Article VIII, Missouri Constitution

Missouri Constitution

Preamble
Articles
I • II • III • IV • V • VI • VII • VIII • IX • X • XI • XII • XIII • XIV

## Contents

* 1 Section 1
* 1.1 Amendments
* 2 Section 2
* 2.1 Amendments
* 3 Section 3
* 3.1 Amendments
* 4 Section 4
* 4.1 Amendments
* 5 Section 5
* 5.1 Amendments
* 6 Section 6
* 6.1 Amendments
* 7 Section 7
* 7.1 Amendments
* 8 Section 11
* 8.1 Amendments
* 9 Section 15
* 9.1 Amendments
* 10 Section 16
* 10.1 Amendments
* 10.2 Section 17
* 10.3 Amendments
* 11 Section 18
* 11.1 Amendments
* 12 Section 19
* 12.1 Amendments
* 12.2 Section 20
* 12.3 Amendments
* 13 Section 21
* 13.1 Amendments
* 14 Section 22
* 14.1 Amendments
* 15 Section 23
* 15.1 Amendments
* 16 Section 24
* 16.1 Amendments
* 17 See also
* 18 External links
* 19 Additional reading
* 20 Footnotes

Article VIII of the Missouri Constitution is entitled Suffrage and Elections

## Section 1[edit]

| Text of Section 1:

Time of General Elections

The general election shall be held on the Tuesday next following the first Monday in November of each even year, unless a different day is fixed by law, two-thirds of all members of each house assenting.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Amended on February 26, 1924.

## Section 2[edit]

| Text of Section 2:

Qualifications of Voters—-Disqualifications

Only citizens of the United States, including occupants of soldiers' and sailors' homes, over the age of eighteen who are residents of this state and of the political subdivision in which they offer to vote are entitled to vote at all elections by the people, if the election is one for which registration is required if they are registered within the time prescribed by law, or if the election is one for which registration is not required, if they have been residents of the political subdivision in which they offer to vote for thirty days next preceding the election for which they offer to vote: Provided however, no person who has a guardian of his or her estate or person by reason of mental incapacity, appointed by a court of competent jurisdiction and no person who is involuntarily confined in a mental institution pursuant to an adjudication of a court of competent jurisdiction shall be entitled to vote, and persons convicted of felony, or crime connected with the exercise of the right of suffrage may be excluded by law from voting.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Amended on November 4, 1958.
* Amended on November 5, 1974.
* Amended on November 5, 2024.

## Section 3[edit]

| Text of Section 3:

Methods of Voting—-Secrecy of Ballot-—Exceptions

1\. All elections by the people shall be by paper ballot or by any mechanical method prescribed by law. 2\. Voters shall have only a single vote for each issue on which such voter is eligible to vote. Voters shall have the same number of votes for an office as the number of open seats to be elected to such office at that election. Under no circumstance shall a voter be permitted to cast a ballot in a manner that results in the ranking of candidates for a particular office. Notwithstanding any provision of this subsection to the contrary, this subsection shall not apply to any nonpartisan municipal election held in a city that had an ordinance in effect as of November 5, 2024, that permits voters to cast more than a single vote for each issue or candidate on which such voter is eligible to vote. 3\. All election officers shall be sworn or affirmed not to disclose how any voter voted; provided, that in cases of contested elections, grand jury investigations and in the trial of all civil or criminal cases in which the violation of any law relating to elections, including nominating elections, is under investigation or at issue, such officers may be required to testify and the ballots cast may be opened, examined, counted, and received as evidence.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Amended on February 26, 1924.
* Amended on August 3, 1976.
* Amended on November 5, 2024.

## Section 4[edit]

| Text of Section 4:

Privilege of Voters from Arrest—-Exceptions

Voters shall be privileged from arrest while going to, attending and returning from elections, except in cases of treason, felony or breach of the peace.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Amended on February 26, 1924.

## Section 5[edit]

| Text of Section 5:

Registration of Voters

Registration of voters may be provided for by law.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Amended on February 26, 1924.

## Section 6[edit]

| Text of Section 6:

Retention of Residence for Voting Purposes

For the purpose of voting, no person shall be deemed to have gained or lost a residence by reason of his presence or absence while engaged in the civil or military service of this state or of the United States, or in the navigation of the high seas or the waters of the state or of the United States, or while a student of any institution of learning, or kept in a poor house or other asylum at public expense, or confined in public prison.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Amended on February 26, 1924.

## Section 7[edit]

| Text of Section 7:

Absentee Voting

Qualified electors of the state who are absent, whether within or without the state, may be enabled by general law to vote at all elections by the people.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Amended on February 26, 1924.

## Section 11[edit]

| Text of Section 11:

A person seeking to vote in person in public elections may be required by general law to identify himself or herself and verify his or her qualifications as a citizen of the United States of America and a resident of the state of Missouri by providing election officials with a form of identification, which may include requiring valid government-issued photo identification. Exceptions to the identification requirement may also be provided for by general law.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Added on November 8, 2016, via voter approval of Amendment 6.

## Section 15[edit]

| Text of Section 15:

Preamble

The people of Missouri hereby state our intention that this initiative lead to the adoption of the following U.S. Constitutional Amendment.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Adopted with the approval of Missouri Congressional Term Limits, Amendment 9 (1996) on November 5, 1996.

## Section 16[edit]

| Text of Section 16:

Congressional Term Limits Amendment

(a) No person shall serve in the office of United States Representative for more than three terms, but upon ratification of this amendment no person who has held the office of the United States Representative or who then holds the office shall serve for more than two additional terms.

