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Ashcroft Addresses Delayed Municipal Elections

Ashcroft Addresses Delayed Municipal Elections

Ashcroft Addresses Delayed Municipal Elections

Municipal elections would have been today across the state if COVID-19 hadn’t pushed it back to June and August.

In the COVID-19 briefing Monday, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft initially addressed the likelihood of voting absentee statewide.

Ashcroft says the absentee ballot statute does not allow the Secretary of State’s office or election authorities to proactively send out absentee ballots to people that do not meet the requirements of the statute.

For Missouri to do so, it would take legislature making the change and the Governor signing off on it.

He goes on to say they’re hopeful for the June vote and are taking precautions to start planning during such uncertain times.

He says right now, there are no plans for any special voting abilities or absentee ballots, but that is always subject to change.

Ashcroft says he’s been working with the clerks association, Governor’s office, secretary of states across the country about potential things we may see done by legislative leaders.

Ashcroft says they have to plan for the potential that there will be no legislative reprieve and what will be done to hold the elections under current law.

They are working to identifying polling locations, workers, new procedures and methodologies to allow people to vote.

He says his biggest concern is what happens in November.

As people are physically distancing, Missourians are making a difference.

Ashcroft says he’s feeling better and better about the upcoming elections but there is some concern that in November, potentially it comes back.

They’re striving to hold municipal elections as a dry run for how the state would run November elections if the coronavirus comes back or gets worse.

Ashcroft says its their job to plan for everything so the people of Missouri are able to enjoy their right to vote.

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