State Treasurer

By Emily Coleman and Rebecca Beitsch

A state senator, a state representative and a minister are competing to become Missouri's next state treasurer after incumbent Republican Sarah Steelman bowed out to take a run at her party's gubernatorial nomination.

The candidates are 12th District state Sen. Brad Lager, a Republican from Savannah; 78th District state Rep. Clint Zweifel, a Democrat from Florissant; and minister Rodney Farthing, a member of the Constitution Party of Missouri from Salem.

The state treasurer is Missouri state government's chief financial officer. The treasurer's office manages $20 billion in annual state revenue, directs the state's banking services and manages the state's $3.5 billion investment portfolio. The office safeguards more than $450 million in unclaimed assets that have been turned over by banks, businesses, insurance companies and government agencies, and it tries to find the rightful owners. The state treasurer also serves on the management boards of a number of public entities. State treasurers serve four-year terms. The salary is $104,608 per year.