(b) No person shall serve in the office of United States Senator for more than two terms, but upon ratification of this amendment no person who has held the office of United States Senator or who then holds the office shall serve in the office for more than one additional term.

(c) Any state may enact by state constitutional amendment longer or shorter limits than those specified in section “a” or “b” herein.

(d) This article shall have no time limit within which it must be ratified to become operative upon the ratification of the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States. Therefore, We, the people of the State of Missouri, have chosen to amend the state constitution to inform voters regarding incumbent and non-incumbent federal candidates’ support for the above proposed CONGRESSIONAL TERM LIMITS AMENDMENT.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Adopted with the approval of Missouri Congressional Term Limits, Amendment 9 (1996) on November 5, 1996.

### Section 17[edit]

| Text of Section 17:

Voter Instruction on Term Limits for Members of Congress

(1) We, the Voters of Missouri, hereby instruct each member of our congressional delegation to use all of his or her delegated powers to pass the Congressional Term Limits Amendment set forth above.

(2) All primary and general election ballots shall have printed the information “DISREGARDED VOTERS’ INSTRUCTION ON TERM LIMITS” adjacent to the name of any United States Senator or Representative who:

(a) fails to vote in favor of the proposed Congressional Term Limits Amendment set forth above when brought to a vote or;
(b) fails to second the proposed Congressional Term Limits Amendment set forth above if it lacks for a second before any proceeding of the legislative body or;
(c) fails to propose or otherwise bring to a vote of the full legislative body the proposed Congressional Term Limits Amendment set forth above if it otherwise lacks a legislator who so proposes or brings to a vote of the full legislative body the proposed Congressional Term Limits Amendment set forth above or;
(d) fails to vote in favor of all votes bringing the proposed Congressional Term Limits Amendment set forth above before any committee or subcommittee of the respective house upon which he or she serves or;
(e) fails to reject any attempt to delay, table or otherwise prevent a vote by the full legislative body of the proposed Congressional Term Limits Amendment set forth above or;
(f) fails to vote against any proposed constitutional amendment that would establish longer term limits than those in the proposed Congressional Term Limits Amendment set forth above regardless of any other actions in support of the proposed Congressional Term Limits Amendment set forth above, or;
(g) sponsors or cosponsors any proposed constitutional amendment or law that would increase term limits beyond those in the proposed Congressional Term Limits Amendment set forth above, or;
(h) fails to ensure that all votes on Congressional Term Limits are recorded and made available to the public.

(3) The information “DISREGARDED VOTERS’ INSTRUCTION ON TERM LIMITS” shall not appear adjacent to the names of incumbent candidates for Congress if the Congressional Term Limits Amendment set forth above is before the states for ratification or has become part of the United States Constitution.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Adopted with the approval of Missouri Congressional Term Limits, Amendment 9 (1996) on November 5, 1996.

## Section 18[edit]

| Text of Section 18:

Voter Instruction on Term Limit Pledge for Non--Incumbents

(1) Non-incumbent candidates for United States Senator and Representative shall be given an opportunity to take a “Term Limit” pledge regarding “Term Limits” each time they file to run for such office. Those who decline to take the “Term Limits” pledge shall have the information “DECLINED TO PLEDGE TO SUPPORT TERM LIMITS” printed adjacent to their name on every primary and general election ballot.

(2) The “Term Limits” pledge shall be offered to non-incumbent candidates for United States Senator and Representative until a Constitutional Amendment which limits the number of terms of United States Senators to no more than two and United States Representatives to no more than three shall have become part of our United States Constitution.

(3) The “Term Limits” pledge that each non-incumbent candidate, set forth above, shall be offered is as follows:

I support term limits and pledge to use all my legislative powers to enact the proposed Constitutional Amendment set forth in the Term Limits Act of 1996. If elected, I pledge to vote in such a way that the designation “DISREGARDED VOTERS’ INSTRUCTION ON TERM LIMITS” will not appear adjacent to my name.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Adopted with the approval of Missouri Congressional Term Limits, Amendment 9 (1996) on November 5, 1996.

## Section 19[edit]

| Text of Section 19:

Designation

(1) The Secretary of State shall be responsible to make an accurate determination as to whether a candidate for the federal legislature shall have placed adjacent to his or her name on the election ballot the information “DISREGARDED VOTERS’ INSTRUCTION ON TERM LIMITS” or “DECLINED TO PLEDGE TO SUPPORT TERM LIMITS.”

(2) The Secretary of State shall consider timely submitted public comments prior to making the determination required in subsection (1) of this section and may rely on such comments and any information submitted by the candidates in making the determination required in subsection (1).

(3) The Secretary of State, in accordance with subsection (1) of this section shall determine and declare what information, if any, shall appear adjacent to the names of each incumbent federal legislator if he or she was to be a candidate in the next election. This determination and declaration shall be made in a fashion necessary to ensure the orderly printing of primary and general election ballots with allowance made for all legal action provided in section (5) and (6) below, and shall be based upon each member of Congress’s action during their current term of office and any action taken in any concluded term, if such action was taken after the determination and declaration was made by the Secretary of State in a previous election.

(4) The Secretary of State shall determine and declare what information, if any, will appear adjacent to the names of non-incumbent candidates for the federal legislature, not later than five (5) business days after the deadline for filing for the office.

