Candidates had until August 22 to file to run for four vacant seats in the Missouri House of Representatives. The special elections are scheduled for November 5. The following candidates filed to run:
- District 22: The seat became vacant after Rep. Brandon Ellington (D) was elected to be an at-large District 3 member of the Kansas City City Council in June 2019. He ran unopposed in the 2018 election. Yolanda Young (D), Tammy Louise Herrera (R), and Jeff Francis (G) filed to run for the vacant seat.
- District 36: Rep. DaRon McGee (D) resigned his seat in April 2019 to take another job. He won re-election in 2018 with 78.1% of the vote. Mark Sharp (D) and Bob Voorhees (G) filed to run for the vacant seat.
- District 74: The seat became vacant after Rep. Cora Walker (D) resigned on July 29, to take a job as a policy director for St. Louis County Executive Sam Page. Mike Person (D) and Nick Kasoff (L) filed for the seat.
- District 78: Rep. Bruce Franks (D) resigned his seat on July 31. Rasheen Aldridge (D) is running unopposed in the special election.
Special elections in District 99 and District 158 of the state House are also scheduled for November 5. The filing deadline for those two special elections passed in May. The following candidates filed to run:
- District 99: Rep. Jean Evans (R) stepped down from the seat in February 2019 to become the executive director of the Missouri GOP. She won re-election in 2018 with 53% of the vote. Trish Gunby (D) and Lee Ann Pitman (R) filed to run for the vacant seat.
- District 158: This seat became vacant after Rep. Scott Fitzpatrick (R) became the state treasurer of Missouri in January 2019. He ran unopposed in the 2018 election. Lisa Kalp (D) and Scott Cupps (R) filed to run for the vacant seat.
As of August, 73 state legislative special elections have been scheduled or held in 24 states. Between 2011 and 2018, an average of 77 special elections took place each year.
Heading into the election, Republicans have a 113-43 majority in the state House with seven vacancies. Missouri has a Republican state government trifecta. A trifecta exists when one political party simultaneously holds the governor’s office and majorities in both state legislative chambers.