View source for Government of Missouri

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The [[government]] of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Missouri]] is organized into the [[state government]] and [[Local government in the United States|local government]], including [[County (United States)|county]] government, and [[city]] and [[Municipality|municipal]] government.

While the state was originally a part of the Democratic-dominated "Solid South," the state transitioned into a national bellwether at the start of the 20th century. Its position in the Midwest allowed for the state to become competitive for Republicans much earlier than many of its neighbors. After voting Republican twice in its entire history up to that point, it became a near-perfect bellwether and voted for the national winner all but once from 1904 to 2004.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.270towin.com/states/Missouri | title=Missouri Presidential Election Voting History - 270toWin }}</ref> However, the state has not voted Democratic since 1996.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/compare.php?year=2008&fips=29&f=1&off=0&elect=0&type=state|title=Presidential General Election Results Comparison—Missouri|publisher=US Election Atlas|access-date=September 6, 2023|author=Leip, David}}</ref> In 2008, Democrat [[Barack Obama]] became the first Democrat to ever win the presidency without winning the state. The state's rightward drift became apparent since, as in 2012, it voted for the losing candidate in consecutive elections for the first time since 1900. Republicans captured the state legislature and majority of House seats in the 2000s for the first time since the 1940s. Meanwhile, Democrats lost their last statewide office in the 2022 elections. 

==State government==
===Constitution===
The fourth and last [[Constitution of Missouri]], the [[state constitution (United States)|state constitution]], was adopted in 1945. It provides for three [[branches of government]]: The [[Legislature|legislative]], [[Executive government|executive]], and [[Judiciary|judicial]].

===Legislative branch===
The legislative branch consists of the [[State legislature (United States)|state legislature]], which is the [[Missouri General Assembly]]; it is [[bicameral]] & comprises a 163-member [[Missouri House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] (the [[lower house]]) and a 34-member [[Missouri Senate|Senate]]. Members of both houses are subject to [[term limit]]s: Senators are limited to two four-year terms, and representatives to four two-year terms; a limit of 8 years for members of both houses.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sos.mo.gov/pubs/missouri_constitution.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2008-09-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081029024702/http://www.sos.mo.gov/pubs/missouri_constitution.pdf |archive-date=2008-10-29 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.house.mo.gov/content.aspx?info=/info/memfaq.htm|title = Missouri House of Representatives - Error}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.senate.mo.gov/newsroom/Pages/DidYouKnowTermLimits.html|title=Did You Know - Facts About the Missouri Senate|website=www.senate.mo.gov|access-date=7 April 2018}}</ref> The state constitution provides that "The general assembly shall meet on the first Wednesday after the first Monday in January following each general election.  ..The general assembly shall reconvene on the first Wednesday after the first Monday of January after adjournment at midnight on May thirtieth of the preceding year." As a part-time legislature, compensation is low, and most senators and representatives hold jobs outside their legislative duties. As of 2024, state legislators receive an annual salary of $40,000, as set by the Missouri Citizens’ Commission on Compensation for Elected Officials.<ref>{{cite web |title=Missouri Legislator Compensation |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Missouri_state_legislator_compensation |website=Ballotpedia |access-date=2025-09-15}}</ref> The General Assembly meets at the [[Missouri State Capitol]] in [[Jefferson City, Missouri|Jefferson City]].

===Executive branch===
{{Missouri Government}}

The executive branch is laid out in Article IV of the state constitution. It is headed by the [[governor of Missouri]]. The governor is charged with executing the laws of the state. The governor is elected a four-year term and can serve two terms and must be at least 30 years of age, a Missouri resident for at least 10 years, and a [[United States nationality law|U.S. citizen]] for at least 15 years before holding office. He can also appoint members of the [[Cabinet of Missouri]]. There is also the [[Lieutenant Governor of Missouri]], required to have the same qualifications as the governor, who is an {{lang|la|ex officio}} [[president of the Senate|president of the state Senate]]. The lieutenant governor is allowed to debate any and all questions before the Senate as a whole and may [[Casting vote|cast the deciding ballot]] in case of a tie. Additionally, the lieutenant governor assumes the office of governor in case of the governor's death, resignation, or incapacitation. Missouri voters also elect the heads of several executive departments: the [[Missouri Attorney General]], [[Missouri Secretary of State]], [[State Treasurer of Missouri]], and the [[State Auditor of Missouri]]. The requirements for holding these offices are the same as those for the governor, but only the State Treasurer has term limits similar to the governor.

