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Lawsuit seeks to compel Mo. Gov. to set elections

A new lawsuit seeks to compel Governor Jay Nixon to call special elections to fill four vacant legislative seats.

The lawsuit filed Thursday in Cole County claims Nixon is shirking his duties by not setting special elections.

The 120th House District has been vacant since June, when Republican Representative Jason Smith of Salem won a special election to Congress.

The other three seats just became vacant last month. Democratic Representative Steve Webb, of Florissant, resigned from the 67th House District while facing criminal charges. Republican Representative Dennis Fowler, of Advance, resigned from the 151st House District after being appointed by Nixon to the parole board. Democratic Senator Ryan McKenna, of Crystal City, resigned from the 22nd Senate District after being appointed by Nixon as the labor department director.

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