Rev. Traci Blackmon is co-hosting a voter education forum at her church in Florissant on Saturday to make sure people know how much is at stake in the November 6 midterm election.
One of the most nationally important U.S. Senate races will be contested in Missouri, as will ballot issues for raising the minimum wage, cleaning up the campaign-contribution process, and legalizing medical marijuana, among others.
“These are issues that impact our daily lives and are necessary for us to weigh in on,” Blackmon said. “And to evaluate the candidates up for election based on one’s own moral principles for healthy and equitable living. At least let your voice be heard.”
Blackmon pointed out that not voting does not remove you from the political process.
“To not vote at all is to vote as well,” she said. “It’s one less vote that’s in your best interest.”
For your voice to be heard in this election, you do not need to show a photo ID at the poll, as a constitutional amendment requiring that was overturned in the courts.
Over the weekend, St. Louis city and county election authorities revised all their election materials stating that voters needed a photo ID to get a ballot.
Earlier this month, Cole County Circuit Judge Richard Callahan issued a ruling in a lawsuit that basically threw out the photo ID requirement ‒ the core of the voter ID constitutional amendment that was enacted on June 1, 2017. And on October 19, the Missouri Supreme Court denied an appeal by Attorney General Josh Hawley and Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, both Republicans, to halt the lower court’s decision.
Under the constitutional amendment, if voters didn’t have a photo ID, they would have needed to provide another form of ID and then sign a sworn statement.
“What the court said was: you cannot require a voter to produce a photo ID,” said Gary Stoff, St. Louis city election director. “Because they don’t have to show a photo ID, they don’t have to sign the statement if they don’t have one. What that means in terms of election day is it will actually simplify the process.”
Voters with any form of acceptable identification will be immediately processed ‒ as long as they are at the correct polling location, said Eric Fey, Democratic director of elections for St. Louis County. Acceptable forms of ID include a driver’s license, social security card, state college ID, utility bill, bank statement, government check, and paycheck.
The voter information cards that come in the mail are also valid. For city voters, those cards should land in mailboxes this week, Stoff said. For county voters, Fey said some cards will arrive this week but most won’t receive their cards until next week due to a printing error.
St. Louis County will deploy about 3,500 election judges to the polls on November 6, and the vast majority have already been trained, Fey said. Election authorities in both the city and county are now sending out mass text messages, emails and calls to update the poll workers on the court ruling.
“It’s going to be a challenge just to get a hold of them in this time frame,” Fey said.
Voters asked for a photo ID should call the city election board at 314-622-4800 or the county board at 314-615-1800.
Also, voters who encounter problems at the polls can call the Missouri Election Protection Coalition hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE (687-8683), which is part of a national effort.
“That number is live right now,” said Denise Lieberman, coordinator for the state’s coalition and an attorney with the Advancement Project. “And anybody who calls that number from Missouri, that line will be answered by a Missouri attorney.”
On November 6, they will have nonpartisan monitors at polling locations throughout the metropolitan area.
“Our sole job is to help voters navigate the process and make sure that no one leaves the polling place without casting a ballot,” Lieberman said.
Lieberman and election authorities encourage voters to double-check their voter registration and polling location. Voters can’t cast a ballot at the wrong location.
They also encourage them to print out a sample ballot and bring it to the polls already filled out. There are numerous constitutional amendments and propositions that all take a while to read for the first time, they said.
For a sample ballot in the county, visit www.stlouisco.com/yourgovernment/elections and click on “Sample Ballot.” In the city, visit www.tinyurl.com/STL-sample-ballot. The Missouri Secretary of State also offers the chance to preview candidates and issues for most voting precincts at voteroutreach.sos.mo.gov. Your local election authority also should have a sample ballot to preview in the office.
October 27 voter forums
Black Jack Councilwoman Carmen Watkins-Austell is partnering with Rev. Blackmon and Christ the King United Church of Christ to host a voter forum on Saturday, October 27, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the church, located at 11370 Old Halls Ferry Rd. in Florissant.
The forum will provide helpful information about the candidates and issues on the ballot, said Rev. Blackmon, who is senior pastor of the church.
“The League of Women Voters have put together some helpful handouts on what a vote ‘yes’ will mean and what a vote ‘no’ will mean,” Blackmon said.
They are also hoping to help people develop a method that they can use in every election to evaluate candidates and ballot measures.
“We are the church, so we can’t be partisan but we can be political,” Blackmon said. “We have to be political in this age, and we have to stand up for what’s best, not just for us but for generations to come. Right now, policy is being enacted that will outlive the adults who are voting now. We have to think not just ourselves but of future generations.”
The League of Women Voters is also hosting a Fall Ballot Issues Forum on October 27 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Louis Community College Florissant Valley in the Memorial Union, 3400 Pershall Rd.
Call the St. Louis election board at 314-622-4800 or the St. Louis County election board at 314-615-1800.