(5) If the Secretary of State makes the determination that the information “DISREGARDED VOTERS’ INSTRUCTION ON TERM LIMITS” or “DECLINED TO PLEDGE TO SUPPORT TERM LIMITS” shall not be placed on the ballot adjacent to the name of a candidate for the federal legislature, any elector may appeal such decision within five (5) business days to the Missouri Supreme Court as an original action or shall waive any right to appeal such decision; in which case the burden of proof shall be upon the Secretary of State to demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that the candidate has met the requirements set forth in the Act and therefore should not have the information “DISREGARDED VOTERS’ INSTRUCTION ON TERM LIMITS” or “DECLINED TO PLEDGE TO SUPPORT TERM LIMITS” printed on the ballot adjacent to the candidate’s name.

(6) If the Secretary of State determines that the information “DISREGARDED VOTERS’ INSTRUCTION ON TERM LIMITS” or “DECLINED TO PLEDGE TO SUPPORT TERM LIMITS” shall be placed on the ballot adjacent to a candidate’s name, the candidate may appeal such decision within five (5) business days to the Missouri Supreme Court as an original action or shall waive any right to appeal such decision; in which case the burden of proof shall be upon the candidate to demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that he or she should not have the information “DISREGARDED VOTERS’ INSTRUCTION ON TERM LIMITS” or “DECLINED TO PLEDGE TO SUPPORT TERM LIMITS” printed on the ballot adjacent to the candidate’s name.

(7) The Supreme Court shall hear the appeal provided for in subsection (5) and issue a decision within 60 days. The Supreme Court shall hear the appeal provided for in subsection (6) and issue a decision not later than 61 days before the date of the election.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Adopted with the approval of Missouri Congressional Term Limits, Amendment 9 (1996) on November 5, 1996.

### Section 20[edit]

| Text of Section 20:

Automatic Repeal

At such time as the Congressional Term Limits Amendment set forth above has become part of the U.S. Constitution, section 15 through section 22 of this Article automatically shall be repealed.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Adopted with the approval of Missouri Congressional Term Limits, Amendment 9 (1996) on November 5, 1996.

## Section 21[edit]

| Text of Section 21:

Jurisdiction

Any legal challenge to this Amendment shall be filed as an original action before the Supreme Court of this State.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Adopted with the approval of Missouri Congressional Term Limits, Amendment 9 (1996) on November 5, 1996.

## Section 22[edit]

| Text of Section 22:

Severability

If any portion, clause, or phrase of this Amendment is, for any reason, held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining portions, clauses, and phrases shall not be affected, but shall remain in full force and effect.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Adopted with the approval of Missouri Congressional Term Limits, Amendment 9 (1996) on November 5, 1996.

## Section 23[edit]

| Text of Section 23:

Missouri Campaign Contribution Reform Initiative

1\. This section shall be known as the "Missouri Campaign Contribution Reform Initiative."

2\. The people of the State of Missouri hereby find and declare that excessive campaign contributions to political candidates create the potential for corruption and the appearance of corruption: that large campaign contributions made to influence election outcomes allow wealthy individuals, corporations and special interest groups to exercise a disproportionate level of influence over the political process: that the rising costs of campaigning for political office prevent qualified citizens from running for political office: that political contributions from corporations and labor organizations are not necessarily an indication of popular support for the corporation's or labor organization's political ideas and can unfairly influence the outcome of Missouri elections: and that the interests of the public are best served by limiting campaign contributions, providing for full and timely disclosure of campaign contributions, and strong enforcement of campaign finance requirements.

3\. (1) Except as provided in subdivisions (2), (3) and (4) of this subsection, the amount of contributions made by or accepted from any person other than the candidate in any one election shall not exceed the following:

(a) To elect an individual to the office of governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, state auditor, attorney general, office of state senator, office of state representative or any other state or judicial office, two thousand six hundred dollars.

(2) (a) No political party shall accept aggregate contributions from any person that exceed twenty-five thousand dollars per election at the state, county, municipal, district, ward, and township level combined.

(b) No political party shall accept aggregate contributions from any committee that exceed twenty-five thousand dollars per election at the state, county, municipal, district, ward, and township level combined.

(3) (a) It shall be unlawful for a corporation or labor organization to make contributions to a campaign committee, candidate committee, exploratory committee, political party committee or a political party; except that a corporation or labor organization may establish a continuing committee which may accept contributions or dues from members, officers, directors, employees or security holders.

(b) The prohibition contained in subdivision (a) of this subsection shall not apply to a corporation that:

(i) Is formed for the purpose of promoting political ideas and cannot engage in business activities: and

(ii) Has no security holders or other persons with a claim on its assets or income: and

(iii) Was not established by and does not accept contributions from business corporations or labor organizations.

(4) No candidate’s candidate committee shall accept contributions from, or make contributions to another candidate committee, including any candidate committee, or equivalent entity, established under federal law.

(5) Notwithstanding any other subdivision of this subsection to the contrary, a candidate's candidate committee may receive a loan from a financial institution organized under state or federal law if the loan bears the usual and customary interest rate, is made on a basis that assures repayments, is evidenced by a written instrument, and is subject to a due date or amortization schedule. The contribution limits described in this subsection shall not apply to a loan as described in this subdivision.

(6) No campaign committee, candidate committee, continuing committee, exploratory committee- political party committee, and political party shall accept a contribution in cash exceeding one hundred dollars per election.

(7) No contribution shall be made or accepted, directly or indirectly, in a fictitious name, in the name of another person, or by or through another person in such a manner as to conceal the identity of the actual source of the contribution or the actual recipient. Any person who receives contributions for a committee shall disclose to that committee's treasurer, deputy treasurer or candidate the recipient's own name and address and the name and address of the actual source of each contribution such person has received for that committee.

