Mo. Rev. Stat. § 47.310

47.310. Proceedings for dividing counties. — 1. The question of dividing any county or of striking from any county any portion thereof, whether for the purpose of forming a new county or of adding to any other county, or of adding thereto any portion of any other county, may, by the order of the county commission of any county to be affected, made on the petition therefor of not less than one hundred voters of such county, duly entered of record, and setting out fully the proposed change, the reason and object thereof, and the boundaries of such county if the change were made, be submitted to a vote of the people of the county, being the voters thereof, at the next general election after the making of such order.

2. The question shall be submitted in substantially the following form:

Shall the proposed change in the ______ county boundary be made?

3. If the result shows a majority of the voters of the county voting on the question to have voted for the proposed change, the county clerk shall, at the time of certifying such returns to the secretary of state, also certify to that officer two copies of said order of the county commission, and of said publication, and of the affidavit of the publisher, one copy to be retained on file in said secretary's office, and one copy, with a certified statement of the vote on such question, to be by him transmitted to the senate or house of representatives during the first ten days of the first session of the general assembly after the receipt thereof, and thereupon the general assembly may take such action in the premises, subject to the provisions of the constitution, as may seem best. No submission of the question authorized under the provisions of this section shall be held upon substantially the same question more often than once in five years.

(RSMo 1939 § 13699, A.L. 1978 H.B. 971) Prior revisions: 1929 § 12040; 1919 § 9442; 1909 § 3663