CHAPTER 7 Missouri Elections “Working Man” (Missouri State Archives, Putman Collection) 628 OFFICIAL MANUAL When do Missourians register? An unregistered citizen may register to vote whenever local election officials’ places of busi- Missouri ness are open, by requesting an application by mail from the election authority, when renewing a Missouri driver’s license or when receiving services from a participating state agency. Spe- Voting and cial registration sites and dates may be utilized prior to major elections. The deadline for registration is the fourth Elections Wednesday prior to an election. New Missouri residents may register immediately. Who registers to vote in Missouri? When do Missourians vote? Citizens living in Missouri must register in In addition to certain special and emergency order to vote. Any U.S. citizen 17 years and 6 dates, there are six official election dates in Mis- months of age or older, if a Missouri resident, souri: may register and vote except: The statutes require that all public elections • A person who is adjudged incapacitated be held on the general election day, the primary • A person who is confined under sentence election day, the general municipal election day, of imprisonment the first Tuesday after the first Monday in Febru- ary or November, or on another day expressly • A person who is on probation or provided by city or county charter, the first Tues- parole after conviction of a felony until day after the first Monday in June and in nonpri- finally discharged mary years on the first Tuesday after the first • A person who has been convicted of a Monday in August. (RSMo 115.123.1) felony or misdemeanor connected with The general election day is the first Tuesday the right of suffrage (RSMo 115.133) after the first Monday in November in even- numbered years. The primary election day is the How do Missourians register? first Tuesday after the first Monday in August in Qualified citizens may register in person at even-numbered years. (RSMo 115.121 (1 & 2)) the office of their local election authority, by Elections for cities, towns, villages, school mail, at the driver’s license fee office or at partic- boards and special district officers are held the ipating state agencies. Registration in person is first Tuesday after the first Monday in April each accomplished by filling out registration forms year, known as general municipal election day. with information on identity, residence and (RSMo 115.121.3) qualifications which are signed and sworn to, A statewide presidential preference primary then witnessed by the election authority or a shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first designee. The voter must present appropriate Monday in February of each presidential elec- identification such as a birth certificate, a Native tion year. (RSMo 115.755) American tribal document, other proof of Unit- ed States citizenship, a valid Missouri driver’s Who conducts registration and license or other form of personal identification. (RSMo 115.155) elections? Registration by mail, at the driver’s license Voter registration and the conduct of elec- fee office or at the participating state agencies tions are the responsibilities of boards of elec- requires submission of an application stating tion commissioners in the counties of Clay, Jack- qualifications. If mailed, this form must be post- son, Platte and St. Louis and in the cities of marked by the fourth Wednesday preceding an Kansas City and St. Louis. In 2005, legislation election to be eligible to vote in that election. was passed giving Cass County the option of set- The voter must include a copy of appropriate ting up a board of election commissioners. The county clerk serves as the election authority in identification (see above). If the voter does not all other counties of the state. submit such information, the voter will be required to vote in person for the first time and to present additional identification upon voting Special voting provisions for the first time. A verification or rejection of Disabled voters and persons prevented from registration is sent by the election authority with- voting because of absence or illness may vote in seven working days. (RSMo 115.159) absentee. Persons with permanent disabilities MISSOURI VOTING AND