Missouri House District 10 Race Opens Up
St. Joseph voters will choose a new state representative as term limits remove Bill Falkner from the seat.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Secondary Education
Live Poll
In your area, are prices for groceries and gas getting better or worse?
Democrat LaTonya Williams and Republican Paul Gatewood are competing for Missouri House District 10 in the midterm election. The seat is currently held by Bill Falkner, who cannot run again due to term limits.
Why it matters
Falkner's term-limit exit opens the seat, so St. Joseph households will have a new state representative for the district. LaTonya Williams currently serves on the St. Joseph School District Board of Education, which puts a school-governance perspective directly in the race.
Democrat LaTonya Williams and Republican Paul Gatewood are the two candidates for House District 10, a seat currently held by Bill Falkner, who is ineligible to run again due to term limits. Falkner is also running unopposed for Buchanan County Presiding Commissioner.
The players
LaTonya Williams
Democratic candidate for Missouri House District 10 who serves on the St. Joseph School District Board of Education.
Paul Gatewood
Republican candidate for Missouri House District 10 with years of experience working with state legislators in Jefferson City.
Bill Falkner
Current holder of Missouri House District 10, ineligible to run again due to term limits, who is running unopposed for Buchanan County Presiding Commissioner.
The details
Williams serves on the St. Joseph School District Board of Education, giving her direct experience with local school governance. Gatewood has been involved with several local organizations, which brought him into regular contact with local and state lawmakers, and he has spent years traveling to Jefferson City to work with legislators. Gatewood also raised eight children through public schools, which he cites as part of his background in the race.
Timeline
The midterm election is November 3, 2026, when voters in District 10 will choose between the two candidates.
The Home Front
Term-limit turnover is how Missouri's House seats change hands, and an open District 10 seat means the district's representation shifts with the new winner. For St. Joseph families, the outcome shapes who speaks for local school and community priorities in Jefferson City.
If you live in Missouri House District 10, check your voter registration and confirm your polling place before November 3, 2026. Compare each candidate's stated positions on school funding and local priorities before you vote.
The takeaway
An open seat means new representation for District 10, so the choice you make on November 3, 2026 affects which voice carries St. Joseph school priorities to Jefferson City. Keep track of each candidate's record on education, since a school board member and a longtime legislative advocate bring different experience to the same office.
Further reading
For context on how school boards and local classrooms shape these choices, see Secondary Education coverage for Saint Joseph.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KQ2 | St. Joseph, Missouri News, Weather & Sports.
Live Poll
In your area, are prices for groceries and gas getting better or worse?
