By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
Absentee voting is underway across Missouri ahead of the November election.
Buchanan County Clerk Mary Baack Garvey says during this period all you need to have for an absentee ballot is a valid excuse
“They need to be able to mark an excuse on the form that they sign to request the ballot,” Baack-Garvey tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “So, if they can mark absent on election day, or maybe they have a hard time getting out, they could mark incapacitated, it just depends on what their excuse is, because they need to have one for this first part of the absentee voting period.”
No excuse absentee voting begins on October 22nd. Baack-Garvey says since absentee voting began on September 24th, 76 people have come in to vote absentee in person.
“And we have probably about eight to nine hundred mail out ballots that have been distributed to voters that maybe have a hard time getting out or they’re going to be out of town on Election Day, et cetera, so it’s looking right on pace for a good turnout,” Baack-Garvey says.
Baack-Garvey says for a presidential election she is expecting around2,000 to vote absentee
“It’s just kind of hard to compare after COVID, but a lot of people just want to get their ballot cast right away, a lot of people are snowbirds, college students come in and vote,” Baack-Garvey explains. “So, it just depends on the mood of the voters, if they want to vote absentee or if they’re going to wait and go vote at the polling places.”
The deadline to register to vote for the November election is also nearing. You can register to vote until 5pm on October 9th.
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.
