MissouriElection notices would be published closer to voting dates
Election authorities would publish many legal election notices within six weeks before voting, while newspapers could qualify after one year under the supplied text.
What it does
Election authorities would publish most election notices twice within six weeks before voting, with different newspaper and mailing rules for some areas.
Newspapers could carry legal notices after one year of regular publication if they also meet mailing and subscriber requirements.
Where no other rule sets filing dates, local offices and special districts would open candidate filing 16 Tuesdays before an election and close it 13 Tuesdays before.
Argument forEarlier or more frequent notices could give voters more time to learn about elections, polling places, candidates, and ballot questions.
Argument againstAllowing newer newspapers to publish legal notices after one year might give readers less information about the paper’s publishing history.
More detail
Election authorities would publish most election notices twice in newspapers. This covers elections in the authority’s jurisdiction, with stated exceptions for special vacancy elections and other listed election laws. The notices would include the election date and time, the calling officer or agency, and a sample ballot. If no qualified newspaper is published in the election area, the authority would use qualified newspapers serving the area. Small jurisdictions without a qualified local newspaper may mail notices to registered voters and publish once in a county newspaper. Both newspaper publications would occur within six weeks before the election.
Newspapers could qualify to carry legal notices after one year of regular publication. The rule covers newspapers carrying legal notices affecting real estate and other notices or advertisements required by law to appear in newspapers. A newspaper would still need periodicals-class mailing status and bona fide subscribers. A successor newspaper could receive the prior paper’s rights if it begins publication within 90 consecutive days after the prior paper stops. The one-year publication period would apply before the newspaper publishes the notice or advertisement.
Political subdivisions and special districts would open and close candidate filing on earlier Tuesday deadlines when no other law or charter sets those dates. This applies to offices in political subdivisions and special districts whose filing dates are not otherwise required by law or charter. The opening time would be 8:00 a.m. The closing time would be 5:00 p.m. If the closing Tuesday is a state or federal holiday, filing would close the next nonholiday. The stated opening deadline would be the sixteenth Tuesday before the election, and the closing deadline would be the thirteenth Tuesday before the election.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jul 13Delivered to Secretary of State (G)Latest
- Jul 13Approved by Governor Mike Kehoe (G)Became Law
- May 28Delivered to Governor
- May 28Signed by President Pro Tem (S)
- May 28Signed by House Speaker (H)
- May 12House Message (H)
- Vote recorded Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 5 NOES: 3 PRESENT: 0. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Truly Agreed To and Finally Passed - AYES: 142 NOES: 1 PRESENT: 2. Result: pass.Lower
- May 12Truly Agreed To and Finally Passed - AYES: 142 NOES: 1 PRESENT: 2Major
- May 12House Adopts (H) - SCS, as amended
- May 12Taken Up
- May 12Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 5 NOES: 3 PRESENT: 0Minor
- May 12Voted Do Pass (H)Minor
- May 12Executive Session Completed (H)
- May 11Referred: Fiscal Review(H)Minor
- May 11Reported to the House with... (H) - SCS, as amended
- May 7Third Read and Passed with Amendments (S) - SA 1 - AYES: 29 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Third Read and Passed with Amendments (S) - SA 1 - AYES: 29 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0. Result: pass.Upper
- May 7SCS Adopted (S)
- May 7Taken Up for Third Reading (S)Minor
- May 7Placed on Informal Calendar
- Apr 16SCS Reported Do Pass (S)Minor
- Apr 13SCS Voted Do Pass (S)Minor
- Apr 13Executive Session Held (S)
- Apr 7Public Hearing Held (S)
- Apr 2Public Hearing Scheduled (S) - Tuesday, April 7, 2026, 1:30 p.m., Senate Committee Room 2 - 1st Floor
- Mar 23Second read and referred: Local Government, Elections and Pensions(S)
- Mar 11Reported to the Senate and First Read (S)Minor
- Vote recorded Third Read and Passed (H) - AYES: 145 NOES: 1 PRESENT: 0. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 11Third Read and Passed (H) - AYES: 145 NOES: 1 PRESENT: 0Passed House
- Mar 11Taken Up for Third Reading (H)Minor
- Mar 9Perfected (H)
- Mar 9Title of Bill - Agreed To
- Mar 9Taken Up for Perfection (H)
- Mar 4Placed on the Informal Perfection Calendar (H)
- Feb 11Reported Do Pass - Consent (H) - AYES: 8 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0Minor
- Vote recorded Reported Do Pass - Consent (H) - AYES: 8 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 10Voted Do Pass - Consent (H)Minor
- Feb 10Executive Session Completed (H)
- Feb 2Referred: Consent and Procedure(H)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported Do Pass - Consent (H) - AYES: 16 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 2Reported Do Pass - Consent (H) - AYES: 16 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0Minor
- Jan 28Voted Do Pass - Consent (H)Minor
- Jan 28Executive Session Completed (H)
- Jan 21Public Hearing Completed (H)
- Jan 8Referred: Local Government(H)Minor
- Jan 8Read Second Time (H)Minor
- Jan 7Read First Time (H)
- 2025
- Dec 1Prefiled (H)Introduced
Civil Rights & VotingGovernment & EthicsConsumer Protection