Candidate Filing Information
Candidate filing is the official action that places a candidate's name on the ballot for an upcoming election. Interested candidates file at the office responsible for the position. The County Clerk's office is the proper filing place for candidates for county offices, such as the Boone Hospital Board of Trustees; however, school district offices and city clerk offices are responsible for school board and city council candidate filing, respectively, so candidates for those positions should contact those offices for specific filing information.
Open County Offices for the April 7, 2026 General Municipal Election
The filing period for the April 7, 2026, General Municipal Election:
- Opens: 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, December 9, 2025
- Closes: 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 30, 2025
Hospital Trustee
There is 1 (one) seat open for Hospital Trustee for the County of Boone. The elected trustee shall serve for a term of 5 years. Persons wishing to file as a candidate for Hospital Trustee of Boone County shall file in the office of the Boone County Clerk, 801 E. Walnut St. Room 236, Columbia, Missouri. Each candidate will sign a Declaration of Candidacy (provided by the County Clerk's Office) that if elected the candidate will qualify. Candidates for Hospital Trustee shall be residents of the County.
Centralia Special Road District Commissioner
There is 1 (one) seat open for Commissioner of Centralia Special Road District. The elected commissioner shall serve for a term of 3 years. Persons wishing to file as a candidate for Commissioner of Centralia Special Road District shall file in the office of the Centralia City Clerk, 114 S. Rollins, Centralia, Missouri. Each candidate will sign a Declaration of Candidacy (provided by the County Clerk's Office) that if elected the candidate will qualify. Candidates for Commissioner of Centralia Special Road District shall be resident taxpayers of the Road District.
How to File
Candidates will fill out a declaration of candidacy at the time of filing. Candidates will need to bring with them:
- Proof of Identity - a Voter ID card, Missouri driver's license, birth certificate, or other form of certified or photo ID;
- A copy of the candidate's Form 5120, which the candidate can file online or by mail with the Department of Revenue before filing as a candidate. This form affirms that the candidate is not currently aware of any delinquency in the filing or payment of any state income taxes, personal property taxes, municipal taxes or real property taxes on the place of residence, as stated on the declaration of candidacy, or is not a past or present corporate officer of any fee office that owes any taxes to the state, other than those taxes which may be in dispute; and
- There is no filing fee for Hospital Trustee or Centralia Special Road District Commissioner.
Once a candidate has filed, they will receive a copy of their declaration, as well as important information about ethics requirements and campaign finance deadlines.
If you have additional questions, please contact the County Clerk's Office at Clerk@boonecountymo.org.
Open County Offices for the August 4, 2026 Primary Election
The filing period for the August 4, 2026, Primary Election:
- Opens: 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 24, 2026
- Closes: 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Each candidate will sign a Declaration of Candidacy (provided by the County Clerk's Office) that if elected the candidate will qualify. Qualifications can be found in the Missouri Revisor of Statutes and the Constitution of Missouri. Persons wishing to file as a candidate for the following open offices shall file in the office of the Boone County Clerk, 801 E. Walnut St. Room 236, Columbia, Missouri:
- Associate Circuit Judge, Divisions 5, 9, 10, 11
- Presiding Commissioner
- County Auditor
- Circuit Clerk
- County Clerk
- County Collector*
- Prosecuting Attorney
- Recorder of Deeds*
- County Committeemen and Committeewomen (Republican, Democratic, Libertarian)
How to File
Candidates will fill out a declaration of candidacy at the time of filing. Candidates will need to bring with them:
- Proof of Identity - a Voter ID card, Missouri driver's license, birth certificate, or other form of certified or photo ID;
- A copy of the candidate's Form 5120, which the candidate can file online or by mail with the Department of Revenue before filing as a candidate. This form affirms that the candidate is not currently aware of any delinquency in the filing or payment of any state income taxes, personal property taxes, municipal taxes or real property taxes on the place of residence, as stated on the declaration of candidacy, or is not a past or present corporate officer of any fee office that owes any taxes to the state, other than those taxes which may be in dispute; and
- A filing fee receipt showing that the candidate has paid their filing fee to the treasurer of the county central committee of the political party of whose ticket they seek nomination. The filing fee for candidates for county office is $100. There is no filing fee for candidates for county committeemen and committee women. In lieu of a receipt, the County Clerk's Office can accept a check for the filing fee on behalf of the county party central committee. Checks should be made out to the County Committee of the political party.
- *Candidates for County Collector and Recorder of Deeds must also bring a copy of a signed affidavit from a surety company authorized to do business in this state indicating that the candidate meets the statutory bond requirement for the office. The bond requirement for County Collector is $750,000 and the bond requirement for Recorder of Deeds is $5000. Please note:
- Candidates are not required to purchase the bond to be a candidate, but they do need a surety company to provide the affidavit stating they meet the bonding requirements at the time of the bond application. The bonding company is not required to guarantee that the candidate will be bondable at the time of taking office.
- Candidates may request an affidavit from their choice of surety company authorized to do business in Missouri. If elected, the county will purchase the bond on behalf of the office holder. County official bonds are currently purchased through Naught-Naught Insurance Agency.
- Sample Affidavit from Surety Company to be printed on Company Letterhead
To: Boone County Clerk
Re: Public Official Bond for [insert name of candidate]
We have reviewed the application for a Public Official bond for the above-named candidate for the office of [insert office] in Boone County, Missouri. We would be willing to provide their public official bond in the amount of [insert bond requirement amount] if elected, subject to there being no significant changes to their personal financial position, moral character, disclosures of financial mismanagement of a material nature for which they share responsibility, or potentially any other unfavorable underwriting criteria the company deems relevant to the applicant's ability to be bonded, between now and the date the term of office starts.
We may also find it necessary to review the most recent ‘Audit’ and ‘Auditors Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting and on Compliance and Other Matters’, for deficiencies in internal controls, as part of our decision whether to provide a bond for that position.
Sincerely,
[Name of Surety Company Authorized to do Business in Missouri]
Signature of Underwriter______________________
Printed Name of Underwriter___________________
Date Signed____________
- Sample Affidavit from Surety Company to be printed on Company Letterhead
Once a candidate has filed, they will receive a copy of their declaration, as well as important information about ethics requirements and campaign finance deadlines.
If you have additional questions, please contact the County Clerk's Office at Clerk@boonecountymo.org.