Full Breakdown
Kansas and Missouri Primary Elections: August 4, 2026
8/4/2026, 12:42:49 AM
Core Event – Simultaneous primary contests and ballot measures in two Midwestern states
On August 4, 2026, voters in Kansas and Missouri will cast ballots in contested primaries for statewide offices, U.S. Congress, and constitutional amendments. Kansas voters will choose party nominees for governor, U.S. Senate, and other offices while deciding whether to allow direct election of state Supreme Court justices. Missouri voters will decide a Democratic primary rematch in the 1st Congressional District, a Senate-controlled redistricting-driven congressional landscape, and four statewide ballot measures, including a proposal to phase out the state income tax.
Background & Context
Kansas has not elected a governor from the same party as its predecessor for six decades, and the 2026 race follows eight years of Democratic control under Gov. Laura Kelly. The Republican primary features Trump-endorsed candidates Ty Masterson, Philip Sarnecki, Vicki Schmidt and Scott Schwab. The Democratic field includes state Sens. Ethan Corson and Cindy Holscher and Overland Park Mayor Curt Skoog.
Missouri’s primaries follow a mid-decade redistricting plan backed by Trump. In St. Louis’s 1st District, Rep. Wesley Bell seeks a second term against former Rep. Cori Bush, a contest that drew $8.6 million in outside spending from AIPAC’s political arm. Long-serving Rep. Emanuel Cleaver runs in a newly drawn district that voted for Trump by about 58 percent.
Data & Statistics
- Kansas had about 2 million registered voters as of May 1: 894,000 Republicans, 495,000 Democrats, 588,000 unaffiliated.
- 2022 Kansas primaries recorded 463,000 Republican and 289,000 Democratic votes for governor.
- Sarnecki loaned $2.5 million to his campaign; Schwab loaned $2.1 million.
- Missouri’s voter rolls total 4.4 million. Early-in-person or mail voting accounted for 12 percent of the 2024 primary vote.
- AIPAC’s political arm spent $8.6 million in the Bell-Bush race, with $3.1 million allocated in July.
Ballot Measures
- Kansas: A constitutional amendment would replace the current nominating commission with direct election of state Supreme Court justices.
- Missouri:
- Amendment 4 – Requires majority support in each congressional district for citizen-initiated constitutional amendments.
- Amendment 5 – Mandates a legislative phase-out of the individual income tax based on revenue growth and authorizes expanded sales and use taxes, while limiting local tax rate increases.
Official Statements & Responses
Dennis Ganahl, speaking for MO Tax Relief Now, argued the amendment would keep Missouri competitive with tax-free states such as Tennessee. Scott Spencer called Amendment 5 “open-ended legislation” and “bad policy,” warning voters lack a clear, narrowly focused proposal.
What’s Next – Counting, Certification, and Potential Recounts
The Associated Press will begin reporting results shortly after polls close at 7 p.m. Central Time. In Kansas, vote-counting typically reaches the halfway point by about 10 p.m. ET and approaches completion after 3 a.m. ET; Missouri’s 2024 primaries saw the last update at 12:26 a.m. ET. Neither state has automatic recounts; candidates may request a recount at their own expense, and Missouri allows recounts when the margin is under 0.5 percent. The primary outcomes will shape the ballot for the 2026 midterm elections, scheduled 91 days later.
