‘Make your own decision’: Community, officials stress importance of voter registration

By Ashley Luthans

The deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 5 general election is quickly approaching, and Missourians will see a handful of issues on the ballot that affect them and their state.

In the 2020 presidential election, 3,025,962 votes were cast in the state of Missouri.

Missouri Western State University student Cole Moellering said that he has been registered to vote since he turned 18, and this is his first time voting in a presidential election. Moellering expressed the importance of young people registering and voting.

“Times are changing,” Moellering said. “The older generation has different beliefs than the youth, but the youth is the future.”

As well as the importance of the youth vote, President of the League of Women Voters of Northwest Missouri Jenna Sanders explained the importance of women voting.

“So especially from our perspective, League of Women Voters, like women didn’t have this right always,” Sanders said. “And so it’s especially important right now for women to get out there and use their voice and use their right.”

The last day to register to vote for the November election is Oct. 9, and Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft said that the state often sees people wait till the deadline nears to register.

“You need to be registered four weeks before the election to be able to vote,” Ashcroft said. “So, it’s really the two weeks before that deadline when we tend to see the most increase in people suddenly registering. We’ve been able to make some changes to the law where if you’re registered in Missouri and then you move to a different county, you can actually make that change on Election Day. It used to be you’d have to re-register and that four-week period got in the way.”

Missourians can register to vote online, or at their county clerk’s office.

Located at the Buchanan County Courthouse, Buchanan County Clerk Mary Baack-Garvey talked about how easy it is to register to vote.

“It’s a two-second process,” Baack-Garvey said. “Even if they come here in person, we just look at their ID, we write their information down, they sign the card, we enter them. I mean, it’s that quick.”

For those unable to make it to their polling place on Election Day, they can visit the Missouri Secretary of State’s website and fill out an application for an absentee ballot.

Absentee ballot applications are due by 5 p.m. on Oct. 23.

All ballots must be returned by Nov. 5 at 7 p.m.

Ashcroft said he wants Missouri to have informed voters.

“I’m different in that I’m not so worried about voter turnout, I’m worried about self-informed voter turnout,” Ashcroft said. “What I want is informed citizens getting out and participating and making their own decision. If you’re going to the polling place and don’t know anything about the candidates and voting, I don’t think that’s as helpful as someone that’s gotten that sample ballot, has studied the issues and is going there informed.

“I encourage every age group, every demographic that’s allowed to vote to get out, self-educate and participate,” Ashcroft said.

Moellering explained why he thinks it’s important for voters to be educated and informed as opposed to blindly following others’ views.

“I think you should be involved and educated on what’s happening because sometimes people like to, you know, just go with what everybody else believes or what their friends believe,” Moellering said. “But honestly, it’s all up to what you believe and that’s what you should vote for, is what you believe in.”

Missourians have the option to view and mark a sample ballot for the November election, and Ashcroft recommends doing so in order to be prepared.

“Make up your own mind, self-educate, make your own decision,” Ashcroft said. “And, you know, you can take that sample ballot, you can mark it up. Once you’ve self-educated and decided how you want to vote on things, you can mark it on that ballot, take that with you into the polling place if you want. I just want to encourage the people of Missouri to know what’s gonna be on the ballot; it’s gonna be long, it’s gonna take you longer than normal to fill it out. Just self-educate and make sure your voice is heard on Election Day.”

Sanders emphasized that every vote counts.

“A lot of people will, like, they don’t go vote because it doesn’t matter,” Sanders said. “Their one vote doesn’t matter. But that’s absolutely not true. You know, if everybody thinks that, then nothing will change. So, if you have 100 people saying, like, ‘My vote doesn’t matter,’ sometimes 100 votes is what determines an election.”

To be prepared for Election Day, make sure to check your voter registration and bring a photo ID to your polling place.