06/15/20 - Missouri Mondays - “Make this moment the turning point for real change!”
As protests and calls for change and justice for black lives continue across our nation we know in order to make this moment the turning point for real change in Missouri we must have access for ALL to safely VOTE by mail! Unelected Gov. Parson told voters to stay home if they don’t feel safe and just signed into law SB 631 that still requires some voters to notarize their ballots. Let's make sure we vote and show Mike Parson the door in November and in the meantime here’s your Missouri Mondays CALL TO ACTION list from Missouri Voter Protection Coalition (MOVPC):
Today at 10:00am, MOVPC will present arguments to the Missouri Supreme Court in their lawsuit to ensure Missouri voters can safely cast a ballot during the COVID-19 pandemic. The case filed by the ACLU of Missouri, ACLU Voting Rights Project and MOVPC on behalf of NAACP, Missouri League of Women Voters and individual voters, seeks to ensure that Missourians who are confining themselves to avoid catching or spreading COVID-19 can safely vote by mail without a notary. Listen to live oral arguments using the “LIVE Audio Streaming” link here: https://www.courts.mo.gov/page.jsp?id=1975
New vote by mail law SB 631 expands options for absentee and mail-in voting for 2020 elections. This MOVPC chart helps break down How to Vote by Mail in Missouri in 2020: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TEt8YDdD4w2JQfqK3vd5J-9eUffzCKke/view
Get an Absentee Ballot Request Form here: https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/ElectionGoVoteMissouri/2020AbsenteeBallotrequestformfillable.pdf
Get a Mail Ballot Request Form here: https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/ElectionGoVoteMissouri/2020MailInBallotRequest.pdf
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER!
The Absentee Ballot Request and Mail Ballot Request forms must be signed and submitted to your Local Election Authority by JULY 22 for the AUGUST primary elections.
Absentee requests can be submitted via email, fax, mail or in person.
Mail-ballot requests can be submitted by mail or in person.
Absentee voting for the AUGUST primaries begins on JUNE 23.
NOTARY HUB - As a result of SB 631, many individuals wish to become notaries and plug into efforts to notarize ballots. And groups across the state are organizing efforts (1) to identify notaries; (2) to help people become notaries; and (3) to offer notary services to voters. Are you a notary looking to plug in? Is your group planning notary efforts? Record information for the Missouri Notary Hub to allow people to plug into these efforts and allow groups working on these efforts to coordinate. Please complete this short questionnaire to include your efforts in the Notary Hub.
HEROES ACT
We need to keep the pressure on Sen. Blunt to urge passage of the HEROES Act in Congress to provide needed funds to ensure safe voting this year. This week a national social media campaign will target needed senators with Sen. Blunt the target on Thursday, June 18.
The HEROES Act would provide $3.6 billion in election funding and provide no-excuse absentee voting, online and same-day voter registration, two weeks of early voting, ensure the safety of voters and poll workers, and would require states to take steps to ensure accessibility for all voters. See talking points from the Leadership Conference on the bill.
Take Action! Call Sen. Blunt at 888-415-4527 and tell him to support critical stimulus funding in the HEROES Act.
Take Action! Submit a letter to the editor in your community about the importance of these reforms. See the LTE TOOLKIT here.
Next MOVPC meeting 10am Mon. June 22 (no meeting June 15 due to court arguments) to learn more about the next steps in our campaign to Ensure Voting in Missouri in the Wake of the COVID-19 Crisis and beyond. Text “MOVPC” to 66866 to sign up for MOVPC updates!
As of 3:00 p.m. June 14 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Missouri rose to 15,983, an increase of 1,450 since last week. This is far from over so please stay safe!
