Missouri bill raises privacy concerns over voter data

Proposed legislation would publish personal voter information online, drawing criticism from state senators

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A Missouri bill proposed by state Sen. Jill Carter would require the secretary of state's office to publish the full list of approximately 4.5 million registered voters on the office's website, including voters' names, addresses, dates of birth, voter ID numbers, townships/wards, and precincts. Several state senators raised privacy concerns about the amount of personal information that would be made publicly available online.

Why it matters

While voter registration lists are considered public records, making this extensive personal data available online raises significant privacy concerns for voters. Some senators worry the level of detail could reveal how individuals voted in smaller precincts. The bill is also tied to extending a fee that funds the secretary of state's cybersecurity and election system upgrades.

The details

The bill would require the secretary of state's office to publish the full statewide voter registration list online, including each voter's name, address, date of birth, voter ID number, township/ward, and precinct. Currently, individual voter information can only be accessed with a specific name, birthdate, and county. The bill also calls for reporting election results at the precinct and township levels, showing Election Day and absentee ballot totals separately.

  • The bill was proposed in the 2026 legislative session by state Sen. Jill Carter.
  • A hearing on the bill was held on February 25, 2026 in the Senate Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee.

The players

Jill Carter

A Republican state senator from Granby, Missouri who proposed the bill to publish the statewide voter registration list online.

Maggie Nurrenbern

A Democratic state senator from Kansas City who expressed serious privacy concerns about the amount of personal voter information that would be made public under the proposed legislation.

Sandy Crawford

A Republican state senator from Buffalo who worried the detailed precinct-level election results could reveal how individuals voted in smaller voting districts.

Denny Hoskins

The Missouri Secretary of State who supports the bill because it would extend a fee that funds the office's cybersecurity efforts and election system upgrades.

Doug Beck

The Senate Minority Leader, a Democrat from Affton, who questioned the need to publish the full voter list with birthdates and addresses online.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“This seems like a lot of personal information that is going out there. I have very serious privacy concerns about that being on a website.”

— Maggie Nurrenbern, State Senator (sgfcitizen.org)

“It seems like a lot of identifiable information, right when we have so many concerns about fraud and everything else.”

— Sandy Crawford, State Senator (sgfcitizen.org)

“You can go check out your own. Why do we need this to be written down here?”

— Doug Beck, Senate Minority Leader (sgfcitizen.org)

What’s next

The Senate Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee will vote on the bill after Sen. Carter revises the language to address the privacy concerns raised during the hearing.

The takeaway

This proposed legislation highlights the tension between ensuring transparent and timely election data and protecting the personal privacy of voters. As states grapple with balancing these priorities, the Missouri bill raises important questions about how much voter information should be made publicly available online.