Missouri Governor Matt Blunt today issued a statement saying he is “concerned” about the integrity of the upcoming election: Continue Reading

On Monday, the Missouri Senate Financial, Governmental Organizations, and Elections Committee heard testimony on several measures. Senate Bill 1245, sponsored by Sen. Gary Nodler, R-Joplin, would bar a felon from holding public office in the state.

The committee also heard testimony on House Bill 1310, sponsored by Rep. Theodore Hoskins (D-Berkeley). The legislation would require independent candidates to file declarations of candidacy and petitions for nomination by the same deadlines established for other candidates.

Committee chairman Sen. Delbert Scott (R-Lowry City) said the bill would help make the playing field more level and help prevent political “games” commonly played by both Democrats and Republicans.

Sen. Harry Kennedy (D-St. Louis) said the bill would help prevent “shenanigans” and people trying to “skirt the system.”

The committee also heard testimony on Senate Bill 1231, a proposal to implement instant runoff voting in Missouri, a system where voters rank the candidates in order of preference using one ballot.

Sen. Jeff Smith (D-St. Louis) presented the bill on behalf of sponsor Sen. John Loudon (R-Chesterfield).

Under the system, if no candidate has a majority, the lowest ranked candidate drops out and the next highest rankings on the ballots are attributed to the other candidates accordingly, until a candidate achieves a majority.

See all of our photos from this morning at the St. Louis City Board of Elections on our Flickr page.

Candidates seeking their party’s nomination for the office of Circuit Attorney, Sheriff, Treasurer, Public Administrator and Ward Committeeman/woman in the City of St. Louis may begin filing Declarations of Nomination at 8:00 A.M. on Tuesday, February 26, at the office of the Board of Election Commissioners for the City of St. Louis, 300 North Tucker Blvd. These offices will be voted on at the Primary Election to be held on Tuesday, August 5, 2008.

Candidates who have had representatives holding a place for them in line at the Election Board, or who stood in line themselves today, include:

Jennifer Joyce, Circuit Attorney
James Murphy, Sheriff
Larry Williams, Treasurer
Claude Brown, Committeeman, Ward 2
Cara Jensen, Committeewoman, Ward 8
Greg Christian, Committeeman, Ward 15
Jan Clinite, Committeewoman, Ward 15
Thomas Hayes, Committeeman, Ward 16
Louise Tonkovich, Committeewoman, Ward 16
Jesse Todd, Committeeman, Ward 18
Ellen Todd, Committeewoman, Ward 18

Filing for these offices closes at 5:00 P.M. on Tuesday, March 25, 2008.