(8) No anonymous contribution of more than twenty-five dollars shall be made by any person, and no anonymous contribution of more than twentv-five dollars shall be accepted by any candidate or committee. If any anonymous contribution of more than twenty-five dollars is received, it shall be returned immediately to the contributor, if the contributor's identity can be ascertained, and if the contributor's identity cannot be ascertained, the candidate, committee treasurer or deputy treasurer shall immediately transmit that portion of the contribution which exceeds twenty-five dollars to the state treasurer and it shall escheat to the state.

(9) The maximum aggregate amount of anonymous contributions which shall be accepted per election by any committee shall be the greater of five hundred dollars or one percent of the aggregate amount of all contributions received by that committee in the same election. If any anonymous contribution is received which causes the aggregate total of anonymous contributions to exceed the foregoing limitation, it shall be returned immediately to the contributor, if the contributor's identity can be ascertained, and, if the contributor's identity cannot be ascertained, the committee treasurer, deputy treasurer or candidate shall immediately transmit the anonymous contribution to the state treasurer to escheat to the state.

(10) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (9) of this subsection, contributions from individuals whose names and addresses cannot be ascertained which are received from a fund-raising activity or event, such as defined in section 130.011. RSMo. as amended from time to time, shall not be deemed anonymous contributions, provided the following conditions arc met:

(a) There are twenty-five or more contributing participants in the activity or event;

(b) The candidate, committee treasurer, deputy treasurer or the person responsible for conducting the activity or event makes an announcement that it is illegal for anyone to make or receive a contribution in excess of one hundred dollars unless the contribution is accompanied by the name and address of the contributor;

(c) The person responsible for conducting the activity or event does not knowingly accept payment from any single person of more than one hundred dollars unless the name and address of the person making such payment is obtained and recorded pursuant to the record-keeping requirements of section 130.036, RSMo. as amended from time to time;

(d) A statement describing the event shall be prepared by the candidate or the treasurer of the committee for whom the funds were raised or by the person responsible for conducting the activity or event and attached to the disclosure report of contributions and expenditures required by section 130.041. RSMo. as amended from time to time. The following information to be listed in the statement is in addition to, not in lieu of, the requirements elsewhere in this chapter relating to the recording and reporting of contributions and expenditures:

(i) The name and mailing address of the person or persons responsible for conducting the event or activity and the name and address of the candidate or committee for whom the funds were raised:

(ii) The date on which the event occurred;

(iii) The name and address of the location where the event occurred and the approximate number of participants in the event;

(iiii) A brief description of the type of event and the fund-raising methods used;

(v) The gross receipts from the event and a listing of the expenditures incident to the event;

(vi) The total dollar amount of contributions received from the event from participants whose names and addresses were not obtained with such contributions and an explanation of why it was not possible to obtain the names and addresses of such participants:

(vii) The total dollar amount of contributions received from contributing participants in the event who are identified by name and address in the records required to be maintained pursuant to section 130.036. RSMo. as amended from time to time.

(11) No candidate or committee in this state shall accept contributions from any out-of-state committee unless the out-of-state committee from whom the contributions arc received has filed a statement of organization pursuant to section 130.021. RSMo. as amended from time to time, or has filed the reports required by sections 130.049 and 130.050. RSMo. as amended from time to time, whichever is applicable to that committee.

(12) Political action committees shall only receive contributions from individuals; unions; federal political action committees; and corporations, associations, and partnerships formed under chapters 347 to 360. RSMo. as amended from time to time, and shall be prohibited from receiving contributions from other political action committees, candidate committees, political party committees, campaign committees, exploratory committees, or debt service committees. However, candidate committees, political party committees, campaign committees, exploratory committees, and debt service committees shall be allowed to return contributions to a donor political action committee that is the origin of the contribution.

(13) The prohibited committee transfers described in subdivision (12) of this subsection shall not apply to the following committees:

(a) The state house committee per political party designated by the respective majority or minority floor leader of the house of representatives or the chair of the state party if the party does not have majority or minority party status:

(b) The state senate committee per political party designated by the respective majority or minority floor leader of the senate or the chair of the state party if the party does not have majority or minority party status.

(14) No person shall transfer anything of value to any committee with the intent to conceal, from the Missouri ethics commission, the identity of the actual source. Any violation of this subdivision shall be punishable as follows:

(a) For the first violation, the Missouri ethics commission shall notify such person that the transfer to the committee is prohibited under this section within five days of determining that the transfer is prohibited, and that such person shall notify the committee to which the funds were transferred that the funds must be returned within ten days of such notification;

(b) For the second violation, the person transferring the funds shall be guilty of a class C misdemeanor:

(c) For the third and subsequent violations, the person transferring the funds shall be guilty of a class D felony.

(15) No person shall make a contribution to a campaign committee, candidate committee, continuing committee, exploratory committee, political party committee, and political party with the expectation that some or all of the amounts of such contribution will be reimbursed by another person. No person shall be reimbursed for a contribution made to any campaign committee, candidate committee, continuing committee, exploratory committee, political party committee, and political party, nor shall any person make such reimbursement expect as provided in subdivision (5) of this subsection.

(16) No campaign committee, candidate committee, continuing committee, exploratory' committee, political party committee, and political party shall knowingly accept contributions from:

(a) Any natural person who is not a citizen of the United States:

(b) A foreign government: or

(c) Any foreign corporation that does not have the authority to transact business in this state pursuant to Chapter 347. RSMo. as amended from time to time.

