Overview

Read on for some statistics and insights about the level of civic engagement, political engagement and a “state of the state” overview of Missouri.

Civic and Political Engagement

According to the Corporation for National and Community Service for 2018:

  • 31.9% of residents volunteer, ranking them 28th among the 50 states and Washington, DC.
  • 1,529,792 volunteers
  • 133 million hours of service
  • $3.2 billion worth of service contributed

Looking at political engagement specifically, according to this 2018 Wallethub.com study, Missouri ranks #15 based on a weighted average across the following metrics:

  • Percentage of Registered Voters in the 2016 Presidential Election
  • Percentage of Electorate Who Actually Voted in the 2014 Midterm Elections
  • Percentage of Electorate Who Actually Voted in the 2016 Presidential Election
  • Change in Percentage of Electorate Who Actually Voted in the 2016 Elections Compared with the 2012 Elections
  • Total Political Contributions per Adult Population
  • Civic Education Engagement, CIRCLE
  • Voter Accessibility Policies, Ballotpedia

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Center for Responsive Politics, Ballotpedia and Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, CIRCLE.

 

Women in Missouri Politics 

As of 2018, there are 39 women legislators in the Missouri House of Representatives, and 7 in the Missouri State Senate – for a total of 46 out of 197 seats in both chambers. This equals 23.4% of the legislature (Source: NCSL).

See how many women serve in Missouri’s executive offices here.

Missouri ranks 33rd in women’s equality – based on workplace environment (pay, unemployment and entrepreneurship rate disparity), education environment (education levels and math and reading scores), and political empowerment (disparity in elected offices) (Source: Wallethub).

 

What Color is Missouri?

Missouri has 10 electoral votes. As noted in 270towin, “Like many Midwestern states, population growth has been slower in recent decades than the country as a whole, resulting in declining electoral influence. From a peak of 18 electoral votes just prior to the Great Depression, Missouri has been reduced to 10 today.”

 

State of the State

State Government Structure

Like most states, Missouri has a bicameral General Assembly, made up of a House of Representatives and a Senate. The General Assembly meets at the State Capitol in Jefferson City (Ballotpedia). 

Missouri House of Representatives

  • 163 members
  • Representatives limited to four terms
  • The House of Representatives is presided over by the Speaker, who is chosen by the members, and in his absence by the Speaker Pro Tem (www.house.mo.gov)

Missouri State Senate

  • 34 members
  • Senators limited to two terms
  • The Lieutenant Governor is president and presiding officer of the Senate. In his absence, the President Pro Tem, who is elected by the Senate members, presides (www.house.mo.gov)

Since 2017, Missouri has been a Republican state government trifecta, meaning that one political party (in this case, the Republican party) holds the governorship, majority in the state senate, and majority in the state house (Ballotpedia).

 

Legislative Process

  • No law is passed except by bill.
  • Bills can be introduced in the House or Senate, except appropriations bills, which originate in the House.
  • No bill is permitted to contain more than one subject.
  • Subject must be expressed clearly in title of a bill.
  • Once introduced, bill is assigned number and is read by the House reading clerk.
  • Bill then goes on the calendar for second reading.
  • After the second reading, a bill is assigned to a committee by the Speaker of the House.
  • Bill then has a public hearing before the committee to which it was assigned.
  • The bill’s sponsor presents it to the committee.
  • After the hearing, the committee can vote and make recommendations.
  • A constitutional majority of the elected members is required for final passage of a bill (82 members in the House).
  • If the bill meets the required minimum of 82 votes, it is sent to the Senate, where it follows the same process of hearings and committee meetings as in the House.
  • Bills passed by both houses are then sent to the governor, who can either:
    • Sign the bill
    • Veto the bill
    • Not sign the bill – the bill then goes to the Secretary of State
    • Veto line-items in an appropriations bill (www.house.mo.gov).

 

 

Budget Process

Missouri’s budget process operates on an annual budget cycle. The sequence of key events in the budget process is as follows:

  1. Budget instruction guidelines are sent to state agencies in July of the year preceding the start of the new fiscal year.
  2. State agencies submit their budget requests to the governor in October.
  3. Agency hearings are held from January through April. Public hearings are held in January and February.
  4. The governor submits his or her proposed budget to the state legislature in January.
  5. The legislature typically adopts a budget in April or May. A simple majority is required to pass a budget. The fiscal year begins July 1.

Missouri is one of 44 states in which the governor has line item veto authority.

The governor is legally required to submit a balanced budget. The legislature is not required to pass a balanced budget, but the governor is required to sign one (Ballotpedia).

 

Business Climate

A 2018 CNBC study ranks Missouri #23 in terms of overall business climate:

 

 

Freedom

Missouri ranks 11th in Cato Institute’s 2018 Freedom in the 50 states.  The overall freedom ranking is a combination of personal and economic freedoms.  

 

Additional Resources

  • PEW Fiscal 50: State Trends and Analysis
  • PEW Women in Leadership  – see analysis of women in leadership on a national scale
  • National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO) Fiscal Survey of States
  • Compare 50 – pick what stats you want to compare with what states here
  • State Data Lab – compare a variety of factors among states here
  • Freedom in the 50 States 2018  – Cato
  • Tax Foundation facts and figures app is available for download

 

What You Can Do

As detailed above, Missourians have expansive potential for engaging in civic-minded and fiscally responsible activity. By forming Policy Circles across the state, women can lead the way in ensuring that policies are working and responding to individual needs at the local level.

Here’s what you can do:   

  • Click “It’s easy, start now” at www.thepolicycircle.org  to start a circle in your area.  
  • Read our “Year of Conversation” for an overview of policy briefs on key issues affecting the country and your state.
  • Connect with The Show-Me Institute, your state think tank and best resource for state level information on key policy issues. 
  • Tell a friend or family member about The Policy Circle by sending them to www.thepolicycircle.org .   Any woman who believes in the power of free markets to unleash human creativity can start a Policy Circle in her area.