Missouri 5th District race 2026: Brattin vs. Cleaver

RThe Ledger's profile

Rick Brattin

Missouri state senator, former state representative and Cass County auditor, the 2026 Republican nominee against Emanuel Cleaver in Missouri’s 5th District.

Read the documented profile of Rick Brattin

Also on the ballot

Emanuel Cleaver

American politician; U.S. representative for Missouri’s 5th congressional district since 2005 and former mayor of Kansas City; 2026 Democratic nominee for the same seat

The general-election field as the board records it: Cleaver (D) vs. Brattin (R) vs. Randy Langkraehr (L)

The race at a glance

Board data as of Sep 15, 2026. Ratings are the raters' own current calls; polls are the newest public ones with their field dates; money is what the committees reported. Nothing here is a forecast.

Seat

Incumbent Emanuel Cleaver (D); 2025 map enjoined by MO Supreme Court Sep 3, SCOTUS stayed the federal TRO Sep 10 → 2022 map (Harris 61-37)

Primary

Aug 4 (unofficial 298/298; SOS ENR 403): Brattin 34,853 (44.97%), Burks 20,438 (26.37%); SOS certified candidates Aug 25

Ratings

Cook Solid D (changed Sep 11); Sabato Safe D (Sep 10); IE Solid D (Sep 10)

Newest public polling

NOT FOUND

Reported money

FEC Jul 15: Brattin $331,764 / $222,510 COH; Burks $1,154,910

Notable

Trump endorsed Brattin Aug 3 after early voting closed. Proposition A (veto referendum on the map) is on the Nov 3 ballot. Further R spending here is low-value.

Key dates in Missouri

Read from the Missouri Secretary of State. The full guide, with the official tools, is on the Missouri page.

• Voter registration deadlineOctober 7, 2026, for the November 3, 2026 General Election — the “Last Day to Register to Vote” on the Secretary of State's “2026 Missouri Election Calendar” (the fourth Wednesday before the election). The Secretary of State's FAQ says the deadline for new voter registration applications is the fourth Wednesday prior to an election; a voter who has moved within the same county may change the registration address on Election Day at the new polling place or the central polling location. The entries below show how the deadline is measured by mail and in person. sos.mo.gov
• Early voting (no-excuse absentee voting in person) startsOctober 20, 2026 — the second Tuesday before the November 3, 2026 election. The Secretary of State prints this as a rule, not as a calendar date: from the second Tuesday before an election to the day before the election, you may vote a no-excuse absentee ballot in person at a location designated by your local election authority. With one of the state's listed reasons, in-person absentee voting is available from September 22, 2026. sos.mo.gov
• Deadline to request an absentee ballot by mailOctober 21, 2026, 5:00 p.m. — the second Wednesday before the November 3, 2026 election. A mailed or faxed request must be received by your local election authority by then. The Secretary of State prints this as a rule, not as a calendar date. It is the deadline to request a ballot, not to return it. sos.mo.gov
• Deadline to return an absentee ballotReceived by your local election authority by the close of polls on Election Day, November 3, 2026 (polls close at 7:00 p.m.). The ballot must be received, not just postmarked, by then. Military and overseas voters have a separate deadline, shown in the next entry. sos.mo.gov
• Election DayTuesday, November 3, 2026. sos.mo.gov
• Polling place hours6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Election Day, November 3, 2026. Voters in line at 7:00 p.m. will be allowed to vote. sos.mo.gov

Voting in Missouri: dates, rules and official tools

Questions and answers