LINN — Absentee voting began in Missouri on Sept. 24 for the Nov. 5 general election, and dozens of votes have already been cast in Maries County.

The Osage County Clerk’s Office confirmed Tuesday morning that 52 absentee ballots had been cast and 83 absentee ballots had been sent by mail so far in the general election. Voters wishing to request absentee ballots by mail must do so by Oct. 23. Ballots must be returned and stamped as received by Nov. 4.

November’s election will also see voters decide who will occupy terms in several state offices. The candidates to succeed term-limited Gov. Mike Parson are Democrat Missouri House Minority Floor Leader Crystal Quade, Republican Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, Green Party candidate Paul Lehmann, and Libertarian Bill Slantz.

The candidates to succeed Kehoe as Lt. Governor are Democrat Missouri Rep. Richard Brown, Republican David Wasinger, Green Party candidate Danielle Elliott, and Libertarian Ken Iverson.

Incumbent Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey is running for office for the first time after Parson appointed him in 2023. He faces Democrat Elad Gross and Libertarian Ryan Munro.

Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft is term-limited, so there is an open race to succeed him. The candidates are Democratic Missouri Rep. Barbara Phifer, Republican Missouri Senator Denny Hoskins, Green Party candidate Jerome H. Bauer, and Libertarian Carl Herman Freese.

Incumbent Republican Treasurer Vivek Malek is running for office for the first time after Parson appointed him in 2023. He faces Democrat Mark Osmack, Green Party candidate Reagn Haase, and Libertarian John Hartwig.

Voters will also determine whether the state retains nonpartisan Missouri Supreme Court Justices Kelly C. Broniec and Ginger Gooch, and nonpartisan Missouri Court of Appeals Southern District Judges Jennifer Growcock and Becky Borthwick.

Voters will also decide on three positions in Washington D.C.: Missouri’s 3rd U.S. House District, U.S. Senator, and President of the United States.

Republican U.S. Rep. Blaine Luektemeyer announced his retirement earlier this year, which leaves his seat in the House of Representatives open. Democrat Bethany Mann, Republican Bob Onder, Green Party candidate William Hastings, and Libertarian Jordan Rowden are running to replace him.

Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Josh Hawley faces four challengers in the Senate race: Democrat Lucas Kunce, Better Party candidate Jared Young, Green Party candidate Nathan Kline, and Libertarian W.C. Young.

Many voters are already familiar with the presidential tickets of Democrats Vice President Kamala Harris and running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and Republicans former President Donald Trump and Senator J.D. Vance, but two more tickets will appear with them on the ballot: Green Party candidates Jill Stein and Butch Ware, and Libertarians Chase Oliver and Mike ter Maat.

Voters statewide will consider Proposition A which, if approved, would raise the state’s minimum wage to $13.75 per hour in 2025 and $15 per hour in 2026, while also requiring employers to provide one hour of sick leave per 30 hours worked.

Five constitutional amendments will also appear on the ballot. If approved by voters, each amendment would do the following:

• Amendment 2 would legalize and regulate sports wagering in Missouri.

• Amendment 3 would add to the Missouri Constitution a “fundamental right to reproductive freedom,” defined to include abortion and “all matters relating to reproductive health care,” among other provisions.

• Amendment 5 would allow the Missouri Gaming Commission to issue one additional gambling boat license to operate on a portion of the Osage River from the Missouri River to Bagnell Dam.

• Amendment 6 would define the administration of justice in the Missouri Constitution to include the levying of costs and fees to support the salaries and benefits of sheriffs, former sheriffs, prosecuting attorneys, former prosecuting attorneys, circuit attorneys and former circuit attorneys.

• Amendment 7 would add to the Missouri Constitution that only U.S. citizens 18 years or older can vote, as the law stands now, thereby prohibiting the state or local governments from allowing non-citizen voting in the future, establish that each voter has one vote per issue or open seat, prohibit ranked-choice voting, and require plurality primary elections, where one winner advances to the general election.

More information about Missouri elections and upcoming ballot issues is available online at the Secretary of State’s website sos.mo.gov/elections.