Upcoming Election Information

All 2026 Election Dates

August 4, 2026 – Primary Election

Those winning in the August Primary advance to the General November 3, 2026 Election

Candidate Filing Period:
February 24, 2026 – March 31, 2026

Last Day to Register to Vote:
July 8, 2026

Last Day to Request an Absentee Ballot to be mailed to voter:
July 22, 2026

First day for regular absentee voters to vote in person or to request a ballot at the County Clerk’s office:
June 23, 2026

All McDonald County voters can vote in person “no excuse absentee” vote at the County Clerk’s:
July 21, 2026- August 3, 2026
Weekly Hours: Monday – Friday 8am-4pm
Saturday August 1st 8am-12pm
Monday August 3rd 8am-5pm

Election Day:
August 4, 2026 Polls Open 6AM-7PM

Future Election Dates: November 3, 2026 & April 6, 2027

Click on the following link: Request for Voter Registration Records– NOT FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES

August 4, 2026 – Primary Election Filing period has closed.
Feb. 24 – Candidate filing opens at 8 a.m. 
Mar. 31 – Candidate filing closes at 5 p.m.
Find the list of Declared Candidates here.

Where to file:
Filing for the following offices took place in the office of Jessica Cole, County Clerk, Local Election Authority, McDonald County Missouri, in the McDonald County Annex, 502 Main St. Pineville, Missouri.

Associate Circuit Judge
Presiding Commissioner of the County Commission
County Clerk
Clerk of the Circuit Court
*Recorder of Deeds
*County Treasurer
Prosecuting Attorney
*Collector of Revenue
* depicts this office requires an affidavit from a surety company stating they can meet the bond requirements for the office

Ballot Placement

Candidates filing on the first day by 5 p.m. select a number by random drawing. The random number drawn determines the candidate’s placement on the primary ballot. After the first day, candidates are placed on the primary ballot in the order of their filing.

Documents Needed for Filing

Campaign Finance Reporting or Personal Financial Disclosure: The Missouri Ethics Commission can be reached at 800-392-8660, 573-751-2020, or on their website. 
State Candidate Filing
For federal office, statewide office, State Senator, State Representative, or Circuit Judge, candidates must file with the Missouri Secretary of State.

Filing fee (RSMo. 115.306 and 115.357)

$100 – County Offices, Associate Circuit Court Judges, County Prosecuting Attorney, Presiding Commissioner, Collector of Revenue, County Clerk, Treasurer, Recorder of Deeds, and Circuit Clerk

No filing fee for Township Committeemen and Committeewomen

Proof of Identity – Photo ID allowed for voting. (RSMo. 115.355(4))

Proof of the Candidate’s Affidavit of Tax Payments (Form 5120), filed with the Missouri Department of Revenue. (This requirement does not apply to Township Committee positions.)

Candidates are required to file a Candidate’s Affidavit of Tax Payments and Bonding Requirements form (Form 5120) with the Department of Revenue. 

Independent Candidates

The deadline for submitting petitions for Independent Candidate nominations for the Nov. 3, 2026 General Election is July 27, 2026 by 5 p.m. (RSMo. 115.329).

An Independent Candidate is a person who:

• Is not a candidate of any political party, and
• Is running for an office for which political party candidates may run (RSMo. 115.013(13)), and
• Submits the required number of petition signatures from registered voters in the district (RSMo. 115.321(4)), and
• Has filed a Candidate’s Affidavit of Tax Payments (Form 5120), and
• Has filed a Declaration of Intent as an Independent Candidate (RSMo. 115.327).

More information, including Candidate Declaration & Petition Forms, can be found at the Missouri Secretary of State website. 

Number of Signatures Required:

County Office: Registered voters in the district which is

• equal to at least 2% of the total number of voters who voted at the last election for candidates for the office being sought,
• or is equal to 10,000 voters, whichever is less (RSMo. 115.321(4))

Where to Submit Petitions:

• For federal office, statewide office, State Senator, State Representative, or Circuit Judge, submit the petition to Missouri Secretary of State.
• A petition for a county office must be submitted to the Election Authority (RSMo. 115.321(1))

Write-In Candidates

The deadline for submitting a Write-in Candidate Declaration of Intent for the Nov. 3, 2026 election is Oct. 23, 2026 by 5 p.m. (RSMo. 115.453(4)).

A “Write-In Candidate” is a person:

• Whose name is not printed on the ballot (RSMo. 115.453(4)); and
• Who has filed a Declaration of Intent to be a write-in candidate for election to office prior to 5 p.m. on the second Friday immediately preceding Election Day.

