Attorney General of Missouri
| Missouri Attorney General | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $122,332 |
| 2024 FY Budget: | $47,784,135 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | Missouri Constitution, Article IV, Section 12 the Executive Department |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
Attorney General of Missouri Catherine Hanaway | |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 7, 2028 |
| Last election: | November 5, 2024 |
| Other Missouri Executive Offices | |
| Governor •Lieutenant Governor •Secretary of State •Attorney General •Treasurer •Auditor •Commissioner of Education •Agriculture Director •Insurance Director •Natural Resources Director •Labor Director •Public Service Commission | |
TheAttorney General of Missouri is an elected constitutional office within the executive branch of the Missouri state government. The office was created in 1806 whenMissouri was part of theLouisiana Territory.Missouri's firststate constitution in 1820 provided for an appointedattorney general, but since the 1865 constitution, the attorney general has been elected.[1]
By law, the attorney general is a member of the Board of Fund Commissioners, the Board of Public Buildings, the Governor's Committee on Interstate Cooperation, the Missouri Highway Reciprocity Commission and the Missouri Housing Development Commission.
Offices of the attorney general are located throughout the state ofMissouri with the main office being in the Supreme Court building inJefferson City.
Missouri has a Republicantriplex. The Republican Party controls the offices of governor, secretary of state, and attorney general.
Current officeholder
The current Attorney General of Missouri isCatherine Hanaway (R). Hanaway assumed office in 2025.
Authority
TheMissouri Constitution addresses the office of attorney general inArticle IV, the Executive Department.
Under Article IV, Section 12:
The executive department shall consist of all state elective and appointive officials and employees except officials and employees of the legislative and judicial departments. In addition to the governor and lieutenant governor there shall be a state auditor, secretary of state, attorney general... |
Qualifications
In order to serve as attorney general, an individual must be a U.S. citizen (number of years not specified) and have been a state resident for at least one year.[2]
Elections
Missouri elects attorneys general in the presidential elections, that is, in leap years. There are noterm limits on the position.
2024
General election
General election for Attorney General of Missouri
IncumbentAndrew Bailey defeatedElad Gross andRyan Munro in the general election for Attorney General of Missouri on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Andrew Bailey (R) | 59.8 | 1,739,626 |
 | Elad Gross (D)  | 37.9 | 1,103,482 | |
 | Ryan Munro (L) | 2.3 | 66,878 | |
| Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 2,909,986 | ||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Attorney General of Missouri
Elad Gross advanced from the Democratic primary for Attorney General of Missouri on August 6, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Elad Gross | 100.0 | 344,661 |
| There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 344,661 | ||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Sarah Unsicker (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Attorney General of Missouri
IncumbentAndrew Bailey defeatedWill Scharf in the Republican primary for Attorney General of Missouri on August 6, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Andrew Bailey | 63.0 | 413,915 |
 | Will Scharf | 37.0 | 243,012 | |
| Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 656,927 | ||
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Libertarian primary election
Libertarian primary for Attorney General of Missouri
Ryan Munro advanced from the Libertarian primary for Attorney General of Missouri on August 6, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Ryan Munro | 100.0 | 2,411 |
| There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 2,411 | ||
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2020
General election
General election for Attorney General of Missouri
IncumbentEric Schmitt defeatedRichard Finneran andKevin Babcock in the general election for Attorney General of Missouri on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Eric Schmitt (R) | 59.4 | 1,752,792 |
 | Richard Finneran (D) | 37.9 | 1,117,713 | |
| Kevin Babcock (L) | 2.7 | 81,100 | ||
| Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 2,951,605 | ||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Attorney General of Missouri
Richard Finneran defeatedElad Gross in the Democratic primary for Attorney General of Missouri on August 4, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Richard Finneran | 55.4 | 272,516 |
| Elad Gross | 44.6 | 219,462 | |
| There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 491,978 | ||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Attorney General of Missouri
IncumbentEric Schmitt advanced from the Republican primary for Attorney General of Missouri on August 4, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Eric Schmitt | 100.0 | 602,577 |
| Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 602,577 | ||
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Libertarian primary election
Libertarian primary for Attorney General of Missouri
Kevin Babcock advanced from the Libertarian primary for Attorney General of Missouri on August 4, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Kevin Babcock | 100.0 | 4,089 | |
| There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 4,089 | ||
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Past elections
Vacancies
Article IV, Section 4 of the Missouri Constitution gives the governor the power to fill vacancies in public offices.
| Text of Section 4: Power of Appointment to Fill Vacancies--Tenure of Appointees Thegovernor shall fill all vacancies in public offices unless otherwise provided by law, and hisappointees shall serve until their successors are duly elected or appointed and qualified. |
Duties
The attorney general is the attorney for the entire state, representing the legal interests ofMissouri and its state agencies.
