Handbook·Elections

Running for office in Missouri

State page·Verified 2026-07-10

This page covers what's specific to Missouri on top of the general guide to filing for local office.

Filing in Missouri

Missouri splits candidate filing by office level. Candidates for federal office, statewide office, State Senate, State House, and circuit judge file directly with the Secretary of State's Elections Division in Jefferson City. Candidates for county offices and most local political subdivisions file instead with their county clerk or local election authority. Filing with the Secretary of State requires proof of identity, such as a Missouri voter ID card, driver's license, or birth certificate, plus a Department of Revenue affidavit confirming you have no known delinquency in state income tax filing or payment.

Deadlines and numbers

  • 2026 filing window: February 24, 2026, 8:00am through March 31, 2026, 5:00pm
  • 2026 primary election: August 4, 2026
  • Filing fee: $300 for State Senate, $150 for State House, paid to the party's state committee treasurer
  • Filing location for state, federal, and judicial candidates: James C. Kirkpatrick State Information Center, 600 W. Main St., Jefferson City

The dossier couldn't confirm whether Missouri offers a statewide signature-petition alternative to paying the filing fee. Some states let candidates petition onto the ballot instead, and Missouri's filing fee statute may include that option, but it wasn't verified here. It also found only one example county clerk fee ($100), not a full statewide schedule of county-level fees. Confirm both with your county clerk or local election authority, or /engage.

Where to go