Last-minute push underway to register voters as Missouri deadline approaches – STLtoday.com

ST. LOUIS — Republican and Democratic party organizations alike have taken steps to add probable supporters to voter rolls ahead of Wednesday’s Missouri deadline to register to cast a ballot in the Nov. 3 election.

Residents can register in person at local election offices, many libraries, motor vehicle license offices and some other locations through the close of business Wednesday.

People also can register online through the Missouri secretary of state’s website until 11:59 p.m. Wednesday or may mail an application to their local election authority but it must have a Wednesday postmark.

Jean Evans, executive director of the Missouri Republican Party, said the GOP since early last year has received lists of new voters moving into Missouri who had previously registered as Republicans in other states.

She said the party has contacted thousands of potential voters this way, providing them with information on how to sign up in Missouri, which does not register people by party affiliation.

Evans said the party has also used social media to reach potential GOP voters and inform them of the upcoming deadline.

Democrats, too, have tried to increase their numbers.

“It’s the first time we’ve really prioritized it since 2008,” said Lauren Gepford, executive director of the state Democrats.

She said on Thursday, volunteers dropped off literature packets, which included registration forms, at 25,000 doors in St. Louis, St. Louis County, St. Charles County, Columbia, southwest Missouri and the Kansas City area.

Gepford said the party did not have information on how many people have registered because of those efforts.

She said the party has also mailed out voter registration forms to 20,000 voting-age residents the party believes will be inclined to support Democrats.

She said the party’s goal was for 5,000 to 7,000 people to return the forms. As of Thursday, about 750 had been returned.

“My hope is that this return rate spikes pretty quickly,” she said. “We haven’t done our final push.”

Meanwhile, St. Louis and St. Louis County election officials said some political and civic groups get permission to gather applications in registration drives. Those groups then submit them to election authorities.

Maura Browning, a spokeswoman for Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, said 4.18 million people had registered in Missouri by Sept. 1. Statewide information for a more recent date was not available.

Meanwhile, in Illinois, residents can register through Election Day, said Matt Dietrich, a spokesman for the state Board of Elections.

“Registration never really stops in Illinois, but there are a couple of significant dates,” he said.

Mail applications to register must be postmarked by Tuesday and online registration stops at 11:59 p.m. Oct. 18.

Beginning Wednesday, Illinois residents can register at local election agencies and designated early voting sites but they also have to vote then, Dietrich said. On Election Day they can do so at the polling place assigned for their address.