(17) Contributions from persons under fourteen years of age shall be considered made by the parents or guardians of such person and shall be attributed toward any contribution limits prescribed in this chapter. Where the contributor under fourteen years of age has two custodial parents or guardians, fifty percent of the contribution shall be attributed to each parent or guardian, and where such contributor has one custodial parent or guardian, all such contributors shall be attributed to the custodial parent or guardian.

(18) Each limit on contributions described in subdivisions (1). (2)(a). and (2)(b) of this subsection shall be adjusted by an amount based upon the average of the percentage change over a four year period in the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index for Kansas City, all items, all consumers, or its successor index, rounded to the nearest lowest twenty-five dollars and the percentage change over a four year period in the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index for St. Louis, all items, all consumers, or its successor index, rounded to the nearest lowest twenty-five dollars. The first adjustment shall be done in the first quarter of 2019, and then every four years thereafter. The secretary of state shall calculate such an adjustment in each limit and specify the limits in rules promulgated in accordance with Chapter 536. RSMo. as amended from time to time.

4\. (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection 3 of section 105.957, RSMo. as amended from time to time, any natural person may file a complaint with the Missouri ethics commission alleging a violation of the provisions of section 3 of this Article by any candidate for elective office, within sixty days prior to the primary election at which such candidate is running for office, until after the general election. Any such complaint shall be in writing, shall state all facts known by the complainant which have given rise to the complaint, and shall be sworn to, under penalty of perjury, by the complainant.

(2) Within the first business day after receipt of a complaint pursuant to this section, the executive director shall supply a copy of the complaint to the person or entity named in the complaint. The executive director of the Missouri ethics commission shall notify the complainant and the person or entity named in the complaint of the date and time at which the commission shall audit and investigate the alienations contained in the complaint pursuant to subdivision (3) of this subsection.

(3) Within fifteen business days of receipt of a complaint pursuant to this section, the commission shall audit and investigate the allegations contained in the complaint and shall determine by a vote of at least four members of the commission that there are reasonable grounds to believe that a violation of law has occurred within the jurisdiction of the commission. The respondent may reply in writing or in person to the allegations contained in the complaint and may state justifications to dismiss the complaint. The complainant may also present evidence in support of the allegations contained in the complaint, but such evidence shall be limited in scope to the allegations contained in the original complaint, and such complaint may not be supplemented or otherwise enlarged in scope.

(4) If, after audit and investigation of the complaint and upon a vote of at least four members of the commission, the commission determines that there are reasonable grounds to believe that a violation of law has occurred within the jurisdiction of the commission, the commission shall proceed with such complaint as provided by sections 105.957 to 105.963. RSMo. as amended from time to time. If the commission docs not determine that there are reasonable grounds to believe that such a violation of law has occurred, the complaint shall be dismissed. If a complaint is dismissed, the fact that such complaint was dismissed, with a statement of the nature of the complaint, shall be made public within twenty-four hours of the commission's action.

(5) Any complaint made pursuant to this section, and all proceedings and actions concerning such a complaint, shall be subject to the provisions of subsection 15 of section 105.961. RSMo. as amended from time to time.

(6) No complaint shall be accepted by the commission within fifteen days prior to the primary or general election at which such candidate is running for office.

5\. Any person who knowingly and willfully accepts or makes a contribution in violation of any provision of section 3 of this Article or who knowingly and willfully conceals a contribution by filing a false or incomplete report or by not filing a required report under Chapter 130. RSMo. as amended from time to time, shall be held liable to the state in civil penalties in an amount of at least double and up to live times the amount of any such contribution.

6\. (1) Any person who purposely violates the provisions of section 3 of this Article is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.

(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law which bars prosecutions for any offenses other than a felony unless commenced within one year after the commission of the offense, any offense under the provisions of this section may be prosecuted if the indictment be found or prosecution be instituted within three years after the commission of the alleged offense.

(3) Any prohibition to the contrary notwithstanding, no person shall be deprived of the rights, guarantees, protections or privileges accorded by sections 130.011 to 130.026. 130.031 to 130.068. 130.072, and 130.081. RSMO, as amended from time to time, by any person, corporation, entity or political subdivision.

7\. As used in this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

(1) “Appropriate officer" or "appropriate officers", the person or persons designated in section 130.026. or any successor section, to receive certain required statements and reports; (2) “Candidate”, an individual who seeks nomination or election to public office. The term "candidate" includes an elected officeholder who is the subject of a recall election, an individual who seeks nomination by the individual's political party for election to public office, an individual standing for retention in an election to an office to which the individual was previously appointed, an individual who seeks nomination or election whether or not the specific elective public office to be sought has been finally determined by such individual at the time the individual meets the conditions described in paragraph (a) or (b) of this subdivision, and an individual who is a write-in candidate as defined in subdivision (26) of this section. A candidate shall be deemed to seek nomination or election when the person first: (a) Receives contributions or makes expenditures or reserves space or facilities with intent to promote the person's candidacy for office: or

(b) Knows or has reason to know that contributions are being received or expenditures are being made or space or facilities are being reserved with the intent to promote the person's candidacy for office; except that, such individual shall not be deemed a candidate if the person files a statement with the appropriate officer within five days after learning of the receipt of contributions, the making of expenditures, or the reservation of space or facilities disavowing the candidacy and stating that the person will not accept nomination or take office if elected: provided that, if the election at which such individual is supported as a candidate is to take place within five days after the person's learning of the above-specified activities, the individual shall file the statement disavowing the candidacy within one day; or

(c) Announces or files a declaration of candidacy for office.

