As election looms, registration must be current

There is an election coming that will determine the next president of the United States, and the polls will likely be very busy Tuesday, Nov. 5. In an effort to reduce any confusion that might go along with those events, both the Butler County and Stoddard County Clerk offices have produced some helpful information.

According to both offices, the last day to register to vote is Wednesday, October 9; and that information isn’t just for first-time voters.

“It can be one of those things where someone hasn’t voted for 20 or more years, but they think they’re still registered,” Stoddard County Clerk Cecil Weeks explained. “Some people find out the hard way that they aren’t registered.”

Butler County Clerk Donna Hillis was unavailable for comment at the time of this publication, due to attending a mandatory conference.

Both clerk offices explained that voter information is confirmed when a notice is mailed out to verify current information is accurate. If that information is not verified, the registration is cleared. Weeks explained that when someone moves, they have to register again because they likely will be part of a different district; and if someone moves to a different county, it’s certain they should register again.

“If it’s a situation where someone moved from Butler County to Stoddard County, they need to register to vote in Stoddard County,” Weeks explained. “Unfortunately, these are things that people don’t think about sometimes.”

“A person can check their voter registration online by going to the Secretary of State website,” explained Butler County Election Authority Paige McGregor. “Or they can call the county clerk’s office or just stop by.”

Weeks confirmed that general election numbers are typically much higher than mid-term election voter numbers, due to the high amounts of publicity and numerous items on the ballot.

“Our general election years see almost double the number of voters than the mid-term elections,” Weeks remarked. “The percentages stay pretty consistent from one type of election to the next.”

One option available to voters if they aren’t found to be on the voter rolls for one reason or another is to request a provisional ballot at the poll.

“There are two different color provisional ballots,” Weeks noted. “The blue one is for someone with no photo I.D. to prove who they are, and the yellow one is for people whose names aren’t found in the system for some reason or another.”

Weeks emphasized that, since voting is a right, a person at the poll should request a provisional ballot if they aren’t found on the voter roll.

“In the event a person has to file a provisional ballot, they should just do it,” Weeks remarked. “We are very professional and we will do everything we can to determine a provisional ballot’s authenticity.”

In an effort to make sure everyone who is eligible to vote will be able to do so, both clerk offices are encouraging people to stop into their offices to make sure everything is as it should be. No excuse absentee voting will begin Oct. 22.

“My staff is very prepared and ready to go,” Weeks remarked. “Beginning Oct. 22 and all the way to Friday, Nov. 1, my office will be open one hour later than normal until 6 p.m.”

Weeks also noted that his office will be open from 8 am - noon Saturday, Nov. 2; but the office will close at 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 4, due to statutory requirements.

Weeks explained sample ballots are not currently available, due to several active litigations regarding ballot measures, according to the Missouri Secretary of State. But voters should be able to start casting absentee ballots as of Sept. 23, unless there are further delays.