As the 2024 primary elections loom on the horizon, candidate recruitment is in full swing for both the Republican and Democratic parties.
Many statewide races are already becoming crowded with contenders. In the race for Missouri governor, Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft and Missouri Sen. Bill Eigel are the frontrunners for the GOP nomination. For Democrats, Missouri Minority House Leader Crystal Quade is the top contender.
In smaller races around the state, Democrats have at times failed to muster a candidate at all, allowing Republican to run uncontested. That’s something the party is working to change, through efforts such as the candidate recruitment rally hosted Aug. 6 by the 4th District Democratic committee.
“It’s not okay for us to leave an empty seat. Then there’s no competition and there’s also no democracy,” said Randi MCallian, a Democrat running in the 8th Congressional District. “It’s literally not a democracy if there are no choices on your ballot.”
Urban-rural divide presents obstacles for both parties
Outside of urban areas, most of the state voted for Republicans in the last election cycles. Uncontested races tend to be more common in those rural areas, where Democratic candidates at times see little chance of success.
“I know that candidate recruitment in a lot of our red spaces is hard,” said Lyra Noce, chair of the Boone County Democratic Central Committee. “It is something where you just have to get up and lose sometimes.”
In the past two presidential election years, Missouri has overwhelmingly voted for Republican candidates at both the state and federal level.
In 2020, Gov. Mike Parson beat former State Auditor Nicole Galloway by a margin of than 16%. Four years earlier, Eric Greitens triumphed over Chris Koster by a smaller margin of just 5.5%.
In 2016 and 2020, Republicans swept every election for statewide office. Galloway, the sole Democrat, chose not to run again in 2022. Since Scott Fitzpatrick replaced her as auditor in 2023, every one of the state’s top executive offices is held by a Republican.
At the same time, the GOP has faced stiff competition in urban areas such as Springfield, where Democrats have picked up two seats in the legislature since 2020.
“Greene County is becoming more difficult, especially the center city. It’s becoming more blue, where our rural areas are bright red,” said Danette Proctor, chair of Greene County Republican Central Committee.
Even when Democratic candidates don’t win an election, there are other forms of victory when running in a traditionally conservative area, party members said.
“Losing isn’t exactly losing if we redefine what a win is,” said Alex Johnson, the field director of the House Democratic Campaign Committee. “A win in that district isn’t getting that person to 50% plus one. A win in that district could be stopping the bleed.”
Providing competition, rather than allowing an uncontested race, can also push opposing candidates to work harder and spend more campaign dollars to win a seat.
“It’s not just stopping the bleeding,” Johnson said. “It’s making it where they have to spend money and resources in a place where they thought they could just do fundraising and send that money elsewhere.”
Thinking about running for office? How to get started
Anyone thinking about launching a campaign should first contact their county clerk or local political party’s county committee. It is important to learn the requirements of each office prior to filing.
Some offices, like county clerk, county collector and public administrator, require the candidate to obtain a public officials bond. This provides insurance against losses incurred if the candidate should engage in unlawful activities while in office.
This process can take a few days, so knowing the filing deadlines for each race is important.
Candidates seeking federal, statewide, and state legislative offices will file with the Missouri Secretary of State. Filing for state and county level offices begins Feb. 27.
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However, it doesn’t have to be a campaign for a state level office. Running for nonpartisan positions such as the school board, the emergency services board or other city level positions are great ways to get involved in the community and enact local change.
Those seeking local office will file at their county clerk’s office. Filing for municipal elections starts on Dec. 5.
Candidates who miss the deadline may still run as a write-in candidate, but will need to register with the county clerk for that, as well. Votes for write-in candidates who don’t register won’t count in the election.
Noce, the Boone County Democratic committee chair, said imposter syndrome can take over, causing a potential candidate to doubt their qualifications to hold public office, even if they meet all the requirements. She encouraged candidates to view the struggles they’ve overcome as strengths.
“You can be a regular Missourian and run for office,” Noce said. “You can have challenges and hardships and be a part of this process.”
Resources and support available for candidates
Once the official filing has been submitted to the respective election authority, campaigning kicks into full swing. Both the Democratic and Republican parties provide tools aimed at simplifying the process.
The National Democratic Training Committee offers resources for candidates. Nonprofit organization Lead MO currently offers training for campaign staff, but will be launching a candidate version in the fall.
The Missouri Democratic Party offers data for sale, including the addresses of Democratic voters to use when mailing campaign materials and knocking on doors. The price varies according to the office being sought, but more information can be found through the party’s Votebuilder and Data Resources webpage.
The Missouri Republican Party offers similar resources through the GOP Data Center, which helps candidates identify voters in their district. Local data can sometimes be obtained from county clerks’ offices.
Apart from resources available through the statewide office, the Greene County Republican Central Committee headquarters are open year-round to help candidates and supporters navigate the campaign process, Proctor said.
Running a campaign can be a full-time job in itself, meaning that a candidate would do well to appoint a campaign manager.
“That candidate needs to be there out front with the people mixing and mingling and have a good manager back behind the scenes that can help make sure the candidate gets where they’re supposed to and help schedule different events,” Proctor said.
Although it may seem intuitive, connecting with voters where they live is a great way to inform them about campaign goals. Experts recommend knocking on doors in the voting area, as well as attending local events, parades and fairs.
“Knocking and walking is so important,” Proctor said. “I stress that with everybody. They have to be willing to get out there and walk and knock and meet the people.”
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Candidates are advised to learn about the communities they hope to represent. They should be asking voters about their daily lives and the issues that matter to them, which will often present some common ground even if they stand on opposite sides of party lines.
Campaigns can be costly, necessitating fundraising events and direct donation requests to keep afloat.
“The best way to get money for that candidate is to actually ask for it,” Proctor said. “Fundraisers are good, and they help with networking, getting your name out and everything, but your money really comes from a one-on-one ask.”
Other helpful tips given by candidates include giving a precise donation amount needed to accomplish a specific goal. Putting a QR code on campaign materials to register volunteers and collect donations is also helpful. For those sending mailers, ask the post office about bulk mailing discounts.