Voting Matters: Election Day is Tuesday, November 6
The General Election will take place on November 6. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Be sure to bring one valid form of identification [pdf] with you.
If you aren't sure if your registration is valid or where your polling place is, go to the Voter Registration Lookup and enter your personal information. You will see a result that verifies if you are registered to vote at your current address and lists your polling place. You may also be able to view sample ballots for your precinct.
Plan to be out of town on Election Day? If something will keep you from voting on November 6, you may be eligible for absentee voting. The County Clerk's office lists the qualifications and procedures for absentee voting in Greene County. The deadline to request an absentee ballot by mail is Wednesday, October 31.
The ballot includes candidates for United States President, Senator, and Representative; Missouri Governor, Lt. Governor, Secretary of State, and other state offices; Greene County Commissioners and Treasurer; and Missouri Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and Circuit Court Judges.
Also included on the ballot are three propositions to change Missouri law and one constitutional amendment.
To help educate yourself about these candidates and other ballot issues, the League of Women Voters provides an online voting guide. The guide allows you to create a personalized ballot with information about each ballot item as well as an easy way to compare candidates and their platforms.
There are many other sources to follow national and state election issues, including:
- Springfield News-Leader -- Inside Missouri Politics blog
- OzarksFirst.com Voter Guide
- St. Louis Post-Dispatch Government & Politics
- Kansas City Star -- KansasCity.com Politics
- CNN Election Center
Use the Internet and social media to follow election night coverage and learn more about candidates:
- Twitter: Follow @MOSecofState (Missouri Secretary of State), @Vote411 (election related info from the League of Women Voteres), @LWV (League of Women Voters), @SpringfieldNL
(Springfield News-Leader) - Facebook: Vote411, CNN Politics
- Missouri Secretary of State Election Night Reporting
Also view the upcoming debates for state and national races:
- U.S. senatorial debate (between Claire McCaskill and Todd Akin), October 18
- Third presidential debate, October 22
- CNN guide to the presidential debates
And once you have voted, continue to be involved in local, state and even national government. View the Contacting Your Government Research Guide for an explanation of several government offices and how to contact your elected officials.
Voting Matters is a series of articles written by Library staff to provide information and resources during the 2012 political season.
- Voting Matters: E-Verify
- Voting Matters: Primary Elections
- Voting Matters: Redistricting Issues
- Voting Matters: Petitioning Process
- Voting Matters: Smokefree Air Act
- Voting Matters: Missouri Primary Election
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