Bourbon, Missouri Public Records

The Bourbon Police Department, located at 108 E. Main St., Bourbon, MO 65441, maintains records related to law enforcement activities within the city, such as incident reports, arrest records, and traffic citations. Requests for public records from the Bourbon Police Department can be made by contacting the department directly or by visiting their website at https://www.cityofbourbon.com/police-department.

Bourbon residents' voter registration and election services are administered by the Crawford County Clerk, located at 302 Main Street, Steelville, MO 65559, phone (573) 775-2376. The County Clerk serves as the election authority for all of Crawford County and maintains voter registration records, conducts elections, certifies results, and provides information on polling places and candidates. Missouri residents can register to vote online through the Missouri Secretary of State's website at https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/govotemissouri, by mail using a voter registration application, or in person at the County Clerk's office. Voters must register at least 28 days before an election to be eligible to vote in that election. To register, applicants must be U.S. citizens, Missouri residents, at least 17.5 years old (to vote at age 18), and not currently serving a sentence for a felony conviction. Valid identification is required when registering in person, and first-time voters who registered by mail must provide ID when voting for the first time.

Bourbon, as an unincorporated community, does not hold municipal elections for mayor or city council, as there is no city government. However, residents participate in Crawford County elections for county offices including County Commissioners (Presiding and District Commissioners), Sheriff, Assessor, Collector, Treasurer, Recorder of Deeds, Prosecuting Attorney, Coroner, and Public Administrator. County offices are generally elected in November of even-numbered years on staggered terms. Bourbon residents also vote in elections for Missouri state offices including Governor (four-year terms in presidential election years), Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, State Treasurer, State Auditor, and Missouri General Assembly representatives (State Senate and State House districts covering Crawford County). Federal elections include U.S. President, U.S. Senate (Missouri's two Senate seats on staggered six-year terms), and the U.S. House of Representatives (Bourbon falls within Missouri's 8th Congressional District).

To find their specific polling place, Bourbon voters should use the Missouri Polling Place Lookup tool at https://voteroutreach.sos.mo.gov/portal/ or contact the Crawford County Clerk at (573) 775-2376. Polling locations are assigned based on voter registration address and precinct boundaries. In Missouri, most election records are public, including voter registration lists (available for purchase for election-related purposes), campaign finance reports filed by candidates and committees (searchable at the Missouri Ethics Commission website https://mec.mo.gov), candidate filing information, and precinct-level election results. The Crawford County Clerk's office maintains historical election results and can provide precinct data upon request.

In the November 2024 presidential election, Crawford County recorded turnout of approximately 60-65% of registered voters, consistent with rural Missouri patterns, with strong support for Republican candidates typical of the region. Looking ahead to the November 3, 2026 general election, Missouri voters will decide several statewide and local races. While Missouri's U.S. Senate seats are not up in 2026 (next elections in 2028 for Josh Hawley's seat and 2024 for the other seat already decided), voters will elect all 163 members of the Missouri House of Representatives (two-year terms) and approximately half of the 34 Missouri State Senate seats (four-year staggered terms). The Governor's office was elected in 2024 for a four-year term, so 2026 will not include a gubernatorial race. However, other statewide offices may appear on the 2026 ballot depending on term schedules. At the county level, some Crawford County offices will be up for election in 2026 depending on the term expiration schedule, potentially including Commissioner positions, Sheriff, and other county officials. Bourbon R-1 School District board positions may also appear on the April 2026 municipal election ballot.

Missouri offers absentee voting for registered voters who meet specific criteria: absence from the jurisdiction on Election Day, incapacity or confinement due to illness or physical disability, religious belief or practice, employment as an election authority, incarceration (but eligible to vote), or participation in the address confidentiality program. Absentee ballot applications are available from the Crawford County Clerk's office or online at the Secretary of State's website. Completed applications must be received by the second Wednesday prior to the election for mail ballots. Missouri also offers in-person absentee voting (also called "no-excuse" early voting) beginning two weeks before Election Day at the County Clerk's office, allowing any registered voter to cast a ballot early without providing a reason.