State senate in flux

The possibility exists that neither party will have a majority in the state senate next year. Three special elections will be held early next year to replace departing Senators who’ve been elected to higher offices. Those elections will determine if there will be a majority party in the senate. Voters in northwest Missouri will replace republican Sam Graves, who is headed to Congress. Voters in northeast Missouri will replace democrat Joe Maxwell, who is to be the next Lieutenant Governor. Voters in part of St. Louis will replace democrat Lacy Clay, who is replacing his father in Congress. If democrats win all three special elections, they’ll control the senate 18-16; republicans would have a 19-15 majority if they won all three elections. It would be 17-17 if the districts stay with the parties that now control them.