Missouri Election Guide

Election 2022 Information for Westphalia, MO

Voter Registration

Registration Deadline: Voters must register in person by the Election Day deadline if registering by mail, your voter registration must be postmarked by the fourth Wednesday prior to the election.

 

Party Affiliation: Missouri has what is known as an "open" primary. In an open primary, voters may take a ballot for any party and vote for those candidates. Missouri does not require voters to "affiliate" with any political party when they register.

 

Voter Registration Qualifications

Age: must be 17 ½ years of age to register and 18 years on or before Election Day.

Citizenship: Must be a United States citizen

Residency: Must be a Missouri resident

Mental Competency: Must not be adjudged incapacitated by any court of law.

Felony Convictions: The voter cannot be imprisoned; cannot be on probation or parole after conviction of a felony; and cannot have been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor connected to voting

 

Obtaining a Voter Registration Form

Online: Mississippi voter registration form

In person: Voters may register in person at their County Clerk's office. Voter registration applications are also available at a Department of Motor Vehicles office or any state agency providing service to the public.

By mail/ in writing: Download a form and mail the physical copy to your local county clerk. Or you can request an application be mailed to you. If you choose to request an application by mail, you will receive your blank application form in 3-5 business days.



Verifying Your Voter Registration Status

Online: Missouri voter registration verification

Phone: Contact your County Clerk/Election Official to verify your voter registration

 

Absentee Ballot Qualifications

Who can vote absentee:

Registered Missourians who expect to be prevented from going to their polling place on Election Day may vote absentee beginning six weeks prior to an election.

 

Absentee voters must provide one of the following reasons for voting absentee:

- Absence on Election Day from the jurisdiction of the election authority in which such voter is registered to vote;

- Incapacity or confinement due to illness or physical disability, including a person who is primarily responsible for the physical care of a person who is incapacitated or confined due to illness or disability;

- Religious belief or practice;

- Employment as an election authority, as a member of an election authority, or by an election authority at a location other than such voter's polling place;

- Incarceration, provided all qualifications for voting are retained.

- Certified participation in the address confidentiality program established under sections 589.660 to 589.681 because of safety concerns.

 

Obtaining an Absentee Ballot

Voters can request absentee ballots from their local election authority in person, by mail, by fax or by e-mail. Relatives within the second degree (spouse, parents and children) may complete an absentee ballot application, in person, on behalf of the voter who wishes to vote absentee.

 

DO NOT SEND ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATIONS TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE. ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATIONS MUST BE SENT TO THE APPROPRIATE LOCAL ELECTION AUTHORITY BY THE DEADLINE IN ORDER TO BE VALID. 

 

Voters requesting an absentee ballot by mail who have registered by mail and have not voted in person are required to submit a copy of their personal identification unless they provided a copy with their registration application. Examples include:

 

-Identification issued by the state of Missouri, an agency of the state, or a local election authority of the state;

-Identification issued by the United States government or agency thereof;

-Identification issued by an institution of higher education, including a university, college, vocational and technical school, located within the state of Missouri;

-A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that contains the name and address of the voter; or

-Other identification approved by the secretary of state under rules promulgated pursuant to Missouri law.

 

Mail in or faxed absentee ballot requests must be received by the election authority no later than the 5:00 p.m. on the Wednesday prior to any election.



Military and overseas voting: If you are not registered to vote, you can register and request your absentee ballot at the same time using the Federal Post Card Application(FPCA). On this form you will select how you wish to receive your blank ballot, which may be sent to you by mail, fax, or email. More information for Military and Overseas Voters available.

 

Submitting an Absentee Ballot

Location and time: Voters can vote by absentee in the office of the local election authority until 5:00 p.m. the night before the election.

 

VOTER ID

Show one of the forms of acceptable identification and sign the poll book to obtain your ballot:

-Identification issued by the state of Missouri, an agency of the state, or a local election authority of the state;

-Identification issued by the United States government or agency thereof;

-Identification issued by an institution of higher education, including a university, college, vocational and technical school, located within the state of Missouri; or

-A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check or other government document that contains the name and address of the voter.

If you do not possess any of these forms of identification, but are a registered voter, you may cast a provisional ballot. Your ballot will count if: (1) you return to your polling place on Election Day with a photo ID; or (2) the signature on your provisional ballot envelope is determined by your local election authority to match the signature on your voter registration record.