As the state's chief legal officer, the attorney general must prosecute or defend all appeals to which the state is a party, including every felony criminal case appealed to theMissouri Supreme Court and courts of appeal. The attorney general also is required to institute, in the name and on behalf of the state, all civil suits and other proceedings that are necessary to protect the state's rights, interests or claims. The attorney general may appear, interplead, answer or defend any proceedings that involve the state's interests, or appear on behalf of the state in declaratory judgment proceedings when the constitutionality of a statute is challenged.
The attorney general also renders official opinions to the executive and legislative branch and the county prosecuting attorneys on questions of law relating to their duties. The attorney general may institute quo warranto proceedings against anyone unlawfully holding office or move to oust any public official for malfeasance in office.[4]
Divisions
As of January 11, 2021, the Office of the Attorney General of Missouri has two main divisions: Civil and Criminal.[5]
Role in the initiative process
According to the Missouri initiative and referendumguidelines, when ballot text is submitted to thestate secretary of state, a copy of the text must be sent to the attorney general.
Both the secretary of state and attorney general will review the text to make sure that it complies with the form of aninitiative. A copy of the ballot text is also sent to the state auditor in order to prepare afiscal note andfiscal note summary statement. This must be completed within 20 days of the initiative being filed.
When the attorney general receives thefiscal note and summary, the ballot text will be reviewed for its legality. Approval or reject of thefiscal note summary will be sent to the state auditor within 10 days of receipt of thefiscal note. Based on this information the attorney general will reject or accept the contents and the ballot (along with the attorney general's comments) will be sent to the secretary of state within 10 days receipt of the sampleballot petition.
Campaign finance
The Attorney General ofMissouri is responsible for all prosecution of criminal violations ofMissouri's campaign finance laws. The Office of Prosecution Services is a division of the state attorney general's office and conducts all investigations of campaign finance law violations that are in the office's jurisdiction.[6]
The first step in filing a campaign finance complaint is to file with theMissouri Ethics Commission. An investigator must fully review the complaint and a vote of four members on the ethics commission is needed before any investigation can proceed.[7] All criminal investigations are forwarded to the attorney general from the ethics commission upon finding of probable cause.[8] All civil prosecutions are handled by the ethics commission.[9]
State budget
- See also:Missouri state budget and finances
The attorney general's budget for fiscal year 2024 was $47,784,135.[10]
Compensation
The attorney general's salary is set by law and cannot be increased or reduced during the term.Section 3, Article XIII of theMissouri Constitution created a Citizens’ Commission on Compensation for Elected Officials, which sets the compensation of elected government officials. The 21-member commission meets every two years, and is not to be comprised of employees of the state or any of its institutions nor immediate family members of any person ineligible to serve on the council.[11]
Article IV, Section 21 of theMissouri Constitution addresses compensation of executive officials:
The officers named in this article shall receive for their services salaries fixed by law, which shall not be increased or diminished during their terms. |
2023
In 2023, the officer's salary was $122,332, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[12]
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $119,348, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[13]
2021
In 2021, the attorney general received a salary of $116,437, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[14]
2020
In 2020, the attorney general received a salary of $116,437, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[15]
2019
In 2019, the attorney general received a salary of $116,437, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[16]
2018
In 2018, the attorney general received a salary of $116,437, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[17]
2017
In 2017, the attorney general received a salary of $116,437, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[18]
2016
In 2016, the attorney general received a salary of $116,437, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[19]
2015
In 2015, the attorney general received a salary of $116,437, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[20]
2014
In 2014, the attorney general earned a salary of $116,437, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[21]
2013
In 2013, the attorney general earned a salary of $116,437.[22]
2010
