KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Voters can begin casting ballots in-person at 6 a.m. Tuesday for Missouri’s primary election. The polls close at 7 p.m.
The director of elections for the Kansas City Election Board said there is a lot of excitement around the election. Shawn Kieffer expects polls to be busiest before work, at lunch and after work.
Kieffer predicts about 25 percent of the city’s registered voters will cast a ballot. The past two primaries saw 17 and 20 percent voter turnout.
The higher prediction for 2020 is thanks to an increase in mail-in ballots.
Tuesday, voters will decide on a series of federal, state and local races.
In Missouri, voters choose a ballot which corresponds to a political party. The winners of most of the races will advance to the general election in November.
There are a series of questions for which Missouri voters will issue final decisions Tuesday, including whether to expand Medicaid.
A complete list of what’s on the ballot can be found online. 41 Action News also compiled interviews with many of the candidates, also available online.
Keiffer said public health is paramount during the election. Voters will notice many changes to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
For one, the election board is using fewer polling locations than in years past, but the locations are bigger, allowing for more social distancing.
Poll workers will work behind a clear, plastic barrier, wear masks and gloves and use a disinfectant spray on high-touch areas.
Voters will keep the pencils they use to fill out the ballot. Poll workers will sanitize the stylus used for electronic voting. Voters can bring their own pencil and stylus.
“Machines will be continuously cleaned. Everybody will be well-protected. Of course, you add social distancing to that, we think we’ve done everything possible to keep the polling locations as safe as possible,” Kieffer explained.
He said there were no clusters of COVID-19 cases related to June’s election where the office took similar measures.
Poll workers are earning about $100 extra working today compared to a typical election because of the increased risk of the pandemic. That same hazard-style pay will be available in November’s general election.