(3) “Cash”, currency, coin, United States postage stamps, or any negotiable instrument which can be transferred from one person to another person without the signature or endorsement of the transferor.

(4) “Committee”, a person or any combination of persons, who accepts contributions or makes expenditures for the primary or incidental purpose of influencing or attempting to influence the action of voters for or against the nomination or election to public office of one or more candidates or the qualification, passage or defeat of any ballot measure or for the purpose of paving a previously incurred campaign debt or obligation of a candidate or the debts or obligations of a committee or for the purpose of contributing funds to another committee.

(5) “Committee”, does not include:

(a) A person or combination of persons, if neither the aggregate of expenditures made nor the aggregate of contributions received during a calendar year exceeds five hundred dollars and if no single contributor has contributed more than two hundred fifty dollars of such aggregate contributions;

(b) An individual, other than a candidate, who accepts no contributions and who deals only with the individual's own funds or property;

(c) A corporation, cooperative association, partnership, proprietorship, or joint venture organized or operated for a primary or principal purpose other than that of influencing or attempting to influence the action of voters for or against the nomination or election to public office of one or more candidates or the qualification, passage or defeat of any ballot measure, and it accepts no contributions, and all expenditures it makes are from its own funds or property obtained in the usual course of business or in any commercial or other transaction and which are not contributions as defined by subdivision (7) of this section;

(d) A labor organization organized or operated for a primary or principal purpose other than that of influencing or attempting to influence the action of voters for or against the nomination or election to public office of one or more candidates, or the qualification, passage, or defeat of any ballot measure, and it accepts no contributions, and expenditures made by the organization are from its own funds or property received from membership dues or membership fees which were given or solicited for the purpose of supporting the normal and usual activities and functions of the organization and which are not contributions as defined by subdivision (7) of this section;

(e) A person who acts as an authorized agent for a committee in soliciting or receiving contributions or in making expenditures or incurring indebtedness on behalf of the committee if such person renders to the committee treasurer or deputy treasurer or candidate, if applicable, an accurate account of each receipt or other transaction in the detail required by the treasurer to comply with all record-keeping and reporting requirements; or (f) Any department, agency, board, institution or other entity of the state or any of its subdivisions or any officer or employee thereof, acting in the person's official capacity.

(6) The term "committee" includes, but is not limited to, each of the following committees: campaign committee, candidate committee, continuing committee and political party committee:

(a) “Campaign committee", a committee, other than a candidate committee, which shall be formed by an individual or group of individuals to receive contributions or make expenditures and whose sole purpose is to support or oppose the qualification and passage of one or more particular ballot measures in an election or the retention of judges under the nonpartisan court plan, such committee shall be formed no later than thirty days prior to the election for which the committee receives contributions or makes expenditures, and which shall terminate the later of either thirty days after the general election or upon the satisfaction of all committee debt after the general election, except that no committee retiring debt shall engage in any other activities in support of a measure for which the committee was formed:

(b) “Candidate committee", a committee which shall be formed by a candidate to receive contributions or make expenditures in behalf of the person's candidacy and which shall continue in existence for use by an elected candidate or which shall terminate the later of either thirty days alter the general election for a candidate who was not elected or upon the satisfaction of all committee debt alter the election, except that no committee retiring debt shall engage in any other activities in support of the candidate for which the committee was formed. Any candidate for elective office shall have only one candidate committee for the elective office sought, which is controlled directly by the candidate for the purpose of making expenditures. A candidate committee is presumed to be under the control and direction of the candidate unless the candidate files an affidavit with the appropriate officer stating that the committee is acting without control or direction on the candidate's part:

(c) “Continuing committee", a committee of continuing existence which is not formed, controlled or directed by a candidate, and is a committee other than a candidate committee or campaign committee, whose primary or incidental purpose is to receive contributions or make expenditures to influence or attempt to influence the action of voters whether or not a particular candidate or candidates or a particular ballot measure or measures to be supported or opposed has been determined at the time the committee is required to file any statement or report pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. "Continuing committee" includes, but is not limited to, any committee organized or sponsored by a business entity, a labor organization, a professional association, a trade or business association, a club or other organization and whose primary purpose is to solicit, accept and use contributions from the members, employees or stockholders of such entity and any individual or group of individuals who accept and use contributions to influence or attempt to influence the action of voters. Such committee shall be formed no later than sixty days prior to the election for which the committee receives contributions or makes expenditures: and (d) “Connected organization", any organization such as a corporation, a labor organization, a membership organization, a cooperative, or trade or professional association which expends funds or provides services or facilities to establish, administer or maintain a committee or to solicit contributions to a committee from its members, officers, directors, employees or security holders. An organization shall be deemed to be the connected organization if more than fifty percent of the persons making contributions to the committee during the current calendar year are members, officers, directors, employees or security holders of such organization or their spouses.

