Staff reports
| Springfield News-Leader
Missouri’s August primary is today. Polls open at 6 a.m. and remain open until 7 p.m., with unofficial results expected a few hours after that. With party primaries in most statewide offices, the Missouri legislature and U.S. Congress, Greene County Clerk Shane Schoeller has said he expects a 30% voter turnout for the primary election — a bit shy of the 32% turnout recorded in 2020 but higher than the 24% logged in 2022.
Whether you’re still doing your research or want to double-check you have everything you need before heading to the polls, here’s a quick refresher of election day dos and don’ts as well as who to call if you run into any problems.
Where do I vote?
The Greene County Clerk’s Office website offers a searchable map of polling locations for local voters online at vote.greenecountymo.gov/voting-information. The Missouri Secretary of State’s Office also hosts a website for looking up polling places across the state, at GoVoteMissouri.com.
How late can I vote?
Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., and as long as you’re in line when they close, you’ll be allowed to cast your ballot.
What do I need to bring with me to vote?
Under Voter ID laws passed in 2022, voters must bring a non-expired photo ID issued by the state of Missouri or federal government. Examples of this include a Missouri driver’s license, Missouri non-driver’s license, a U.S. passport or military ID. You don’t need to have a REAL ID to vote, and the address listed on your ID doesn’t have to match the address on your voter registration.
If you don’t have a state or federally issued photo ID, you may cast a provisional ballot. These can be verified and counted by either bringing your photo ID to the polling place before the end of the polling hours, or by checking your signature against the signature on the voter registration form.
If you want to double-check your registration, the Secretary of State’s Office has an online portal where you can do that at voteroutreach.sos.mo.gov/portal.
Who and what is on the ballot?
Primary ballots are organized by party, with the option to request a non-partisan ballot featuring only statewide and local questions that don’t involve a party nomination. You don’t have to be registered with a particular party to pull that party’s ballot but you can only choose one.
Sample ballots listing all of the candidates and issues are available on the Greene County Clerk’s website at vote.greenecountymo.gov/voting-information/#sample.
All of the News-Leader’s primary election coverage, including overviews of the candidates and ballot measures and individual race profiles, is available online and free to all readers as a public service. Check out News-Leader.com, where you’ll find live coverage from the polls along with results Tuesday night.
More: What’s on the ballot in Springfield and Greene County in the August primary elections
What are the rules on electioneering — and what shouldn’t you wear to the polls?
State law prohibits “electioneering” within 25 feet of polling places, which is most commonly used to keep people from handing out pamphlets, posting signs or otherwise advocating for a candidate or issue within that distance.
That includes wearing hats, T-shirts and other clothing with a candidate’s name or political party on it, so leave those at home or in the car before heading inside to vote.
Who can I call if I have a problem at the polls?
If you run into any trouble voting on election day, the Greene County Clerk’s Office can be reached at (417) 868-4060.
The Missouri Secretary of State’s Office also manages an elections integrity hotline at 1-800-669-8683 and can field questions or complaints.
The nonpartisan national Election Protection coalition also staffs a hotline, 866-OUR-VOTE, with volunteer attorneys available to answer questions.
When will the candidate signs go away?
With the November general election on the horizon, at least some of the candidate signs you see around town are likely to stick around (and be joined by others). Signs for candidates who win Tuesday and advance to the November election can stay up, but for candidates who lose in the primary and do not advance, city ordinance requires signs to be removed within 48 hours after the election.
To report signs left up in violation of the ordinance, residents can contact Springfield’s Citizen Resource Center at 417-864-1010, or submit a service request at through the city’s mobile app, GoSpringfieldMO.
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Publish date : 2024-08-05 22:50:00
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