ELECTIONS 629 may apply for permanent absentee ballot status the nomination of these parties for any elective by making application with the local election office from the county level and above. In order authority. (RSMo 115.284) Curbside voting is to become ‘’established,’’ a party must have permitted in Missouri, or voters may be trans- received more than two percent of the votes cast ferred to more accessible precincts. Local elec- statewide for at least one of its candidates. New tion officials should be contacted about absen- parties are formed by petition and may exist on tee federal service balloting or ‘’new resident’’ the county, district or state level. They must meet ballots for residents who arrive after the registra- the same standard as any other party to remain tion deadline. established. When voting, Missourians must show an At the time of primary elections, voters select approved form of personal identification. (RSMo county committee members of established par- 115.427) ties in Missouri. Those committee people, thus elected, have certain duties and responsibilities. Elections and political parties They serve, as appropriate, as members of leg- islative, senatorial, judicial, and congressional Missourians do not register under party affil- district committees. County, district, or state iation. Hence, at primary elections, voters may committee members may be called on to fill choose which ‘’established party’’ they vote candidate vacancies on party ballots or to select within. Party nominees—and independent can- nominees for special elections as needed. The didates—are then listed on the general election state committees are selected, indirectly, by ballot. local committee persons. The state committees There are presently three ‘’established politi- become especially important when delegates to cal parties’’ statewide—the Democratic, Repub- presidential nominating (national) conventions lican and Libertarian parties. Persons may seek are being selected. 630 OFFICIAL MANUAL Registered voters in Missouri, 1998–2004 County 1998 2000 2002 2004 County 1998 2000 2002 2004 Adair 18,298 16,333 18,467 18,262 Macon 10,251 10,719 10,261 10,721 Andrew 10,043 10,529 10,523 11,749 Madison 9,200 9,724 9,378 9,934 Atchison 4,498 5,041 4,914 4,647 Maries 6,552 6,532 6,622 6,115 Audrain 16,044 16,636 16,329 17,371 Marion 18,286 19,277 19,921 19,321 Barry 19,292 20,747 21,399 22,486 McDonald 14,097 14,405 12,933 12,888 Barton 7,835 8,580 9,204 9,993 Mercer 2,412 2,798 2,828 2,633 Bates 11,190 11,915 10,948 11,938 Miller 14,706 15,889 16,315 16,986 Benton 11,096 12,213 13,055 13,441 Mississippi 10,894 10,648 9,898 9,299 Bollinger 9,019 9,125 9,535 9,475 Moniteau 8,543 9,104 9,233 9,543 Boone 96,845 106,671 93,722 112,682 Monroe 6,131 6,410 6,291 6,455 Buchanan 53,685 54,175 54,358 58,738 Montgomery 8,092 8,448 8,031 8,363 Butler 32,001 34,188 35,318 36,863 Morgan 12,191 12,866 12,425 14,469 Caldwell 6,561 6,802 6,109 7,382 New Madrid 11,764 12,793 11,507 12,706 Callaway 22,537 24,716 23,874 27,317 Newton 35,012 37,616 39,684 40,620 Camden 24,246 26,896 28,400 28,764 Nodaway 12,620 13,710 12,899 15,360 Cape Girardeau44,266 47,943 42,017 48,654 Oregon 6,877 6,735 6,907 7,131 Carroll 7,800 7,978 7,328 7,245 Osage 8,360 8,750 8,719 9,444 Carter 5,044 4,815 5,082 4,615 Ozark 7,531 7,670 7,078 8,472 Cass 45,950 57,502 62,000 67,464 Pemiscot 16,064 16,309 16,855 20,076 Cedar 10,586 9,728 10,266 10,270 Perry 10,654 11,458 11,975 11,534 Chariton 7,296 7,017 6,881 7,017 Pettis 23,965 25,175 25,433 27,406 Christian 36,795 37,848 48,080 49,809 Phelps 25,290 23,642 23,906 25,888 Clark 4,740 4,978 5,098 5,261 Pike 11,319 11,885 11,130 12,912 Clay 117,438 125,805 104,613 137,399 Platte 47,811 57,069 55,025 68,435 Clinton 12,851 13,589 14,741 15,790 Polk 18,072 19,231 15,108 18,393 Cole 47,042 47,898 49,463 51,284 Pulaski 17,877 19,205 20,983 21,534 Cooper 10,299 10,802 10,448 11,054 Putnam 3,907 4,129 4,044 4,220 Crawford 15,620 15,865 17,237 16,847 Ralls 7,394 7,324 7,400 8,244 Dade 5,393 5,893 6,108 6,381 Randolph 16,326 16,694 16,498 15,725 Dallas 8,747 9,551 9,864 12,562 Ray 16,638 16,171 17,022 15,528 Daviess 4,929 4,982 5,416 5,580 Reynolds 6,563 6,870 6,888 7,823 DeKalb 5,708 5,699 6,110 6,456 Ripley 9,277 9,785 10,208 9,250 Dent 10,119 10,248 7,580 9,673 St.