Missouri Primary Election, Tuesday August 7th —in just 33 days.
ProgressWomen is going to make sure you show up to vote. NO EXCUSES.
In 2016 the statewide turnout for the Primary Election was less than 25% of registered voters. WHOA!
You do the math. SO NOT acceptable – particulary when we keep screaming about “DEMOCRACY” and choosing WHO actually represents you & your values. Less than 25% of registered voters bothered to participate. People you know. Maybe even you?
The Primary Election is when the majority of state legislators (who are in mostly partisan districts) are essentially elected. Few Missouri legislators have viable General Election races or are actually in swing seats.
Those few voters who BOTHER TO SHOW UP IN AUGUST ELECTIONS are the ones who elect our legislature. PLUS are the voters who weigh in on BALLOT INITIATIVES (August 7th you MUST VOTE NO on Proposition A, “right to work”).
So put TUESDAY AUGUST 7th on your calendar and follow the steps below. Make sure every family member does the same. NO EXCUSES.
P.S. Once legislative candidates are elected on Tuesday, August 7th (those without viable general elections), their legislative votes are set at least for the next 2 years. They won’t be changing their mind on issues they ran on or against. NO amount of lobbying is going to make a NRA-backed candidate change their stripes or a pro-life lobby candidate change their tune. IT’S WAY EASIER TO ELECT A CANDIDATE to the legislature who will vote on policies THE WAY YOU AGREE.
STAY TUNED for PROGRESSWOMEN candidate endorsements coming out very soon.
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#1 – Check your current Missouri voter registration HERE. If you have moved and not updated your voter registration you still have time OR you will need to vote where you are currently registered.
#2 – Update your Missouri voter registration by JULY 11 to be able to vote Tuesday August 7th. Print out your application HERE and mail to your local county election board (find your county address HERE). OR register or update your voter registration IN PERSON at your local county election board HERE.
#3 – OMG – you just realized you won’t be in town on AUGUST 7th. You are not off the hook yet.
#4 – VOTE ABSENTEE – either in person at your local election board (the simplest way) or request an absentee ballot HERE. Absentee voting has begun and continues Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm until Monday 5pm August 6th AND also on Saturday August 4th from 9am to 1pm. Note: IF YOU REQUEST AN ABSENTEE BALLOT BY MAIL, YOU CANNOT CHANGE YOUR MIND AND VOTE IN PERSON ON ELECTION DAY.
St. Louis County Election Board = 725 Northwest Plaza Drive, St. Ann, MO 63074 – 314. 615.1800
St. Louis City Election Board = 300 N. Tucker Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63101 – 314. 622.4336
St. Charles County Election Board = 397 Turner Blvd, St. Peters, MO 63376 – 636.949.7550
You live in another county? Check your election board address & website or directorHERE.
#5 – CHECK YOUR SAMPLE MISSOURI BALLOT AND POLLING PLACE HERE. First decide which party ballot you are taking. You say you don’t know what’s on your ballot in your specific district/precinct? It’s all here. Easy peasy.
NO EXCUSES.
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NOPE – YOU aren’t done with DEMOCRACY quite yet. You have the PRIMARY ELECTION figured out, your Missouri voter registration is set and you know your ballot and your polling place.
Now you must STEP UP, TURN OFF THE TV and STOP TEXTING & EMAILING ARTICLES TO YOUR FRIENDS.
THIS IS CRUNCH TIME FOR EVERY PRIMARY CANDIDATE and the statewide anti-labor ballot initiative, PROPOSITION A. If you consider yourself a protector of DEMOCRACY (and boy, you better be worried about DEMOCRACY) – you MUST TAKE ACTION.
#6 – THIS STEP IS NOT OPTIONAL. Decide this very minute which candidates mean the most to you and get your fanny off your couch.
Volunteer to help doorknock and phone bank. Talking to their targeted voters IS KEY TO WINNING. This is not hard. PRIMARY voters are just like you – people you see in the grocery store line or at work or your kids pre-school or at your dinner table. They may not be as trained as YOU ARE NOW. Direct voter contact is a MUST and what every candidate is doing round the clock these last 32 days. HELP your candidate. Talk directly to their targeted primary voters who may not have heard from the candidate yet. It’s much easier than you think.
Donate your dollars. Whatever you can afford. Fundraising is KEY for every candidate to afford mailings or commercials to persuade as many voters as possible. Experts say one needs at least 8-10 mailings for a voter to even remember a candidate’s name. Mailings and postage cost dollars. Statewide and congressional candidates need costly TV ads but legislative candidates, particularly in suburban areas rely on mail.
Don’t want to do either? Everything else is nice but doesn’t get the job done. However, you can offer rides on election day (ask your candidate if needed). Donate food, water, drink to candidates. Help deliver yard signs. Write postcards to their targeted frequent voters. Offer to do data entry, if needed. LISTEN to the candidate and their well worn campaign plan. They know how many votes are needed for their specific win and have a plan to go get them.
Remember, yard signs DO NOT VOTE. They look great everywhere but only voters who show up to vote count. Everything you can do these last 32 DAYS to help your candidate keep talking to targeted voters – do it.
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I promise you PROGRESSWOMEN is going to stay on your tail the next 32 DAYS. DEMOCRACY and PROGRESSIVE values are on the chopping block, particularly at the state level.
Get your walking shoes and phone earbuds ready. YOU ARE NEEDED MORE THAN EVER.
NO EXCUSES.