The number of Missouri House races lacking major-party opposition has been on the rise.
An analysis by The Associated Press of last fall's elections found that 60 percent of Missouri House races lacked a Republican or Democratic candidate — ranking in the top tier of states nationally.
That figure is up significantly since the last round of redistricting after the 2010 census. In the first decade of the 2000s, about 40 percent of Missouri House races lacked major-party opponents.
The AP's statistical analysis also shows that Republicans have had a consistent advantage under the 2011 House maps that has helped them enlarge their majority. The Republican tilt last fall was close to the median amount among all states analyzed.
