In the quest for early voting in Missouri, Matthew Patterson says Sunday was satisfying. About a half-hour before the 5 p.m. deadline, supporters of a ballot initiative petition to establish early voting in Missouri submitted what they said were more than 300,000 signatures contained in dozens of boxes. In order to go on the ballot, the initiative petition needs approximately 160,000 voter signatures. Patterson, the Springfield-based director of Missouri ProVote, said more than 36,000 signatures were collected in the Greene County area as part of a statewide effort. Locally, the collection effort began in mid-February and lasted until this past Friday, he said.
If the General Assembly sends a separate early voting proposal to voters, both could potentially appear on the November ballot. If both ballot questions are approved by voters, the one with the most votes would become law.
Supporters of the initiative petition say the early voting proposal in the General Assembly is not real early voting. The legislative proposal, offered by Rep. Tony Dugger, R-Hartville, would allow early voting for about nine days before an election, excluding Sundays.
But under the initiative petition, early voting would last several weeks before an election, including Sundays. In addition, voters wishing to cast an absentee ballot would no longer have to provide a reason why they will be unable to vote on election day.
Full Article: Early voting supporters say they have enough signatures.