CHAPTER 7 MISSOURI ELECTIONS “It is hard to imagine a day when my voice would not have had the impact that it has today. I am thankful for the 19th amendment, the opportunities it has allowed me to pursue and the accomplishments it has helped me achieve.” Senator Sandy Crawford (R-28) “We are a nation founded on the belief that all people are created equal and endowed by our Creator with unalienable rights. The 19th Amendment continues to allow women like me to fight for the preservation of these rights and raise our voice in support of freedom for generations to come.” Representative Chris Dinkins (R-144) 588 OFFICIAL MANUAL day, the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, or on another day expressly provided by city or county charter and in nonprimary years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in August. (115.123.1, RSMo) Missouri Voting The general election day is the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even- and Elections numbered years. The primary election day is the first Tuesday after the first Monday in August in Who registers to vote in Missouri? even-numbered years. (115.121 (1 & 2), RSMo) Elections for cities, towns, villages, school Citizens living in Missouri must register in boards and special district officers are held the order to vote. Any U.S. citizen 17 years and 6 first Tuesday after first Monday in April each months of age or older, if a Missouri resident, may year, known as “general municipal election day.” register and vote except: (115.121.3, RSMo) A person who is adjudged incapacitated. A statewide presidential preference primary A person who is confined under sentence of shall be held on the second Tuesday after the first imprisonment. Monday in March of each presidential election A person who is on probation or parole after year. (115.755, RSMo) conviction of a felony until finally discharged. Additional elections such as special elections A person who has been convicted of a felony or run off elections could also be held for voters. or misdemeanor connected with the right of suffrage. (115.133, RSMo) Who conducts registration and elections? How do Missourians register? Voter registration and the conduct of elections are the responsibilities of boards of election Qualified citizens may register atsos.mo.gov/ commissioners in the counties of Clay, Jackson, elections/govotemissouri/register, in person Platte and St. Louis; and in the cities of Kansas at the office of their local election authority, City and St. Louis; and of the election authority in by mail, at the driver’s license fee office or at St. Charles County. The county clerk serves as the participating state agencies. Registration in election authority in all other counties of the state. person is accomplished by filling out registration forms with information on identity, residence Special voting provisions and qualifications which are signed and sworn Disabled voters and persons prevented from to, then witnessed by the election authority or a voting at the polls because of absence or illness designee. (115.155, RSMo) may vote absentee. Persons with permanent Registration by mail, at the driver’s license fee disabilities may apply for permanent absentee office or at the participating state agencies requires ballot status by making application with the local submission of an application stating qualifications. election authority. (115.284, RSMo) Curbside A verification or rejection of registration is sent by voting is permitted in Missouri, or voters may the election authority within seven working days. be transferred to more accessible precincts. (115.155 and 115.159, RSMo) Local election officials should be contacted When do Missourians register? about absentee federal service balloting or “new resident” ballots for residents who arrive after the An unregistered citizen may register to vote registration deadline. at sos.mo.gov/elections/govotemissouri/register, at the local election officials’ place of business, What forms of identification are by requesting an application by mail from the acceptable? election authority, when renewing a Missouri Option 1: Show your valid Missouri Driver driver’s license or when receiving services from License, Missouri Nondriver License, Passport or a participating state agency. Special registration Military ID. sites and dates may be utilized prior to major *Option 2: Show one of the following: elections. Missouri Voter Registration Card, ID issued by The deadline for registration is the fourth Wednesday prior to an election. New Missouri Missouri, ID issued by the US Government, residents may register immediately. (115.135, ID issued by a Missouri university, college, RSMo) vocational or technical school, utility bill, bank statement or government check and then sign a When do