Missouri Must Finish the Job on Private Election Funding
Missouri already decided that private election funding should be banned.
That was the point of the ban on Zuckbucks funding.
But if outside groups can still shape election offices through in-kind support, membership programs, and related services, then the job is not finished. SB 896 gives lawmakers a chance to finish it now.
The bill is simple.
Government entities would not be able to solicit, accept, or use nongovernmental funds, in-kind goods, or services for election administration, except for items of de minimis value. It also restricts participation in election-administration organizations that receive foreign funding, creates penalties for violations, and allows registered Missouri voters to bring enforcement actions.
Why is this necessary?
Missouri’s earlier law addressed direct private funding but left room for workarounds through in-kind support and membership-style arrangements.
Election offices should answer to the public, not to private networks operating through loopholes and side doors.
Opponents say local election offices are often underfunded and that outside support can help fill real operational gaps. That is a fair concern. If they need better support, the state should provide it. The answer is not to blur the line between public elections and private influence.
Behind the concerns about funding is the reality that election offices have expanded their missions, often under the guidance of National groups like the US Alliance for Election Excellence.
Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon, until recently a member of the Alliance, hosts a podcast called “High Turnout, Wide Margins.”
It’s supposed to be an inside joke among election officials. It shows that clerks like Lennon view their job as increasing voter turnout. That should not be an excuse to demand private funding.
🚨 NEW: @voteboonemo has officially LEFT the U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence aka Zuckbucks 2.0.
— Liberty Alliance (@LibertyAllUSA) February 2, 2026
Private grants to election offices have NO PLACE in Missouri.
Next step is passing SB 896. #MOLeg
SB 896 has been placed on the Formal Calendar.
The opportunity to close the loophole is here. Lawmakers who believe election administration should be publicly funded and publicly accountable should act while the measure is still alive.
Missouri took an important first step when it banned direct private election funding. SB 896 is the follow-through. It closes the loopholes that remain and draws a cleaner line around a basic principle: public elections should be run with public money and under public control. The Senate should pass it.
Andy Bakker
Executive Director
Liberty Alliance USA