New voting method in Buchanan County

A change in Missouri voting law now allows voters to vote by mail without a giving a reason

With the story.

Kilee thomas reportsfor the first time in missouri registered voters can mail-in their ballots voting method is sparking controversy ahead of the presidential election sot: jay ashcroft, mo secretary of state- "the law has changed in missouri."

Any registered voter in missouri can vote by mail - without giving a reason.

A change to the state's law - added on the last day of session this year to account for the covid-19 pandemic sot: mary baack- garvey, buch.

Co.

Clerk- "mail-in ballots is the new thing the senate passed this year for covid reasons.

You don't have to have an excuse, you have to have it notarized and it must be mailed into our office.

They have until election day by 7 o'clock for that to arrive by mail in the office.

Absentees can be dropped off by a family member or that member by 7 o'clock on election day."

Missouri's top election authority says there are downfalls to mail-in voting especially when it comes mailing the ballots in - in time to be counted.

Sot: ashcroft- "the u.s. post office has put out information saying that you should only need to leave 6-7 days for your ballot to get back.

Do not do that.

Leave at least two weeks for your ballot to be mailed back."

Local political experts say because counting the mail-in ballots will be time consumingwe won't actually find out who the president is for a while sot: dr. melinda kovacs, mwsu professor- "will more than likely not be revealed to us by the typical 11 pm eastern time on election day.

So, that is also making the election unusual in that we have to account for the idea that it's actually election season rather than it is election day."

While mail-in voting is a lawful option this year ashcroft says voting in-person is the best way to cast your vote sot: ashcroft- "when you vote in-person, it's the best way to make sure your vote counts.

We should be pushing people in the state to follow a method that is not only easy reporting in st.

Joseph, kilee thomas kq2 news the missouri secretary