Mike Carter, a municipal judge from Wentzville, said he filed to be Missouri’s next Secretary of State because of its electability.

“I identified the Secretary of State's office is having the least amount of competition, the least amount of dollars dedicated to it, and the largest opening for me to repeat what I did in the past and just ascend right to the position,” Carter said.

However, the day Carter filed, two other Republicans joined the race the same day, bringing the number of Republican candidates running for Secretary of State up to eight.

Along with Carter, other Republican candidates for the race include House Speaker Dean Plocher, state Senators Mary Elizabeth Coleman and Denny Hoskins, Greene County Clerk Shane Schoeller, state Rep. Adam Schwadron, St. Louis County resident Jamie Corley and St. Louis resident Valentine Gomez. House Rep. Barbara Phifer is the most well-known Democrat candidate who filed.