In 2010, the attorney general was paid an estimated $116,437, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[23]
Historical officeholders
Since 1820, Missouri has had 42 attorneys general. Of the 41, 30 have been Democrats, 11 Republicans and one Whig.[24]
| Number | Name | Took office | Left office | Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edward Bates | 1820 | 1821 | Democratic |
| 2 | Rufus Easton | 1821 | 1826 | Democratic |
| 3 | Robert William Wells | 1826 | 1836 | Democratic |
| 4 | William Barclay Napton | 1836 | 1839 | Democratic |
| 5 | Samuel Mansfield Bay | 1839 | 1845 | Democratic |
| 6 | Benjamin F. Stringfellow | 1845 | 1849 | Democratic |
| 7 | William A. Robards | 1849 | 1851 | Democratic |
| 8 | James B. Gardenhire | 1851 | 1857 | Whig |
| 9 | Ephraim B. Ewing | 1857 | 1858 | Democratic |
| 10 | J. Proctor Knott | 1858 | 1861 | Democratic |
| 11 | Aikman Welch | 1861 | 1864 | Democratic |
| 12 | Thomas Theodore Crittenden | 1864 | 1864 | Democratic |
| 13 | Robert Franklin Wingate | 1865 | 1869 | Democratic |
| 14 | Horace B. Johnson | 1869 | 1871 | Republican |
| 15 | Andrew Jackson Baker | 1871 | 1872 | Republican |
| 16 | Henry Clay Ewing | 1873 | 1875 | Democratic |
| 17 | John A. Hockaday | 1875 | 1877 | Democratic |
| 18 | Jackson Leonidas Smith | 1877 | 1881 | Democratic |
| 19 | Daniel Harrison McIntyre | 1881 | 1885 | Democratic |
| 20 | Banton Gallitin Boone | 1885 | 1889 | Democratic |
| 21 | John M. Wood | 1889 | 1893 | Democratic |
| 22 | Robert Franklin Walker | 1893 | 1897 | Democratic |
| 23 | Edward Coke Crow | 1897 | 1905 | Democratic |
| 24 | Herbert Spencer Hadley | 1905 | 1909 | Republican |
| 25 | Elliott Woolfolk Major | 1909 | 1913 | Democratic |
| 26 | John Tull Barker | 1913 | 1917 | Democratic |
| 27 | Frank Winton McAllister | 1917 | 1921 | Democratic |
| 28 | Jesse W. Barrett | 1921 | 1925 | Republican |
| 29 | Robert William Otto | 1925 | 1925 | Republican |
| 30 | North Todd Gentry | 1925 | 1928 | Republican |
| 31 | Stratton Shartel | 1928 | 1933 | Republican |
| 32 | Roy M. McKittrick | 1933 | 1945 | Democratic |
| 33 | Jonathan E. (Buck) Taylor | 1945 | 1953 | Democratic |
| 34 | John M. Dalton | 1953 | 1961 | Democratic |
| 35 | Thomas F. Eagleton | 1961 | 1965 | Democratic |
| 36 | Norman H. Anderson | 1965 | 1969 | Democratic |
| 37 | John C. Danforth | 1969 | 1977 | Republican |
| 38 | John D. Ashcroft | 1977 | 1985 | Republican |
| 39 | William L. Webster | 1985 | 1993 | Republican |
| 40 | Jeremiah W. (Jay) Nixon | 1993 | 2009 | Democratic |
| 41 | Chris Koster | 2009 | 2017 | Democratic |
| 42 | Josh Hawley | 2017 | 2019 | Republican |
| 43 | Eric Schmitt | 2019 | 2023 | Republican |
| 44 | Andrew Bailey | 2023 | 2025 | Republican |
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the termsMissouri Attorney General. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact information
Missouri Attorney General's Office
Supreme Court Building
207 W. High St.
P.O. Box 899
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Phone: 573-751-3321
Fax: 573-751-0774
E-mail:ag@ago.mo.gov
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑The Office of the Missouri Attorney General, "About the Missouri Attorney General," accessed January 11, 2021
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Table 4.20 Attorney General Qualifications for Office," accessed January 11, 2021
- ↑Missouri Secretary of State, "November 6, 2012 General Election Results," accessed November 7, 2012
- ↑Missouri Attorney General, "About the Office," accessed January 11, 2021
- ↑Missouri Attorney General, "About the Office," accessed January 11, 2021
- ↑Missouri General Assembly, "Missouri Campaign Finance Law"(dead link)(Referenced Statute 105-961 (2) Missouri Statutes)
- ↑Missouri General Assembly, "Missouri Campaign Finance Law,"(dead link)(Referenced Statute 105-961 (1) Missouri Statutes)
- ↑Missouri General Assembly, "Missouri Campaign Finance Law"(dead link)(Referenced Statute 105-961 (2) Missouri Statutes)
- ↑'Missouri General Assembly, "Missouri Campaign Finance Law"(dead link)(Referenced Statute 105-961 (3) Missouri Statutes)]
- ↑Missouri Office of Administration, "FY 2025 Budget," accessed January 21, 2025
- ↑Missouri Boards and Commissions, “Missouri Citizens’ Commission on Compensation for Elected Officials,” accessed January 11, 2021
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 21, 2025
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 22, 2022
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2020," accessed January 11, 2021
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed January 11, 2021
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed January 11, 2021
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed January 11, 2021
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed December 3, 2014
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Table 4.11 Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 30, 2014
- ↑The Council of State Governments, "The Book of States 2010 Table 4.11," accessed June 21, 2011
- ↑Missouri Secretary of State, "Missouri History – Attorneys General," accessed December 17, 2011
