Bourbon, Missouri Public Records

Registration must be completed at least 28 days before an election to vote in that contest. Eligibility requires U.S. Citizenship, Missouri residency, being at least 17.5 years old (to vote at age 18), and not currently serving a felony sentence. Valid identification is required when registering in person, and first-time voters who registered by mail must provide ID when casting their first ballot. As an unincorporated community, Bourbon does not hold municipal elections for mayor or city council since there is no city government. However, residents participate fully 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. These county offices are generally elected in November of even-numbered years on staggered terms. Residents also vote 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 covering State Senate and State House districts that include 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, 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. Most election records in Missouri 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 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 Crawford 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 Crawford County Clerk's office, allowing any registered voter to cast a ballot early without providing a reason.