===Judicial branch===
The judicial branch (the [[State court (United States)|state courts]]) is established by Article IV of the Missouri Constitution. The [[state supreme court]] is the [[Supreme Court of Missouri]] - it is the [[Supreme court|highest court]]. The [[Missouri Court of Appeals]] is the state intermediate [[appellate court]]. It is split into three districts: Western (based in [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]]), Eastern (based in [[St. Louis, Missouri|St. Louis]]), and Southern (based in [[Springfield, Missouri|Springfield]]). The state [[trial court]]s of [[general jurisdiction]] are the 45 [[Missouri Circuit Courts]] and Associate Circuit Courts within each Circuit Court.

Seven judges sit on the [[Supreme Court of Missouri]], which meets in the state capital, Jefferson City. Unlike the [[life tenure]] appointments of [[United States federal judge|federal judges]] (including the [[Supreme Court of the United States]]), state supreme court judges hold the judicial bench for 12 years, as do judges of the Court of Appeals. Circuit Court judges have terms of six years and Associate Circuit Court judges have terms of four years. There are no term limits for judges, though there is a [[mandatory retirement]] age of 70 years.

Missouri pioneered a unique way of selecting judges for its state Supreme Court and Court of Appeals in an effort to remove some of the partisan politics from the selection process. Article V, Section 25(a) of the Missouri Constitution specifies a process, known as the [[Missouri Plan]], to appoint judges to the state Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and circuit and probate courts in the [[Independent city (United States)|independent]] [[St. Louis, Missouri|City of St. Louis]], [[Jackson County, Missouri|Jackson County]] ([[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]]), and any other circuit court where a majority of voters choose to adopt nonpartisan appointment (currently [[St. Louis County, Missouri|St. Louis County]], [[Clay County, Missouri|Clay County]], (St Charles County, Missouri) and [[Platte County, Missouri|Platte County]]). When a position becomes available in one of the above courts, a [[Nonpartisanism|nonpartisan]] [[judicial nominating commission]] reviews applications, interviews candidates, and submits three nominees to the Governor. The Governor then appoints one of the three nominees to fill the vacant position. Finally, in the first general election one year or more after the appointment, the judge must be retained by the voters in a [[retention election]] before serving a full term. Judges for all other courts are elected directly by the voters.

==County and city government==
Counties with more than 85,000 people may elect their own charters, smaller ones must use the standard charter dictated by the state.

Missouri allows cities to adopt their own charter should they chose to do so; it was the first state in the union to do so.
Regardless of the freedom given to city governments, most municipalities choose to organize their local government around a mayor and a city council. Council members are typically elected in either citywide or district elections.

