Missouri Electoral College members gathered at the State Capitol on Monday to cast their votes for president and vice president of the United States.
Because Missouri is a winner-take-all state, all 10 votes went to President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence.
State Rep. Jerome Barnes, D-Kansas City, a U.S. Army veteran, began the ceremony by leading participants and onlookers in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
The Rev. Karl Gauck, chaplain for the Missouri Senate, then led the group in prayer. Gauck thanked God for the hope that this time of year provides for all of us, which brings us joy and peace with God and with each other.
"We pray as we gather for this important obligation that your live shines through us during this time," Gauck said. "And that we reflect you in our actions, attitudes, behaviors and decisions."
Gauck also prayed for those suffering and dying from COVID-19 and other illnesses.
The ceremony continued with a roll call for all the electors, including Sherry Kuttenkuler, of Callaway County (representing the 3rd Congressional District, which includes Cole County).
The Missouri Secretary of State's Office reviewed procedures then gave each of the electors ballots to mark, indicating their choices for president and vice president. The office then collected the ballots and announced the results.
After announcing the results, each elector signed six copies of certificates for president and vice president. Those were to be taken to the Secretary of State's Office to be sealed and sent on to Congress.
All 50 states and the District of Columbia on Monday conducted meetings of the Electoral College. Missouri's meeting was held in the Senate Lounge at the Capitol.
Kuttenkuler said she was an elector in 2016 from the Fourth Congressional District, when she lived in Moniteau County.
She said she thought being an elector was a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. Having been an elector twice was an honor.
"I am a spokesperson for the Electoral College. I have spoken on it publicly before," she said. "Obviously, I am a big advocate of the U.S. Constitution, as well as the principles of our founding fathers. The Electoral College was a genius design by them to make sure that districts weren't necessarily highly populated still had a voice in our system."