Missouri state legislative Democratic primaries, 2018

Elections 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.

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2018 Missouri General Assembly elections
General	November 6, 2018
Primary	August 7, 2018

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The Democratic primary elections for seats in the Missouri State Senate and Missouri House of Representatives were on August 7, 2018. For information about the Republican primary elections in Missouri, click here.

The general election was on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was March 27, 2018. In the state Senate, 17 of 34 seats were up for election. In the state House, all 163 seats were up for election.

HIGHLIGHTS

As of November 2017, Missouri was one of 26 Republican trifectas. A state government trifecta is a term used to describe a single-party government where one political party holds the governor's office and a majority in both chambers of the state legislature. To find out more about state government trifectas, click here.

Incumbents who did not advance to the general election

Retiring incumbents

One Democratic state Senate incumbent did not file for re-election.

• Maria Chappelle-Nadal (District 14)

Fifteen Democratic state House incumbents did not file for re-election.

• Pat Conway (District 10)
• Lauren Arthur (District 18)
• Ira Anders (District 21)
• Gail Beatty (District 26)
• Sue Meredith (District 71)
• Mary Nichols (District 72)
• Courtney Curtis (District 73)
• Joshua Peters (District 76)
• Michael Butler (District 79)
• Fred Wessels (District 81)
• Karla May (District 84)
• Clem Smith (District 85)
• Joes Adams (District 86)
• Stacey Newman (District 87)
• Ben Harris (District 118)

Incumbents defeated

One Democratic state Sentate incumbent was defeated in his primary.

• Jacob Hummel (District 4)

Competitiveness

See also: 2018 primary election competitiveness in state and federal government and Missouri state legislative Republican primaries, 2018

There were 60 open seats in 2018 compared to 40 in 2016 and 29 in 2014. Eighty-four more candidates filed to run in 2018 than 2016. Compared to 2014, 114 more candidates filed to run. There were 32 contested Democratic primaries compared to 25 in 2016 and 16 in 2014. There were 50 contested Republican primaries compared to 33 in 2014 and 2016.

Year	Total seats	Open seats	Total candidates	Democratic primaries contested	Republican primaries contested	Total contested	Incumbents contested in primaries	Total incumbents contested in primaries
2018	180	60	446	32	50	22.8%	22	18.3%
2016	181	40	362	25	33	16.0%	21	14.9%
2014	180	29	332	16	33	13.6%	21	13.9%

Partisan control

The tables below show the partisan breakdowns of the Missouri House of Representatives and the Missouri State Senate as of August 2018:

Missouri House of Representatives

Party		As of August 2018
	Democratic Party	46
	Republican Party	112
	Vacancies	5
Total		163

Missouri State Senate

Party		As of September 2025
	Democratic Party	8
	Republican Party	24
	Vacancies	2
Total		34

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.

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.

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. 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.

Automatic registration

Missouri does not practice automatic voter registration.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Missouri has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

Missouri does not allow same-day voter registration.

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.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

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.

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. 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. 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.

The following were accepted forms of identification as of April 2023. 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:

• 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.

See also

• Missouri state legislative Republican primaries, 2018
• Missouri House of Representatives elections, 2018
• Missouri State Senate elections, 2018
• Missouri State Legislature
• Missouri elections, 2018