Missouri Secretary of State Urges In Person Voting in November

Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft says the best way to make sure your vote counts is to go to the poll to vote. This according to an article on Ozarksfirst.com.

“The best way to vote is to vote in person and it will be safe and secure and it will give us the results the fastest, which, I think, is really good for the credibility for the process,” Ashcroft told Ozarksfirst.com.

Not that voting by mail can't be done. Ashcroft told the website the best way to make sure your vote counts if you're mailing in your ballot is to send it in to the state two weeks prior to the Tuesday November 3 election. So that means you should have your correctly filled ballot in the mail by Tuesday October 20.

However, you can't do as President Trump suggested and go to the polling place, see if your vote counted and if it didn't vote again. Ashcroft told Ozarksfirst.com one of the reasons election officials check your identity at the poll is to see if you've received an absentee or mail in ballot. If you have you can't get another ballot and vote at the polling place.

If you're thinking of mailing in your vote because you're concerned about getting the coronavirus I understand. I personally don't believe the coronavirus is a big issue if you wear a mask, stay physically distant and use hand sanitizer after voting.

That said, if you want to vote by mail the Missouri Secretary of State website has more information on mail in voting. You can see that page here. You do need to request a ballot, so you'll want to start this process sooner rather than later.

It certainly is your right to complain about the election outcome. However, if you don't exercise your right to vote, your not voting figures into the decision as much, if not more so than those who do vote

"Decisions are made by those who show up." It's a quote widely attributed to Aaron Sorkin, writer and creator of the political drama "The West Wing". He even had a character or two in the show say those words. (It's also been attributed to others like Benjamin Franklin and Woody Allen.)  A similar quote is attributed to political analyst Larry J. Sabato, "Every election is determined by the people who show up."

You can vigorously support your candidates on Facebook. You can spout off about what a bad idea Medicaid expansion is in Missouri. And you can moan and groan about Pettis County voters being hoodwinked by politicians and civic groups into using tax money to build the Heckart Community Center.

Yet if you didn't show up at the poll and vote for your candidate, or vote your conscience on the issues you care about. You really are making a decision, a decision that may well help the other side. My point is, make your voice heard. Vote not only on November 3, but in all elections. Show up and help make the decision for your Country's future and your community's future.

We have a variety of resources on our website to help make sure you can exercise your right to vote. You can check them out at the link below.

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