ST. LOUIS — Whether they serve as an alderman for the City of St. Louis or run a St. Louis County school district, dozens of public officials came together for a common purpose Tuesday: to cast an absentee ballot.
Dozens of public officials said they wanted to raise awareness that people can cast their ballots before Election Day.
Tuesday morning, about St. Louis public officials cast their ballots at the Schlafly Branch Library, one of the city's satellite in-person absentee voting sites.
At 11 a.m. Tuesday, St. Louis County public officials cast their ballots at the St. Louis County Board of Election Commissioners in St. Ann. Last week, the county opened satellite locations for in-person absentee voting.
St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura Jones and St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell worked together to organize the event.
"It is not an exaggeration to say that democracy is on the ballot in November,” Bell said.
While Missouri does not offer “early voting” like some states, voters may cast a ballot during in-person absentee voting. However, they must have a reason to cast an absentee ballot, as outlined by the Missouri Secretary of State's office.
"For some voters in the metro area, voting may seem more complicated this year because of COVID-19, confusion about the process, concerns about USPS delivery times, and other factors," Jones said. "Consequently, it’s important for voters to understand their options and make a plan to vote. For that reason, we are convening a group of leaders from around the metro area to let voters know about the opportunity to cast a ballot before Election Day."