If you cast a provisional ballot, you will receive a stub from your provisional ballot envelope with instructions on how to verify that your provisional ballot is counted

VOTING ON ELECTION DAY

Polling places open at 6:00 a.m. and remain open until 7:00 p.m. Those individuals arriving after the polling place has closed will not be allowed to vote. However, those individuals in line at 7:00 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

If you are a registered voter, you can vote. Missouri law provides multiple identification options. For more information, view acceptable IDs.

Additional Information

Verifying Registration: Missouri voter registration verification

Deciding how to vote: https://votesmart.org/

Polling Location: Missouri Polling place finder

Problems with voting: File a grievance with the Missouri Secretary of State Elections Division If you believe that you have witnessed a violation of Missouri Elections Law. For potential violations of Title III of the Help America Vote Act of 2002, fill out the HAVA Complaint Form. For more information click here

Verifying provisional ballot status: If your name does not appear on the poll book and you are eligible to vote at that precinct, you may be entitled to vote a provisional ballot. Every effort will be made to determine your eligibility and your correct polling place so that you can cast a regular ballot. If it can be determined that you are at the wrong polling place, you will be directed to the correct or central polling place to cast a regular ballot.

Election 2022 Ballot Measures

Marijuana Legalization Initiative

The initiative would legalize the purchase, possession, consumption, use, delivery, manufacturing, and sale of marijuana for personal use for persons who are 21 years old or older; allow individuals convicted of non-violent marijuana-related offenses to petition to be released from incarceration and/or have their records expunged; and impose a 6% tax on the sale of marijuana.

More Information: Click Here

Amendment 5 - Missouri Department of the National Guard Amendment

This ballot measure would give the Missouri National Guard its own department in the state government. Currently, the Missouri National Guard is part of the Missouri Department of Public Safety.

More Information: Click Here

Amendment 1 - State Treasurer Investment Authority Amendment

Amendment 1 would amend the Missouri Constitution to authorize the state treasurer to invest state funds in highly rated municipal securities. Specifically, the state treasurer would be allowed to invest in municipal securities that possess one of the five highest long term-ratings or short-term ratings issued by a nationally recognized rating agency. The ballot measure would also allow the legislature to pass laws allowing the treasurer to invest in "other reasonable and prudent financial instruments and securities."

More Information: Click Here

Constitutional Convention

A constitutional convention consists of elected delegates that propose changes to the state's constitution. Any proposed changes, including a rewritten constitution, must be approved by voters.

More Information: Click Here

Amendment 4 - Missouri Allow Legislature to Require a City to Increase Funding without State Reimbursement for a Police Force Established by State Board Amendment

Under current law, the General Assembly cannot require a city to increase an activity or service beyond that required by existing law, unless a state appropriation is made to pay the city for any increase costs.

This proposed Constitutional amendment, if approved by the voters, provides an exception to allow for a law that increases minimum funding, if increased before December 31, 2026, for a police force established by a state board of police commissioners to ensure they have additional resources to serve their communities.

More Information: Click Here

Your Elected Officials

Joe Biden
Democratic 
President
Kamala Harris
Democratic 
Vice President
Josh Hawley
Republican 
U.S. Senate
District Senior Seat
Eric Schmitt
Republican 
U.S. Senate
District Junior Seat
Blaine Luetkemeyer
Republican 
U.S. House
District 3
Mike Parson
Republican 
Governor
Mike Kehoe
Republican 
Lieutenant Governor
Bruce Sassmann
Republican 
State House
District 61
Ben Brown
Republican 
State Senate
District 26
Andrew Bailey
Republican 
Attorney General
Jay Ashcroft
Republican 
Secretary of State
Scott Fitzpatrick
Republican 
Auditor
Gary Romine
 
Chair of the Tax Commission
Margie Vandeven
 
Commissioner of Education
Chris Chinn
 
Director of Department of Agriculture
Anna Hui
 
Director of Labor and Industrial Relations
Chlora Lindley-Myers
 
Director of the Department of Insurance
Dru Buntin
 
Director of the Department of Natural Resources
Bennett Boggs
 
Higher Education Commissioner
Jason Holsman
Democratic 
Public Service Commissioner
Glen Kolkmeyer
Republican 
Public Service Commissioner
Scott Rupp
Republican 
Public Service Commissioner
Ryan Silvey
Republican 
Public Service Commissioner
Vivek Malek
Republican 
Treasurer
Kimberly Bailey
 
State Board of Education
Kerry Casey
 
State Board of Education
Donald Claycomb
 
State Board of Education
Carol Hallquist
 
State Board of Education
Peter Herschend
 
State Board of Education
Mary Schrag
 
State Board of Education
Charles Shields
 
State Board of Education
Pamela Westbrooks-Hodge
 
State Board of Education