Prosecuting Attorney
August 4, 2026 · St. Louis County, Missouri · County · primary
How do we calculate vote impact?
Vote impact = representation (how much weight one vote carries here, the smaller the district's population, the higher the representation) + decisiveness (how likely this race is to be close, based on past results and number of candidates).
Representation: Low · 0 out of 100
This district is large for its type, so each vote is a smaller slice of the outcome. About 995,569 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(995,569 ÷ 995,569) ÷ ln(995,569 ÷ 1,934) = 0, comparing counties in MO (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No past results for this contest yet.
Low representation + unknown decisiveness → Below average vote impact.
Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information and capped at "High".
District Attorney is responsible for:
- Deciding who gets charged with crimes in the county
- Prosecuting criminal cases in court on the public's behalf
- Deciding plea deals and what sentences to ask for
- Working with police as cases are investigated and built
Affected Areas: Anti-Corruption, Public Safety and Crime Control, Gun Control, Women's Reproductive Rights, Civil Rights, Corporate Accountability
Candidates
David L. Bryant
Democratic · declared
David L. Bryant is a private defense attorney and former St. Louis County Traffic Court Commissioner. His legal career has also included service as a St. Louis city prosecutor and an attorney with the Missouri State Public Defender's office.
Melissa Price Smith
Democratic · Incumbent · declared
Melissa Price Smith is the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney. She joined the office in 2008 and supervised its Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Team before being sworn in as prosecuting attorney in January 2025.
Records: Anti-Corruption 1 for, 1 against, Corporate Accountability 1 for, Public Safety and Crime Control 3 for
Theo Brown Sr.
Libertarian · declared
Theo Brown Sr. is chief of the Castlepoint Fire Protection Association, a community-association trustee, and a freelance paralegal. He previously served as Kinloch police chief and fire marshal and briefly served on the St. Louis Community College Board of Trustees in 2014.
Election sources
Source: extcontent.stlouisco.com
Source: sos.mo.gov