On National Voter Registration Day, the Missouri Democratic Party highlighted what is at stake this election and how important exercising our right to vote is to protecting our freedoms.

“Energy and excitement aren’t enough to protect our rights in this election. We all must turn that energy into action and turn out to vote to restore our access to reproductive healthcare without cruel political interference and to elect candidates that will protect those rights after Missouri voters cast their ballots,” said Communications Director Chelsea Rodriguez.

“We have watched Missourians band together and successfully work to expand Medicaid coverage and reject the so-called ‘right-to-work’ initiative that would have shifted more power from workers to employers, among other successful initiatives. That is why Missouri Republicans spent this legislative session attacking our right to check their power at the ballot box in response to 380,000 Missourians signing an initiative petition to reinstate abortion rights. Missouri voters will send the message loud and clear to stop this political overreach and end these attacks on our personal freedoms this November.”

What Is At Stake: 

State Senator Denny Hoskins, known for his participation in the far-right “Freedom Caucus” and the disruptive gridlock brought to Missouri’s state legislation, promised to require ballots be paper and hand-counted if he is elected Secretary of State.

Kansas City Star: “Election authorities warn the move would impose substantial burdens, requiring them to hire more workers and delaying results at a time when many Republicans buy into false conspiracies surrounding election administration. Experts on election security say moving to hand counting would feed voter distrust and create periods of uncertainty over election outcomes that candidates or grifters could exploit.”