Bills exist in both houses of the Missouri legislature to make the independent candidate procedures more restrictive. Current law requires independent candidates and new parties to file petitions in late July of election years. HCS HB 894 would move the independent candidate petitions from July to March. If passed, the law would surely be held unconstitutional, since in 1976 a U.S. District Court invalidated Missouri’s April petition deadline for independent candidates.

In the Senate, SB409 would require independent candidates to file a declaration of candidacy in March. It passed the Senate Elections Committee on March 5, but has not moved since then. This law is clearly unconstitutional as to independent presidential candidates, and it is uncertain whether it would be unconstitutional as applied to other independents. Thanks to Nancy Ross for this news.