Missouri ballot measure · November 3, 2026

Missouri Amendment 8, explained

Election and removal of county sheriffs. A ballot measure is a yes-or-no question put directly to voters — no candidate is involved, and the wording on the ballot is the wording that becomes law. This page shows that wording first, then what it actually changes.

The official wording

Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to support law enforcement by preserving the right of citizens to elect a county sheriff, prohibiting the removal of a county sheriff except by a writ of quo warranto, and recognizing the office of sheriff as part of the administration of justice? State and local governmental entities estimate no costs or savings.

This is what appears on the ballot. Everything below explains it.

What it actually means

Moves the requirement that counties elect a sheriff every four years, now in state statute, into the constitution, along with sheriffs' duties such as running jails and court security. It also says an elected sheriff could be removed only through a quo warranto lawsuit brought by the Attorney General.

If you vote YES

Counties would be constitutionally required to elect a sheriff every four years; St. Louis City, St. Louis County and St. Charles County are excepted, according to Ballotpedia's reading of the text.
Sheriffs' duties now set in statute, including keeping the peace, running jails, attending court and serving court orders, would be placed in the constitution.
An elected sheriff could be removed only by a writ of quo warranto initiated by the Attorney General.

If you vote NO

State statutes requiring the election of county sheriffs to four-year terms and setting their duties and removal would remain in effect, and the Legislature could change them by law.
Existing removal procedures under statute would continue to apply.

The numbers that matter

Fiscal impact: No costs or savings
Sheriff term: Four years

Why supporters say YES

We found none published in the sources reviewed.

Why opponents say NO

We found none published in the sources reviewed.

What’s genuinely uncertain

No campaign committees for or against the amendment had registered as of September 2026, according to Ballotpedia. The sponsor, Senator Jill Carter, has spoken in favour, but no named argument against it was found, so neither side's arguments are listed.
The Legislature passed it largely along party lines: 95–46 in the House and 24–9 in the Senate, with most Democrats voting no.
Which current removal routes would be eliminated by limiting removal to Attorney General quo warranto actions is not explained in the official summary.

The bottom line

Constitutional protection for elected sheriffs and their duties, against less flexibility for lawmakers and fewer ways to remove a sheriff.

One neutral sentence describing the tradeoff — not a recommendation.

Sources:sos.mo.gov ballotpedia.org missouriindependent.com

Checking it against the official text

The Missouri Secretary of State publishes the certified measures and, in most states, an official voter guide with fiscal notes. That is the authoritative version. Everything here is an explanation of it, not a substitute for it.

Confirm this with the official source

Your ballot is determined by your election authority, not by us. Verify your registration, precinct, and sample ballot at Missouri Secretary of State.

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