County clerk reports early absentee voter count increase

Alternative voting options do not require notary seal

By Laura Schiermeier, Staff Writer
Posted 9/30/20

VIENNA — The level of interest voters have in the upcoming Nov. 3 General Election became apparent last week when an unprecedented number of citizens came into the Maries County Clerk’s …

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County clerk reports early absentee voter count increase

Alternative voting options do not require notary seal

Posted

VIENNA — The level of interest voters have in the upcoming Nov. 3 General Election became apparent last week when an unprecedented number of citizens came into the Maries County Clerk’s office to vote an absentee ballot and also by the number of absentee ballots the office mailed to the voters who requested it.

Maries County Clerk Rhonda Rodgers said her office had 133 absentee requests or in office absentee voters during the first two days of the absentee voting period. There were nine voters on Tuesday, Sept. 22 and 13 voters at the office on Wednesday, Sept. 23, and the rest of the total 133 absentee ballots were mailed to county voters who requested them.

Rodgers is in an election authorities group on social media and many county clerks posted about the overwhelming and almost unbelievable surge in absentee balloting. A presidential election always brings out voters who don’t make the trip to the polls for other elections. But, with the Covid-19 coronavirus contamination surging, citizens are interested in voting by absentee to avoid going to their polling site on Nov. 3.

Rodgers said for Maries County, her office might have about 400 absentee ballots cast for a presidential election. She expects the remaining days before the election to continue to be busy with voters coming to absentee vote or to have them mailed to them. Having 133 already during the first two days has left her and other county clerks across the state in awe.

“None of us have ever seen this,” Rodgers commented about the surge in absentee voting being experienced throughout the state by local election authorities. “It’s the times we are living in.” Election authorities anticipate voter turnout numbers to reach a historic record.

Looking through the correspondence from other county clerks, Rodgers read about one who sent out over 200 absentee ballots on the first day, another who sent out over 1,000 ballots.  One county clerk sent out 300 on the first day and noted in the last presidential election there were only 718 absentee ballots voted.  Another county clerk reported mailing over 5,000 ballots the first morning. In St. Louis County, the county clerk posted photos of voters lined up to vote absentee and there were 175 voters in the first two hours. The same scenario was reported by county after county.

Rodgers said they all expected good voter participation in the 2020 election, but it appears it will be much more than anticipated.

From an election authority’s standpoint, high voter turnout is their goal. At an April Municipal Election, voter turnout may be 10 percent and at a Primary Election it might be 40 percent. Much more is expected for this election.

In Maries County, Rogers received 40 online registration on Wednesday. This is a lot for a small county. One county clerk reported receiving 251 new voter registrations from the Secretary of State’s office.

In the county clerk’s office, staff members have been busy assisting voters. Rodgers said her phone continues to ring with questions about voting and she wants county citizens to know her staff is ready to help them.

Rodgers and her staff are happy that voters are excited about voting. “They want to vote!” she said.

Two choices for absentee voting that don’t require a notary’s seal

As Maries County citizens prepare to vote in the November General Election, the Maries County Clerk suggests they consider  voting an absentee ballot.

She currently is accepting absentee ballot applications and will began mailing the ballot to voters on Sept. 22. However, County Clerk Rhonda Rodgers is asking voters to pay attention to their choices with absentee voting.

Voters can come to the courthouse and vote by absentee using any reason and the county clerk will notarize their ballot in person.

Or, voters can ask for an application for an absentee ballot, complete it and get it back to the county clerk who will mail them a ballot.

Voters must choose a reason why they are prevented from going to the polls on election day. This is very important, especially during this election year as voters fear of contracting the COVID-19 coronavirus is keeping them quarantined at home. In this case, voters also probably don’t want to seek out a notary as that involves exposure to another person.

Rodgers said there are two choices voters can pick as the reason they are prevented from coming to the polls that do not require a notary’s seal. These reasons are the second one on the list—Incapacity or confinement due to illness or physical disability, including caring for a person who is incapacitated or confined due to illness or physical disability—no notary seal required.

The second choice is number seven and it was added for an election that occurs during the year 2020 and states “the voter has contracted or is in an at-risk category for contracting or transmitting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID-19). This is a reason that if selected a notary’s seal is not required. The list of at-risk voters includes persons who are 65 or older, live in a long-term care facility, have chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma, have serious heart conditions, are immunocompromised, have diabetes, have chronic kidney disease and are undergoing dialysis, or have liver disease.

The state election authority recognizes some voters have vulnerabilities and should not or don’t want to be among the public at a polling site. Voters should be allowed to cast ballots safely and that is the reason behind the 2020 election coronavirus absentee ballot excuse.

As always, when voters have questions they should contact the county clerk’s office at 573-422-3388.