Missourians vote? statement affirming your identity. The statutes require that all public elections Option 3: If you do not possess any of these be held on the general election day, the primary forms of identification, but are a registered voter, election day, the general municipal election you may cast a provisional ballot. MISSOURI VOTING AND ELECTIONS 589 More information about the photo voter of the votes cast statewide for at least one of its ID requirement is available online at www. candidates. New parties are formed by petition ShowIt2Vote.com. If you do not have an and may exist on the county, district or state level. approved form of identification from Option 1 They must meet the same standard as any other above, the Secretary of State’s Office will help party to remain “established.” At the time of primary elections, voters select you obtain the documents needed for a free photo county committee members of established ID (Missouri Nondriver License). Any questions parties in Missouri. Those committee people, thus may be directed to the Show It 2 Vote Hotline at elected, have certain duties and responsibilities. 866-868-3245. (115.427, RSMo) They serve, as appropriate, as members of legislative, senatorial, judicial and congressional Elections and political parties district committees. County, district or state Missourians do not register under party committee members may be called on to fill affiliation. Hence, at primary elections, voters candidate vacancies on party ballots or to select may choose which “established party” they nominees for special elections from time to time. vote within. Party nominees—and independent The state committees are selected, indirectly, by candidates—are then listed on the general local committee persons. The state committees election ballot. become especially important when delegates to There are presently five “established political presidential nominating (national) conventions parties” statewide—the Republican, Democratic, are being selected. Libertarian, Constitution and Green parties. Persons may seek the nomination of these parties for any elective office from the county level and above. In order to become “established,” a *Option 2: The signing of a statement is the subject of a party must have received more than two percent pending litigation. Registered voters in Missouri, 2010–2018 *This is the number of registered voters from the Missouri Centralized Voter Registration list as of the Nov. 6, 2018, General Election. This number is subject to change as the local election authorities continue to conduct their ongo- ing list maintenance activities. COUNTY 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 Adair 17,032 15,873 14,676 15,231 14,487 Andrew 12,050 12,308 11,842 12,188 12,577 Atchison 4,291 4,222 3,935 3,815 3,785 Audrain 16,384 16,734 15,442 15,507 15,033 Barry 20,847 20,665 20,292 21,045 20,803 Barton 8,536 8,712 8,686 8,653 8,636 Bates 11,806 11,913 11,218 11,616 11,492 Benton 13,722 13,770 13,525 13,877 14,587 Bollinger 8,611 8,600 8,170 8,287 8,404 Boone 118,350 125,339 116,074 131,020 128,457 Buchanan 54,790 52,390 54,108 52,049 52,996 Butler 33,259 29,999 29,486 28,799 29,348 Caldwell 6,226 6,201 6,043 6,328 6,408 Callaway 30,533 28,307 28,070 28,572 28,589 Camden 30,444 30,680 29,795 31,788 31,862 Cape Girardeau 51,611 52,928 52,628 53,503 53,438 Carroll 6,632 6,473 6,269 6,314 6,155 Carter 4,497 4,518 4,591 4,761 4,757 Cass 69,104 73,146 71,524 71,389 76,810 Cedar 8,597 8,450 8,194 8,416 8,738 Chariton 5,864 5,708 5,630 5,536 5,465 Christian 52,674 54,116 54,721 56,933 58,336 Clark 5,458 5,025 4,957 4,933 4,981 Clay 153,054 156,591 155,779 169,796 163,129 Clinton 13,817 14,395 14,250 14,700 14,792 Cole 52,022 53,249 52,775 53,755 53,183 590 OFFICIAL MANUAL COUNTY 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 Cooper 11,202 11,436 11,432 11,308 11,637 Crawford 17,270 16,154 15,908 16,131 16,227 Dade 5,784 5,889 5,909 5,986 6,077 Dallas 11,045 11,092 10,884 10,931 11,080 Daviess 5,389 5,285 5,028 5,396 5,374 De Kalb 6,541 6,678 6,549 6,504 6,517 Dent 9,477 9,676 9,731 9,558 9,934 Douglas 10,147 10,236 9,924 9,684 9,433 Dunklin 20,466 19,117 17,754 17,359 17,878 Franklin 68,812 69,647 69,219 70,716 71,989 Gasconade 10,663 10,723 10,498 10,634 10,653 Gentry 4,914 4,840 4,709 4,669 4,660 Greene 197,379 197,500 189,229 190,103 195,370 Grundy 6,693 6,763 6,751 6,726 6,241 Harrison 5,593 5,583 5,281 5,243 5,057 Henry 16,285 15,937 15,774 15,780 15,784 Hickory 7,138 6,714 6,584 6,762 7,000 Holt 3,841 3,577 3,475 3,324 3,348 Howard 7,805 7,886 7,075 6,939 7,052 Howell 26,229 26,801 26,486 27,043 26,500 Iron 7,143 7,035 6,893 6,983 6,907 Jackson 245,295 246,737 245,782 256,808 256,741 Jasper 76,247 78,268 78,973 77,987 77,443 Jefferson 143,343 148,086 138,097 148,904 152,980