Missouri governor announces special elections for two Kansas City House seats

Gov. Mike Parson has called for a special election Nov. 5 to fill two vacant Kansas City seats in the Missouri House of Representatives.

The seats were held by state Reps. Brandon Ellington and DaRon McGee, both Democrats.

Ellington, who served as the House Minority Whip, was sworn in Thursday as the councilman for Kansas City’s third district at-large. A four-term state representative, he resigned Wednesday.

McGee resigned in April while being investigated by the Missouri House Ethics Committee for alleged sexual harassment of a former staffer. His resignation letter indicated he quit to “pursue a new job.” At the time, McGee served as assistant minority floor leader, the second highest-ranking member of the Democratic Party in the House.

Parson also announced elections for two St. Louis-area state representative seats. State Rep. Bruce Franks, D-St. Louis, said he would leave the city, to focus on his mental health and his family.

State Rep. Cora Faith Walker, D-Ferguson, resigned last week to join St. Louis County government as a policy director.

“We greatly appreciate the service of Representatives Ellington, McGee, Walker, and Franks to the State of Missouri,” Parson said in a statement. “We will work quickly to fill these vacancies and ensure that all Missourians are represented here in the Capitol.”

Parson had already announced special elections for the southwest Missouri seat previously held by State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick, who Parson appointed in December, and the seat once held by Jean Evans, a St. Louis County Republican who resigned to become the executive director of the Missouri GOP.