Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe will not call for special elections on April 7 to fill the seat left vacant by state Rep. Ken Waller’s death, as well as for four other vacated House seats, the governor’s office confirmed Jan. 15.
The deadline to add anything to the April ballot is Tuesday, Jan. 27.
“Gov. Kehoe will not call for a special election for the vacant House seats,” said Gabby Picard, the governor’s communications director, in a written statement. “The seats will be filled in the regular election cycle. The offices for the vacant seats remain staffed if constituents need assistance.”
Additionally, constituents are also encouraged to reach out to their state senator with any concerns.
Waller, a Republican from Herculaneum, was serving his second term as state representative for District 114 in eastern central Jefferson County when he died suddenly Aug. 26.
Picard previously has said filling the seats before the regular election would require a special election.
“Gov. Kehoe has signaled support for holding these elections on a date in which counties will already be holding an election, such as the April 2026 general municipal election,” she said. “An April special election would allow Missourians to be more aware of the election taking place and educated on the candidates on the ballot.”
Ben Peters, communications director for the Missouri House, said the governor cannot appoint someone to the seat and only the governor can determine if a special election will be held.
“The House has no ability to call a special election to fill our five vacant House seats,” Peters said Jan. 14.
Justin Sparks, a Republican from Wildwood, was the latest state representative to step down. He was serving his second term as District 110 representative when he resigned Nov. 24 to take an unspecified job with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Other state representatives who stepped down in 2025 to take other government positions are Michael O’Donnell (District 95), Donnie Brown (District 149) and Ben Baker (District 160). All were Republicans.
The terms for the districts expire Jan. 1, 2027. A primary election will be held in August; a general election will be held in November.
State Rep. Renee Reuter, R-Imperial, on Jan. 9 said she has been told by House leadership that there will not be any special elections to fill the vacated seats.
“The remainder of the Jefferson County delegation has done a great job coordinating with each other to cover, not only our own districts, but also answer inquiries from the district that our former colleague, Ken Waller, represented,” Reuter said. “I’m happy to help anyone from Missouri House District (114) until Rep. Waller’s replacement is elected in November of this year and takes office in January 2027.”
She said these legislators’ offices still have staff available to help constituents. Lochlyn Adrian, the legislative assistant for District 114, said constituents can reach her by calling 573-751-4451. Her hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Thursday and Friday and from 7:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday.
Uriah Stark, who is the legislative assistant for Sparks’ former district, said constituents can call him at 573-751-0562 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Thursday or email uriah.stark@house.mo.gov.
“Any issues they have with any of the state departments, anything related to the state … I will still be helping constituents just like I did when Rep. Sparks was here,” he said. “I don’t have a say on the floor. I don’t have the clout the representative has, but I can still help them in the same way. That doesn’t change.”
Picard also encouraged residents in the vacant districts to reach out to their state senators. The senator representing Waller’s district is state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, a Republican who represents District 22.
The senator representing Sparks’ district is state Sen. David Gregory, a Republican who represents District 15.
On the Senate side
A Democrat has introduced legislation that would change how vacated positions are handled.
State Sen. Barbara Washington, D-Kansas City, recently introduced Senate Bill 1446, which would require the governor to issue a writ of election to fill any vacancy in the General Assembly at least 50 days after, but not more than six months after the notice of vacancy.
Washington could not immediately be reached for comment on the bill. She told the Tribune News Service that Jackson County was without representation in the Senate for months in 2020 and she doesn’t want communities left without a voice.
The legislative session began Jan. 7 and ends May 15, meaning the districts would go unrepresented for the entire session. Special sessions are often held in the summer and a veto session is scheduled in September.
District 114 campaigns
Three locals have begun campaigns to run as a Republican candidate for District 114. They are John J. Lee, a Festus-area insurance agent; David Broach of Hillsboro , who previously represented District 102 from 1993-1998; and Ann Moloney of Barnhart, who ran unsuccessfully against Waller as a Republican in 2022.