• The candidates: Two state House colleagues are competing for an open seat after Secretary of State Robin Carnahan announced she wouldn't seek a third term. Republican Shane Schoeller, of Willard, worked in the office under Republican Matt Blunt. Democrat Jason Kander, of Kansas City, is trying to keep the office in Democratic hands for another four years.

* The job: Overseeing Missouri's elections is the office's highest responsibility. But the secretary of state also regulates securities, handles business registration, publishes state regulations, administers the state library and archives and maintains official documents.

* Elections: Schoeller has made support for a state requirement that voters show a government-issued photo ID at the polls a focal point of his campaign. He argues it will help prevent election fraud. Kander contends the threat for election-related fraud stems from lax ethics polices and has called for bolstering state campaign finance and ethics laws.