(7) “Contribution”, a payment, gift, loan, advance, deposit, or donation of money or anything of value for the purpose of supporting or opposing the nomination or election of any candidate for public office or the qualification, passage or defeat of any ballot measure, or for the support of any committee supporting or opposing candidates or ballot measures or for paving debts or obligations ok any candidate or committee previously incurred for the above purposes. A contribution of anything of value shall be deemed to have a money value equivalent to the fair market value. "Contribution" includes, but is not limited to:

(a) A candidate's own money or property used in support of the person's candidacy other than expense of the candidate's food, lodging, travel, and payment of any fee necessary to the filing for public office;

(b) Payment by any person, other than a candidate or committee, to compensate another person for services rendered to that candidate or committee;

(c) Receipts from the sale of goods and services, including the sale of advertising space in a brochure, booklet, program or pamphlet of a candidate or committee and the sale of tickets or political merchandise;

(d) Receipts from fund-raising events including testimonial affairs;

(e) Any loan, guarantee of a loan, cancellation or forgiveness of a loan or debt or other obligation by a third party, or payment of a loan or debt or other obligation by a third party if the loan or debt or other obligation was contracted, used, or intended, in whole or in part, for use in an election campaign or used or intended for the payment of such debts or obligations of a candidate or committee previously incurred, or which was made or received by a committee:

(f) Funds received by a committee which are transferred to such committee from another committee or other source, except funds received by a candidate committee as a transfer of funds from another candidate committee controlled by the same candidate but such transfer shall be included in the disclosure reports;

(g) Facilities, office space or equipment supplied by any person to a candidate or committee without charge or at reduced charges, except gratuitous space for meeting purposes which is made available regularly to the public, including other candidates or committees, on an equal basis for similar purposes on the same conditions; and

(h) The direct or indirect payment by any person, other than a connected organization, of the costs of establishing, administering, or maintaining a committee, including legal, accounting and computer sendees, fund raising and solicitation of contributions for a committee.

(8) “Contribution” does not include:

(a) Ordinary home hospitality or services provided without compensation by individuals volunteering their time in support of or in opposition to a candidate, committee or ballot measure, nor the necessary and ordinary personal expenses of such volunteers incidental to the performance of voluntary activities, so long as no compensation is directly or indirectly asked or given;

(b) An offer or tender of a contribution which is expressly and unconditionally rejected and returned to the donor within ten business days after receipt or transmitted to the state treasurer;

(c) Interest earned on deposit of committee funds; or

(d) The costs incurred by any connected organization listed pursuant to subdivision (4) of subsection 5 of section 130.021. RSMo, as amended from time to time, for establishing, administering or maintaining a committee, or for the solicitation of contributions to a committee which solicitation is solely directed or related to the members, officers, directors, employees or security holders of the connected organization.

(9) “County”, any one of the several counties of this state or the city of St. Louis.

(10) “Disclosure report", an itemized report of receipts, expenditures and incurred indebtedness which is prepared on forms approved by the Missouri ethics commission and filed at the times and places prescribed.

(11) “Election”, any primary, general or special election held to nominate or elect an individual to public office, to retain or recall an elected officeholder or to submit a ballot measure to the voters, and any caucus or other meeting of a political party or a political party committee at which that party's candidate or candidates for public office are officially selected. A primary election and the succeeding general election shall be considered separate elections.

(12) “Expenditure”, a payment, advance, conveyance, deposit, donation or contribution of money or anything of value for the purpose of supporting or opposing the nomination or election of any candidate for public office or the qualification or passage of any ballot measure or for the support of any committee which in turn supports or opposes any candidate or ballot measure or for the purpose of paving a previously incurred campaign debt or obligation of a candidate or the debts or obligations of a committee; a payment, or an agreement or promise to pay, money or anything of value, including a candidate's own money or property, for the purchase of goods, services, property, facilities or anything of value for the purpose of supporting or opposing the nomination or election of any candidate for public office or the qualification or passage of any ballot measure or for the support of any committee which in turn supports or opposes any candidate or ballot measure or for the purpose of paving a previously incurred campaign debt or obligation of a candidate or the debts or obligations of a committee. An expenditure of anything of value shall be deemed to have a money value equivalent to the fair market value. "Expenditure" includes, but is not limited to:

(a) Payment by anyone other than a committee for services of another person rendered to such committee;

(b) The purchase of tickets, goods, services or political merchandise in connection with any testimonial affair or fund-raising event of or for candidates or committees, or the purchase of advertising in a brochure, booklet, program or pamphlet of a candidate or committee;

(c) The transfer of funds by one committee to another committee; and

(d) The direct or indirect payment by any person, other than a connected organization for a committee, of the costs of establishing administering or maintaining a committee, including legal, accounting and computer services, fund raising and solicitation of contributions for a committee.

(13) “Expenditure” does not include:

(a) Any news story, commentary or editorial which is broadcast or published by any broadcasting station, newspaper, magazine or other periodical without charge to the candidate or to any person supporting or opposing a candidate or ballot measure;

(b) The internal dissemination by any membership organization, proprietorship, labor organization, corporation, association or other entity of information advocating the election or defeat of a candidate or candidates or the passage or defeat of a ballot measure or measures to its directors, officers, members, employees or security holders, provided that the cost incurred is reported pursuant to subsection 2 of section 130.051. RSMo. as amended from time to time;

(c) Repayment of a loan, but such repayment shall be indicated in required reports;

(d) The rendering of voluntary personal services by an individual of the sort commonly performed by volunteer campaign workers and the payment by such individual of the individual's necessary and ordinary personal expenses incidental to such volunteer activity, provided no compensation is directly or indirectly, asked or given;

(e) The costs incurred by any connected organization listed pursuant to subdivision (4) of subsection 5 of section 130.021. RSMo. as amended from time to time, for establishing, administering or maintaining a committee, or for the solicitation of contributions to a committee which solicitation is solely directed or related to the members, officers, directors, employees or security holders of the connected organization; or

(f) The use of a candidate's own money or property for expense of the candidate's personal food, lodging, travel, and payment of any fee necessary to the filing for public office, if such expense is not reimbursed to the candidate from any source.

