Carthage, Missouri Public Records

The Missouri Bureau of Investigation also helps with compiling and disseminating criminal records for residents of Jasper County, so that accurate and up-to-date information is available for legal and personal purposes.

Missouri residents can register to vote online at www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/register through the Secretary of State's GoVoteMissouri portal, by mail using a voter registration application, or in person at the Jasper County Clerk's office or various state agencies. To register, applicants must be U.S. Citizens, Missouri residents, at least 17.5 years old (18 by election day), and provide a Missouri driver's license or state ID number (or last four digits of Social Security number if no state ID). The voter registration deadline is the fourth Wednesday prior to any election. Missouri does not have Election Day registration, so advance registration is required. The GoVoteMissouri portal also allows registered voters to check their registration status, update addresses, request absentee ballots, and track ballot status. Municipal elections for mayor and city council in the community are held on the first Tuesday in April of odd-numbered years, following Missouri's consolidated municipal election calendar. The next municipal election will be held April 6, 2025, with candidates for mayor and council seats filed through the Jasper County Clerk's office. Candidate filing information, sample ballots, and local ballot measures are available at the Jasper County Clerk's office and posted on the Jasper County website prior to elections. Missouri requires municipal candidates to file declarations of candidacy during designated filing periods, typically beginning in mid-December for April elections. Residents can find their assigned polling place by visiting the Missouri Secretary of State's polling place lookup tool at www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/localelectionauthority or by contacting the Jasper County Clerk's office. Polling places are assigned based on voter registration address and precinct boundaries. Missouri law requires polls to be open from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM on Election Day, and voters in line at 7:00 PM must be allowed to vote. Voters must present identification to vote; acceptable IDs include Missouri driver's license, state-issued ID, military ID, passport, or other government-issued photo ID. Voters without photo ID may cast a provisional ballot. Missouri election records that are publicly available include voter registration lists (available to candidates and political parties under specific restrictions), campaign finance reports filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission at www.mec.mo.gov, candidate declarations and financial filings, precinct-level election results, and certified vote totals. The Secretary of State publishes election results at www.sos.mo.gov/elections/results. In the November 2024 presidential election, Jasper County recorded strong turnout with approximately 42,000 votes cast out of roughly 70,000 registered voters, representing roughly 60% turnout, with results heavily favoring Republican candidates consistent with historical voting patterns in southwest Missouri. The November 3, 2026 general election will be significant for voters throughout the area. Missouri's U.S. Senate seat currently held by Josh Hawley will not be on the ballot in 2026 (his term runs through 2028). However, all of Missouri's eight U.S. House seats will be contested, including the 7th Congressional District which covers the city and Jasper County. Missouri does not hold gubernatorial elections in 2026 (the governor is elected in presidential years). State legislative seats will be on the ballot, including Missouri State Senate District 32 and Missouri House of Representatives District 129, which serve the local area. County offices including Jasper County Commission seats, County Clerk, Recorder of Deeds, and other constitutional offices may be on the ballot depending on term expirations. Voters should check with the Jasper County Clerk in early 2026 for confirmed candidate filings and ballot issues. Missouri offers absentee voting by mail for voters who are absent from their jurisdiction on Election Day, incapacitated or confined due to illness or disability, religious belief or practice, employment as an election authority, or incarceration (if still eligible). Absentee ballot applications can be submitted online through GoVoteMissouri, downloaded from the Secretary of State's website, or obtained from the Jasper County Clerk. Applications must be received by the second Wednesday prior to Election Day (or 5:00 PM the Wednesday before the election for in-person absentee voting). Completed ballots must be received by the close of polls on Election Day or postmarked by Election Day and received within two business days. Missouri does not have universal mail-in voting or no-excuse absentee voting; voters must meet one of the statutory qualifications. Military and overseas voters have additional protections under federal UOCAVA law.