Are write-in votes counted for every name that is written in?

• No. If a candidate is on the ballot for an office, write-in votes are counted only for the candidates who have properly filed a Declaration of Intent to be a write-in (RSMo. 115.453(4)). If no candidate is on the ballot for an office, a Declaration of Intent is not required and votes are counted for every name properly written in (RSMo. 115.453(4)).

How does a write-in candidate file?

• Documents needed for filing are outlined in (RSMo. 115.306).
  • Declaration of Intent
  • Proof of Identity – Photo identification allowed for voting. (RSMo. 115.355(4))
  • Proof of the Candidate’s Affidavit of Tax Payments (Form 5120), filed with the Missouri Department of Revenue. This requirement does not apply to candidates running for federal office (RSMo. 115.306).

Where does a write-in candidate  submit a Declaration of Intent?

• For federal office, statewide office, State Senator, State Representative, or Circuit Judge:
  • File with the Missouri Secretary of State
• For a county office:
  • File with the Election Authority (RSMo. 115.453(4))
• For a municipal or school district office:
  • File with the Election Authority (RSMo. 115.453(4))

Can a write-in candidate be on a primary election ballot?

• No, per RSMo. 115.453(5).

If a candidate runs in a primary election and loses, can the person run in the general election for the same office?

• No. If a candidate files for nomination to an office and is not nominated at a Primary Election, that candidate cannot file a Declaration of Intent to be a write-in candidate for the same office at the General Election (RSMo. 115.453(4)).

Campaign Disclosure

To learn if you must file campaign disclosures, or to research existing campaign committees, please visit:

• The Missouri Ethics Commission website (state and local candidates)
• The Federal Election Commission website (federal candidates)

Public Service Requests

Voter registration files are public record. They may not be used for commercial purposes. To request a voter registration list, email mcdonald.county@sos.mo.gov and indicate who is requesting the file, the scope of the file (countywide or certain political subdivision) and the email address to receive the file.

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BECOME A POLL WORKER!!

Poll Worker Information
Each year, up to 75 dedicated individuals serve voters at polling places across McDonald County. Poll workers (officially called “election judges” in Missouri) are a vital part of Election Day and help ensure that every election runs smoothly. Poll workers set up and manage polling places, assist voters, and maintain the efficiency and integrity of the election process in McDonald County.

Qualifications:
Age 18+
Registered to vote in Missouri
Able to read, write, and speak English fluently
Completion of any required training before each election
Ability to use technology is preferred
Compensation:
Poll worker pay starts at $185
Additional pay is provided for serving as a supervisor, attending training, and other duties as specified
Hours:
Polls are open on Election Day from 6 AM to 7 PM
Poll workers report to their assigned polling place between 4:45 – 5:15 AM and leave after all poll closing duties have been completed after the polls close at 7 PM
Half-day shifts are available, but you must sign up in pairs — contact us for more info!

Questions? Contact the County Clerk’s office 417-223-7530 or mcdonald.county@sos.mo.gov

What do I need to do, If, I want to place an initiative on a Ballot?

That is a great question. The best resource provided can be found at the State Level Click here.

First question you have to ask yourself.
Will this initiative affect the entire State or just have a local impact?

Missouri’s Constitution reserves to the people “power to propose and enact or reject laws and amendments to the constitution by the initiative.

The Missouri Constitution provides signature thresholds and other rules.
 • For a constitutional amendment via initiative: must collect signatures equal to 8% of legal voters in each of two-thirds of the congressional districts.
• Missouri Secretary of State: For an initiative proposing a statute (state law): must collect signatures equal to 5% of legal voters.

Deadline:
Most petitions must be submitted in an approved format to the local election authority no less than six months prior to the election date. In most cases, petitions must also be reviewed by the Attorney General and/or the Secretary of State before circulation for signatures. For detailed requirements, please review RSMo 116.332 and 116.334. Additional guidance on circulating petitions can be found on the Missouri Secretary of State’s website: Petitions.

Locally:
At this time, McDonald County does not have ordinances permitting citizen-driven initiatives. However, it may be possible to persuade the County Commission to place a measure on the ballot by ordinance, rather than through a citizen petition.
If local citizens still wish to circulate a petition, it is strongly recommended to seek legal counsel first and review RsMo 115.700. All local petitions must be submitted at least 60 days prior to the final certification date of the targeted election in which residents wish the initiative to appear on the ballot.