Independent Larry Rice of New Bloomfield has submitted more than 24,000 signatures to the Secretary of State in an effort to place his name on the ballot for governor. The social activist submitted far more signatures than needed to qualify for the ballot. If 10,000 are confirmed as registered voters, he makes the ballot. Missouri did have a non-partisan candidate for governor in 1972, Jackson Mayor Paul Leonard who ran a distant third. Rice is the first to submit signatures as required by a 1977 law.
