As required by Missouri election laws, Texas County voters will receive in the mail a new voter registration card. The county clerk’s office is mailing more than 15,000 cards.
County Clerk Don Troutman said residents should verify that their name and address on the card is correct, detach the top stub, sign the card and fold as indicated and bring it to the upcoming elections.
Old voter registration cards should be destroyed. If any information is incorrect, fill out the form on the card, and mail it back to the county clerk’s office. Persons who do not receive one and believe they are a registered voter of Texas County should contact the clerk’s office for more information. It has the ability to search voter records in the state.
Funding for the cards and postage for mailing the cards comes from a grant the county received from the Missouri secretary of state’s office. Robin Carnahan, Missouri secretary of state, continues to work with local election authorities in trying to provide funding sources for the many state and federal requirements forced upon local governments, Troutman said.
Several elections are planned this year:
•At the April 3 municipal election voters will elect one trustee for the county hospital board, school board members and municipal officials.
•In the Aug. 7 Primary Election, voters will nominate candidates for federal, state and county offices for each of the four political parties. They are Democrat, Republican, Libertarian and Constitution. Voters must declare party preference on Election Day. Voters in Missouri do not register by political party.
In the Nov. 6 General Election, voters will elect candidates for federal, state and county offices. A political party preference is not required.
Voting can be made easy for disabled voters and their caregivers. Once the voter is on a listing for disabled voters the county clerk’s office will mail them an absentee voter request. If they want to vote in the upcoming election the voter signs the request and returns it to the clerk’s office for processing. It will mail a ballot to the voter and after voting it is returned to the clerk’s office. The voter’s signature does not need to be notarized as other voters that are merely absent from the county on Election Day.
Person who have questions regarding voter registration, absentee voting or any issues related to the election process, can call the county clerk’s office at 417-967-2112.