==Political parties==
{{PresHead|place=Missouri|whig=yes|source=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/compare.php?year=2008&fips=29&f=1&off=0&elect=0&type=state|title=Presidential General Election Results Comparison—Missouri|publisher=US Election Atlas|access-date=November 17, 2025|author=Leip, David}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|1824|Democratic-Republican|159|1,166|2,107|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1828|Democratic|3,422|8,232|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1832|Democratic|0|5,192|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1836|Democratic|7,337|10,995|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1840|Democratic|22,954|29,969|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1844|Democratic|31,200|41,322|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1848|Democratic|32,671|40,077|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1852|Democratic|29,984|38,817|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1856|Democratic|0|57,964|48,522|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1860|Democratic|17,028|58,801|89,734|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1864|Republican|72,750|31,596|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1868|Republican|86,860|65,628|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1872|Democratic|119,196|151,434|2,429|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1876|Democratic|145,027|202,086|3,497|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1880|Democratic|153,647|208,600|35,042|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1884|Democratic|203,081|236,023|2,164|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1888|Democratic|236,252|261,943|23,165|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1892|Democratic|227,646|268,400|45,537|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|304,940|363,667|5,299|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|314,092|351,922|17,642|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|321,449|296,312|26,100|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|347,203|346,574|22,150|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|207,821|330,746|159,999|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|369,339|398,032|19,398|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|727,162|574,799|30,839|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|648,486|572,753|86,719|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|834,080|662,562|4,079|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|564,713|1,025,406|19,775|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|697,891|1,111,043|19,701|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|871,009|958,476|4,244|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|761,524|807,804|3,146|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|655,039|917,315|6,274|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|959,429|929,830|2,803|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|914,289|918,273|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|962,221|972,201|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|653,535|1,164,344|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|811,932|791,444|206,126|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|1,154,058|698,531|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|927,443|998,387|27,770|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|1,074,181|931,182|94,461|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|1,274,188|848,583|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|1,084,953|1,001,619|6,656|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|811,159|1,053,873|526,533|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|890,016|1,025,935|242,114|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|1,189,924|1,111,138|58,830|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|1,455,713|1,259,171|16,480|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|1,445,814|1,441,911|41,386|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|1,482,440|1,223,796|57,453|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|1,594,511|1,071,068|162,687|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|1,718,736|1,253,014|58,998|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|1,751,986|1,200,599|51,512|Missouri}}
{{PresFoot}}

{{see also|Missouri#Former status as a political bellwether}}
Like the rest of the nation, the two dominant parties in Missouri are the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] and the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] (whose state affiliates are the [[Missouri Democratic Party]] and the [[Missouri Republican Party]], respectively). The state secretary of state also recognizes the [[Constitution Party (United States)|Constitution Party]] and [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian Party]] as organized parties,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://s1.sos.mo.gov/elections/candidates/contact-parties/|title=Established Political Parties|first=Missouri Secretary of State -|last=IT|website=s1.sos.mo.gov|access-date=7 April 2018}}</ref> although only five Libertarians currently hold elected office in Missouri.{{Update inline|date=November 2021}}{{Citation needed|date=April 2009}}

The Democratic and Republican parties have been responsible for establishing the voting districts, casting votes in the [[Electoral College (United States)|Electoral College]], and fielding candidates for the general elections, and helping to determine legislative policy and priorities.

== Federal representation==
{{main|Missouri's congressional districts}}
Missouri currently has eight [[Missouri's congressional districts|House districts]]. In the 119th Congress, two of Missouri's seats are held by Democrats and six are held by Republicans:

*[[Missouri's 1st congressional district]] represented by [[Wesley Bell]] (D)
*[[Missouri's 2nd congressional district]] represented by [[Ann Wagner]] (R)
*[[Missouri's 3rd congressional district]] represented by [[Bob Onder]] (R)
*[[Missouri's 4th congressional district]] represented by [[Mark Alford (politician)|Mark Alford]] (R)
*[[Missouri's 5th congressional district]] represented by [[Emanuel Cleaver]] (D)
*[[Missouri's 6th congressional district]] represented by [[Sam Graves]] (R)
*[[Missouri's 7th congressional district]] represented by [[Eric Burlison]] (R)
*[[Missouri's 8th congressional district]] represented by [[Jason Smith (American politician)|Jason Smith]] (R)

Missouri's two United States senators are Republicans [[Josh Hawley]] and [[Eric Schmitt]], serving since 2019 and 2023, respectively. 

Missouri is part of the [[United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri]] and the [[United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri]] in the federal judiciary. The district's cases are appealed to the St. Louis-based [[United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit]].

==See also==
*[[Alcohol laws of Missouri]]
*[[Constitution of Missouri]]
*[[Missouri Sunshine Law]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.mo.gov Missouri government official web site]

{{Missouri}}
{{Governments of the United States}}
{{Law of the United States by state}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Government of Missouri| ]]
[[Category:Missouri law| ]]
[[Category:State governments of the United States|Missouri]]