Despite a majority Democratic vote in Boone County, Republicans swept most state offices and succeeded in the passage of a voter ID law during the 2016 election.
In contrast to [initial predictions of a mixed outcome](http://www.npr.org/2016/10/25/499312937/two-weeks-out-democrats-have-the-edge-in-the-fight-for-the-senate), Missouri ran decidedly red on Nov. 8. Republicans Eric Greitens and Sen. Roy Blunt won the governorship and U.S. senate seat, respectively. They were joined by incumbent State Rep. Caleb Rowden, who defeated Stephen Webber for State Senate District 19, and US Rep. Vicky Hartzler. The only local Democrats to win were Kip Kendrick and Martha Stevens, who both secured state representative seats.
While Greitens and Blunt won overwhelmingly in other parts of the state, both men lost by at least 13 percentage points in Boone County.
Republican gains could impact certain issues that some students may consider important, including abortion access and gun control.
Sen. Blunt has repeatedly [voted to remove federal funding for abortion](http://www.ontheissues.org/House/Roy_Blunt_Abortion.htm) and to [reduce the waiting period for gun purchases to a single day](http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/local/nra-backs-roy-blunt-in-u-s-senate-race/article_6ec2abd7-ed28-513c-a351-c17e5944fb9b.html). Greitens, a former Navy SEAL who has no history in politics, has professed his strong belief that “every life is precious” and his intent to uphold the right to bear arms.
However, elected officials [on both sides of the aisle](https://www.themaneater.com/stories/2016/11/8/missouri-politicians-take-stand-um-system-funding/) support funding for MU, with many of them being alumni or former fellows of the university.
Rowden, who grew up in Columbia and attended Rock Bridge High School and MU, has lobbied especially hard to retain funding in the past. In March, he spearheaded an unsuccessful effort to restore half of a $7.6 million cut to the UM System, according to the Columbia Daily Tribune.
“If it wasn’t for me, Mizzou would not have gotten what they had gotten this year, plain and simple,” Rowden told the Missouri Times in June.
Apart from individual races, Missourians also voted on various propositions, rejecting two proposals to increase cigarette taxes for the purpose of education and transportation funding and, most notably, passing a measure that will require a photo ID to vote. The latter decision could impact undocumented students or students who do not have photo IDs.
“Voter ID is a simple, common-sense way to protect the integrity of our elections,” an Oct. 24 press release from Greitens’ campaign stated.
Voters also chose to keep a popular environmental conservation tax, prohibit increases in sales tax and limit campaign contributions to $2,600 per election.
_Edited by Emily Gallion | egallion@themaneater.com_