Governor

By Sarah D. Wire and Valerie Insinna

Missouri voters will have four people to choose from as their next governor when they go to the polls Tuesday.

The candidates are Republican Kenny Hulshof of Columbia, Democrat Jay Nixon of De Soto, Libertarian Andrew Finkenstadt of St. Charles and Constitution Party member Gregory Thompson of Humansville.

The governor is the top elected official in Missouri. He or she appoints members to all boards and commissions and all department heads in state government, fills vacancies in public offices unless otherwise provided by law and selects Supreme Court judges and appellate court judges. The governor addresses the General Assembly on state priorities each year and submits a budget to the legislature. All bills passed by the legislature are submitted to the governor, who can sign or veto them. Governors serve four-year terms. The salary is $129,922.