Cass County, Missouri

Missouri House District 55

See where Irwin and Pennell stand on schools and the budget. Names follow official Cass County election filings.

About this race

William (Bill) Irwin (Republican), Jon Pennell (Democratic) meet on the November 3 ballot; William (Bill) Irwin is the sitting member per the House roster. Missouri has no runoffs; the August 4 primary winner of each party is the nominee, and unopposed nominees still print. The field is the Missouri Secretary of State's certified general election candidate list (certified August 25, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.

What this office does

State legislator. State legislators write and vote on state laws and the state budget, which fund schools, roads, prisons, universities and health programs, and set the rules for local governments and elections. Each member represents one district and serves on committees that shape bills before a floor vote. Terms are two years in most state houses and four in most state senates.

This race. Elected by district: only voters who live in the district see this race on their ballot. The sitting officeholder, William (Bill) Irwin, is on the ballot.

We use AI to research and write election information. Errors are possible. Verify important details with official sources.

Missouri › Cass County › Missouri House District 55

William (Bill) Irwin

RepublicanIncumbent

Top priorities

From the campaign site

Fiscal responsibility, stop excess spending
Limit federal government control
Local control of schools

Biography

Per the campaign site, Bill Irwin is a retired Navy SEAL captain and combat veteran, a retired Lee's Summit police officer who served on the SWAT team, a Mizzou graduate and a Naval War College graduate. Bill Irwin retired after 33 years in the United States Navy, including service as a Navy SEAL, and spent 17 years with the Lee's Summit Police Department SWAT team, per his official Missouri House biography. He represents Cass County in House District 55 and was first elected in November 2024, per the same source.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Jon Pennell

Democratic

Biography

Jon Pennell previously worked in federal citizenship and immigration services before losing his position when the Department of Government Efficiency eliminated it, per KCUR. He decided to run for the Missouri House District 55 seat, which had gone uncontested by Democrats since 2022. No campaign website was found as of September 6, 2026.

Next on your ballotMissouri House District 56

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Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for Missouri House District 55 in 2026?

2 candidates are tracked for Missouri House District 55 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: William (Bill) Irwin and Jon Pennell. Candidate information follows official Cass County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below. See where they stand on schools and the budget.

When is the Missouri House District 55 election in Missouri?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Missouri are on the Missouri election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Cass County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Cass County and state election office filings, last verified September 25, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Missouri election office, or see the full Cass County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Cass County ballot

10 tracked races in Cass County, Missouri. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

Missouri House District 62 Cass County Presiding Commissioner Cass County Clerk See all 10 Cass County races

Candidate profiles

William (Bill) Irwin, full profile Jon Pennell, full profile Official Missouri election office