(14) “Exploratory committees", a committee which shall be formed by an individual to receive contributions and make expenditures on behalf of this individual in determining whether or not the individual seeks elective office. Such committee shall terminate no later than December thirty-first of the year prior to the general election for the possible office.

(15) “Fund-raising event", an event such as a dinner, luncheon, reception, coffee, testimonial, rally, auction or similar affair through which contributions are solicited or received by such means as the purchase of tickets, payment of attendance fees, donations for prizes or through the purchase of goods, services or political merchandise.

(16) “In-kind contribution" or "in-kind expenditure", a contribution or expenditure in a form other than money.

(17) “Labor organization", any organization of any kind, or any agency or employee representation committee or plan, in which employees participate and which exists for the purpose, in whole or in part, of dealing with employers concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages, rates of pay, hours of employment, or conditions of work.

(18) “Loan”, a transfer of money, property or anything of ascertainable monetary value in exchange for an obligation, conditional or not, to repay in whole or in part and which was contracted, used, or intended for use in an election campaign, or which was made or received by a committee or which was contracted, used, or intended to pay previously incurred campaign debts or obligations of a candidate or the debts or obligations of a committee.

(19) “Person”, an individual, group of individuals, corporation, partnership, committee, proprietorship, joint venture, any department, agency, board, institution or other entity of the state or any of its political subdivisions, union, labor organization, trade or professional or business association, association, political party or any executive committee thereof, or any other club or organization however constituted or any officer or employee of such entity acting in the person's official capacity.

(20) “Political action committee", a committee of continuing existence which is not formed, controlled or directed by a candidate, and is a committee other than a candidate committee, political party committee, campaign committee, exploratory committee, or debt service committee, whose primary or incidental purpose is to receive contributions or make expenditures to influence or attempt to influence the action of voters whether or not a particular candidate or candidates or a particular ballot measure or measures to be supported or opposed has been determined at the time the committee is required to file any statement or report pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. Such a committee includes, but is not limited to any committee organized or sponsored by a business entity, a labor organization, a professional association, a trade or business association, a club or other organization and whose primary purpose is to solicit, accept and use contributions from the members, employees or stockholders of such entity and any individual or group of individuals who accept and use contributions to influence or attempt to influence the action of voters. Such committee shall be formed no later than sixty days prior to the election for which the committee receives contributions or makes expenditures.

(21) “Political merchandise", goods such as bumper stickers, pins, hats, ties, jewelry, literature, or other items sold or distributed at a fund-raising event or to the general public for publicity or for the purpose of raising funds to be used in supporting or opposing a candidate for nomination or election or in supporting or opposing the qualification, passage or defeat of a ballot measure.

(22) “Political party", a political party which has the right under law to have the names of its candidates listed on the ballot in a general election.

(23) “Political party committee", a state, district, county, city, or area committee of a political party, as defined in section 115.603. RSMo. as amended from time to time, which may be organized as a not- for-profit corporation under Missouri law, and which committee is of continuing existence, and has the primary or incidental purpose of receiving contributions and making expenditures to influence or attempt to influence the action of voters on behalf of the political party.

(24) “Public office" or "office", any state, judicial, county, municipal, school or other district, ward, township, or other political subdivision office or any political party office which is filled by a vote of registered voters.

(25) “Write-in candidate", an individual whose name is not printed on the ballot but who otherwise meets the definition of candidate in subdivision (2) of this section.

8\. The provisions of this section are self-executing. All of the provisions of this section are severable. If any provision of this section is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unconstitutional or unconstitutionally enacted, the remaining provisions of this section shall be and remain valid.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Adopted on November 8, 2016, via voter approval of Constitutional Amendment 2.

## Section 24[edit]

| Text of Section 24:

Section 24.1. The person receiving the greatest number of votes at a primary election as a party candidate for an office shall be the only candidate for that party for the office at the general election. The name of such candidate shall be placed on the official ballot at the general election unless removed or replaced as provided by law. 2\. The person receiving the greatest number of votes at the general election shall be declared the winner. 3\. Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, this section shall not apply to any nonpartisan municipal election held in a city that had an ordinance in effect as of November 5, 2024, that requires a preliminary election at which more than one candidate advances to a subsequent election.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Adopted with the approval of Missouri Amendment 7, Require Citizenship to Vote and Prohibit Ranked-Choice Voting Amendment (2024) on November 5, 2024.

## See also[edit]

* State constitution
* Constitutional article
* Constitutional amendment
* Constitutional revision
* Constitutional convention
* Amendments
* Initiated constitutional amendment
* Legislatively-referred constitutional amendment
* Publication requirements for proposed state constitutional amendments
* Rules about constitutional conventions in state constitutions
* State constitutional articles governing state legislatures

## External links[edit]

| Suggest a link

|

* Missouri General Assembly, "Missouri Constitution"
* History Engine, "Missouri's Third State Constitution Adopted"
* The Civil War in Missouri, "The Constitution of 1865 - Drake Constitution"
* Missouri State.edu, "Missouri Constitution of 1820"
* Missouri.gov, "Home"
* Green Papers, "Historical overview of the Missouri Constitution"
* YouTube, "Missouri Constitution"

## Additional reading[edit]

* Schmidt, Alex J. (2008). Our Federal Constitution, Our Missouri Constitution, New York, New York: RJS Publications

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 Missouri General Assembly, "Missouri Constitution," accessed March 30, 2014

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