While other states get early voting, Missouri gets long lines and inconvenient hours.ANDREW CUTRARO/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Story
Excepts from “Vote ‘no’ on Missouri’s sham early voting proposal” in The Kansas City Star
Missouri is in the dark ages when it comes to early voting. But a measure on the upcoming statewide ballot is not the path to enlightenment.
Constitutional Amendment 6 is a craven attempt by the state’s GOP-controlled General Assembly to make it very difficult for citizens to ever have a chance to vote at convenient hours and locations in the run-up to Election Day.
Voters should say NO on Nov. 4 and insist on a meaningful early voting proposal.
Most states, including Kansas, have passed laws making it possible for citizens to vote in the weeks leading to Election Day. Polling places are often open before and after business hours, and many states offer voting opportunities on weekends and through mail-in ballots.
Some groups and lawmakers in Missouri have for years attempted to get an early voting bill through the legislature. This year, a citizen-driven ballot initiative gained steam. It would have required six weeks of early voting, including on weekends.
When it looked as though backers might obtain enough signatures to put their initiative on the ballot, Republican lawmakers came back with a miserly proposal intended to appear on the same ballot and confuse the citizenry.
It would permit early voting in person or by mail for only six business days, ending on the Wednesday before the election. Polling places could not open on weekends. And voting would have to take place during regular business hours. So much for accommodating citizens who might get docked for missing work time to vote.
The amendment does nothing to encourage election authorities to offer early voting at convenient locations.
With Constitutional Amendment 6, Missouri would gain one of the most limited early voting laws in the nation. Most states allow at least two weeks, with voting opportunities on evenings and weekends.
All that is bad enough. But there’s more: Early voting wouldn’t take place at all unless the legislature and governor free up funding for it every year.
“Rather than providing for early voting, this places deep restrictions on the possibility of early voting,” said Denise Lieberman, a lawyer with the Advancement Project, which promotes access to voting as a civil right. “It was promulgated by legislators who are in fact opposed to early voting.”
Categories: Opinion/Editorial, Political commentary, Politics, US News, Voter suppression, Voting rights
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It is true and it is depressing. What is wrong with this picture? What has happened to the GOP?
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Hi, gen. I hope this answers your question.
The Republican’s proposed constitutional amendment to restrict early voting will be on the ballot in November. I see it as a good thing. The proposal is a gift from the Republicans that should actually boost voter turnout. That could be favorable for Democrats on the Missouri ballot.
Democrats and many libertarian Republicans can be expected to vote against the amendment; Americans don’t like having their rights limited. We saw how voter suppression efforts backfired on Republicans in the last presidential election, and only hardened the resolve of voters to stand in long lines for hours if necessary to have their votes be counted.
The good news is that the proposed amendment will not affect access to the polls for the midterm election.
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I agree, this is good news. I was under the impression due to the recent Supreme Court decision, that the new laws did impact early voting.
I am thankful I was wrong. Thank you for posting this information.
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You might find this interesting: Can Dems Pull Another Crazy Senate Coup In South Dakota?
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