KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Registered voters in Missouri can take part in the state’s primary election Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022. Most questions on Tuesday’s ballot will narrow down the list of candidates for Novembers general election. Here are some reminders for voters:
-Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Voters only need to be in line at 7 o’clock in order to cast a ballot, they do not need to complete voting by 7 p.m.
-Voters can find their polling locations and learn more about what’s on the ballot by visiting the Secretary of State’s voter outreach website.
-Voters need a form of identification. The Missouri Secretary of State says acceptable forms of identification include a driver’s license, a passport, a voter registration card, a utility bill with the voter’s name and address, or even a current college ID from a Missouri school.
-Voters will choose a ballot specific to one party. When they check in at their polling location, poll workers should ask voters which ballot they want. In Kansas City, there are ballots for the Democratic, Republican, Libertarian and Constitution parties. Some precincts offer a non-partisan or issues-only ballot.
-Voters can view, download, and fill out a sample ballot online before voting. Voters are allowed to bring that sample ballot with them to use as a guide while voting Tuesday.
-The director of elections for the Kansas City Election Board said the best time to vote is mid-morning and mid-afternoon. That’s when he expects the least amount of traffic. The KCEB expects about 30% of registered voters to cast ballots this election. That is slightly above the average of 27% for most primary elections.
-To prevent voter fraud or error, the KCEB conducted a test on its tabulation machines before the election. The director of elections says the organization will conduct another test after the election to ensure all machines worked as expected. State law prevents election boards from counting votes until the polls close.
“The people you elect, especially in the local elections, are the people who represent you and affect you the most,” explained Shawn Kieffer, the KCEB director of elections. He encourages everyone to vote.
