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Jefferson County Clerk Ken Waller seeks Missouri House seat

Jefferson County Clerk Ken Waller is launching a bid for the Missouri House, seeking to bring his years of public service experience to the Capitol. 

For Waller, a Republican who has also served as county executive and treasurer, the announcement is a long time coming. His interest was piqued several years ago by the late former Rep. Ron Casey who had encouraged Waller to throw his hat in the ring once the seat opened again. 

With Rep. Becky Ruth facing term limits, Waller said it was the perfect time to vie for the district.

“I’ve lived in the district that I want to represent for 58 years so it’s time to give back to the area that I love. Now I’ll be able to focus just on that district to help it, and that’s very exciting that I may be able to give back in this role,” Waller told The Missouri Times. “I think I’m unique in that I can bring experience, and I think experience matters in Jefferson City. You need to be able to bring that to the table.”

Having served as a county clerk for nearly four years and handled last year’s unique elections amid the pandemic, Waller said election security would be among his chief priorities in the statehouse. 

“I can say emphatically, not just in Jefferson County but across the state, that we’ve done a really good job as county clerks and election authorities to make sure that our elections are safe and secure,” Waller said. “If I get to Jefferson City, I want to continue to implement any legislation we need to make sure it stays that way.”

Waller said he also hoped to emphasize infrastructure and fight for increased pay for educators and first responders if he wins the seat. He also said he hoped to continue working with the county government and local entities to expand workforce opportunities in his district through its prominent port, highways, and rail system.