Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.
Political party events in Missouri were modified as follows:
- Political party events: The Democratic Party of Missouri made a series of changes to its state convention delegate selection process, including the cancelation of mass meetings and the postponement of congressional district conventions to May 30. The Republican Party of Missouri canceled its county caucuses.
For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.
Candidates and election results
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Governor of Missouri
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Mike Parson | 74.9 | 511,566 |
 | Saundra McDowell  | 12.4 | 84,412 | |
 | James Neely | 8.7 | 59,514 | |
 | Raleigh Ritter | 4.0 | 27,264 | |
| Total votes: 682,756 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Candidate profiles
This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways. Either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey or Ballotpedia staff created a profile after identifying the candidate as noteworthy.[1] Ballotpedia staff compiled profiles based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "Saundra always planned to enact change with a law degree, but she put those ambitions on hold for the military. Saundra joined up with the USAF serving overseas in the aftermath of 9/11 as a medical technician taking care of our wounded soldiers. Following eight years of military service, Saundra pursued a career in law. After attending Drake University, studying at Oxford University and receiving her law degree from Regent Law, Saundra provided legal expertise to disabled Americans with their disability claims. She was an Assistant Attorney General in the Labor Division protecting Missouri's Second Injury Fund and in the Financial Services Division pursuing medical providers that were committing Medicaid fraud. As her career progressed, she was appointed as the Director of Enforcement for the Missouri Securities Division of the Secretary of State. She prosecuted investment fraud across Missouri. While a state attorney she was instrumental in recovering over 10 million taxpayers dollars for Missourians. In 2018 she ran for State Auditor on a platform of putting Missourians first and seeking justice, not personal glory. She emphatically defeated a busy field of talented Republican opponents in the Primary, only to lose narrowly to Democratic Super PAC funded Nicole Galloway, earning over a million votes along the way."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Missouri in 2020.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "Proud Christian, Husband, Father, Rancher, and Businessman. 8th Generation Missourian BA in Business from Westminster College - Fulton, Missouri Banking and Finance experience V.P. Ritter Rail Inc. Past President: Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Missouri Gamma Chapter Board of Trustees NRA Life Member -Since 2007 Lifelong Republican Voter"
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Missouri in 2020.
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...
See also
| Missouri | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Candidate Connection surveys completed before September 26, 2019, were not used to generate candidate profiles. In battleground primaries, Ballotpedia based its selection of noteworthy candidates on polling, fundraising, and noteworthy endorsements. In battleground general elections, all major party candidates and any other candidates with the potential to impact the outcome of the race were included.
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State of Missouri Jefferson City (capital) |
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