“There is no excuse for anybody not voting,” County Executive Charlie A. Dooley said Monday afternoon at the St. Louis County Board of Police Commissioners.
Dooley was flanked by “get out the vote” crews from the service workers’ union, all holding campaign signs for U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, who is up for reelection on the November 6 ballot.
In fact, Dooley was speaking as a surrogate for Senator McCaskill, who left the campaign trail to be with her critically ill mother.
“Claire wishes she could be here, but she is taking care of her family,” Dooley said. “She is where she needs to be.”
Betty Anne McCaskill passed away later on Monday surrounded by family at the age of 84.
Dooley, a Democrat, previously endorsed McCaskill, as have most other elected Democrats in the state. With President Barack Obama polling poorly in Missouri and Governor Jay Nixon facing a marginal Republican challenge, McCaskill’s race is the hottest at the top of the ticket for Democrats.
Indeed, several other statewide Democratic candidates – including Attorney General Chris Koster, Jason Kander (who is running for the open seat Secretary of State) and Susan Montee (who is running against incumbent Republican Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder) – also took brief breaks from their own campaigns this week to stump for McCaskill.
Dooley’s remarks on Monday were plainly partisan, and he spoke from McCaskill’s campaign playbook, positioning her as a moderate against the right-wing extremism of Todd Akin, her Republican opponent.
“I’ve watched Claire work hard to position herself as a moderate,” Dooley said. “Todd Akin’s extremism would be extremely painful to middle-class families.”
He cited McCaskill’s support of affordable student loans and a livable minimum wage. Akin wishes to abolish the minimum wage and federal student loans and wants to privatize Social Security.
“He is too far outside the mainstream,” Dooley said of Akin, as McCaskill has said of him repeatedly.
Dooley said Akin’s extremism would only contribute to the dysfunctionality of the current Congress.
“Claire believes in compromising to find real solutions,” Dooley said. “Todd Akin thinks ‘compromise’ is a dirty word. He would only add to the partisan gridlock in Congress.”
But Dooley’s main message was not so much vote for McCaskill, or vote Democrat, as it was simply to vote – get out and vote on Tuesday, November 6 (or any time before November 5, if you are eligible for absentee or early voting).
“Every Missourian has to get out to the polls on November 6,” Dooley said. “Every Missourian has a stake in this election.”
He emphasized, “Voting is the most important thing. It is crucial that people get out and vote. And get your family, your neighbors, your community, and the people at your jobs to get out and vote.”
Polling places open on Tuesday, November 6 at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. To see if you are eligible for absentee or early voting, visit your local election authority. The St. Louis city election board is located at 300 N. Tucker. The St. Louis County election board is located at 12 Sunnen Dr. just west of Big Bend and south of Manchester. The St. Clair County (Illinois) Clerk’s Office is located at 10 Public Square, 2nd floor in Belleville. St. Clair County Clerk’s Office #10 Public Square, 2nd Floor Belleville, IL 62220 618-277-6600 x2380.
For more information on the November 6 election, visit the League’s website at www.lwvstl.org or call 314-961-6869. You may also visit the Missouri Secretary of State’s website at www.sos.mo.gov. The St. Louis city election board may be reached at http://www.stlelections.com/ or 314-622-4336. The St. Louis County election board may be reached at http://www.stlouisco.com/YourGovernment/Elections or at or 314-615-1800. The Illinois State Board of Elections may be reached at www.elections.state.il.us or 217-782-4141.
