The state's general primary is March 19, which includes the state’s presidential primaries. Here are some of the key dates and names you need to know before you cast your ballot.
In-person voting is available at election authority offices only until March 4.
Beginning March, 4, early voting is also available at satellite locations.
The state Board of Elections has a website voters can use to look up their polling place to vote on election day.
The last day to apply for a ballot by mail is March 14. The ballots must be returned with a postmark on or before March 19.
Outside of the presidential primaries, which gained notoriety over bids to have both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump removed from the ballot, the highest profile race in the state may be the GOP primary for the 12th congressional district, where incumbent U.S. Rep. Mike Bost faces a challenge from former State Sen. and 2022 gubernatorial nominee Darren Bailey.
Former President Trump endorsed Rep. Bost earlier this year. He posted on his social media plaform Truth Social “While I like and respect Darren Bailey, and was proud to campaign for him in 2022, Mike Bost was one of the first House Committee Chairmen to endorse my Campaign, and Mike was a stalwart supporter of our America First agenda during my record-setting Administration,” Trump said in the post. “Mike Bost has my Complete and Total Endorsement!”
Both candidates also are spending time keying in on immigration as the debate continues over how to address the influx of illegal immigrants at the southern border.
Bailey traveled to the border in February to attack Bost’s voting record. Bost voted in favor of a 2018 bill that included funding for a border wall but also included a path to citizenship. The bill failed. In 2019 and 2021, Bost voted in favor of bipartisan bills on farm workforce modernization that the conservative Heritage Foundation says would have led to amnesty for illegal immigrants.
“My opponent talks a great game when facing a primary challenge, but when it really mattered, he sided with the Democrats and voted for amnesty,” Bailey said in a statement. “I am the grassroots conservative in this race. I have a track record of standing up for the values of this district and my opponent has a record of siding with the DC swamp.
Bost, who has been to the border twice in the last 11 months, accused Bailey of staging “a meaningless publicity stunt.”
“I voted to build the wall, end catch and release, and hire more border agents. I introduced legislation to stop the Biden administration from facilitating healthcare for illegal migrants with money intended for American veterans. Unlike my opponent, who hastily planned a meaningless publicity stunt at the border because we’re one month from an election, I’ve always viewed border security as a top priority.”
The Bost campaign went up with a new TV ad this week highlighting his support for border security and the endorsement of Freedom Caucus member U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio.
The Bailey campaign, which has an endorsement from neighboring U.S. Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill, also plans a television ad launch on Sunday.
Both campaigns have touted their support for Trump, who has not endorsed in the race and hasn't given any public indication that he will. It’s worth noting that Trump waited until the eve of the 2022 Missouri U.S. Senate primary before simply announcing an endorsement of “Eric”, leaving voters to wonder if he was backing former Gov. Eric Greitens or then-Attorney General Eric Schmitt.
The last independent polling in the race was done last July and showed Bost with a six point lead. Bailey’s campaign released internal polling showing a slight lead last month.
The winner of the contest will be heavily favored in the November general election against the winner of the Democratic primary, a race between Brian Roberts of DeSoto and Gabriel Nelson of Lebanon.