Missouri's municipal elections - including those scheduled in Callaway County - will now be delayed almost two months due to concern over the coronavirus outbreak.
Gov. Mike Parson signed an executive order Wednesday rescheduling the elections from April 7 to June 2, according to a news release from Parson's office.
The new executive order declares ballots already printed for the April 7 election may be used on the rescheduled date of June 2. Voters who have turned 18 years old by April 7 will be allowed to cast a ballot.
"Given the growing concern surrounding COVID-19 and the large number of people elections attract, postponing Missouri's municipal elections is a necessary step to help combat the spread of the virus and protect the health and safety of Missouri voters," Parson said. "Postponing an election is not easy, but we are all in this together."
Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft had asked for the delay in response to the governor's earlier state of emergency declaration in regard to the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
"I deeply appreciate Gov. Parson's quick approval and am thankful to the local election authorities, your county clerks and boards of election who have worked through developing health concerns to find a unified and secure means of implementing our next election," Ashcroft said. "Missouri has 116 separate election authorities, almost all who are elected in their own right, and we have come together to help protect Missouri voters.
"These are difficult times, but I am grateful for how we have responded, worked together and come to a resolution that helps every single Missouri voter."
Callaway County Clerk Ronda Miller noted Parson's decision was "a very smart move on his part."
"My office and I were in favor of that with everything that's been going on," Miller said. "This puts the public and our office at less of a risk. In June, we'll be in a much better place."
Callaway County's scheduled elections include the following:
Mayor's races in Mokane and Holts Summit
Councilman, alderman and board of trustee races in Fulton, Kingdom City, Auxvasse, Mokane and Holts Summit
Board of education races in the Fulton, North Callaway, South Callaway and New Bloomfield school districts
Propositions for the Fulton No. 58 School District and the Callaway County Library District.
Not all elections are opposed.
To see a sample compilation of all the ballot types for Callaway County, go to callawaycountyclerk.com/?page_id=/1620 and click on the "Elections" tab.
According to the press release from Parson's office, state law provides that during a state of emergency, the governor is authorized to "waive or suspend the operation of any statutory requirement or administrative rule prescribing procedures for conducting state business, where strict compliance with such requirements and rules would prevent, hinder, or delay necessary action by the department of health and senior services to respond to a declared emergency or increased health threat to the population."
The executive order requires local election authorities to publish notice of the new election date. In addition, it states:
The deadline for filing as a write-in candidate for office remains at 5 p.m. March 27;
The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot shall be May 20;
A public test of voting equipment shall be completed no later than June 1;
In-person absentee ballots may be cast until 5 p.m. June 1;
The deadline by which absentee ballots must be received by the election authority shall be 7 p.m. June 2;
Military and overseas voters must request a ballot from an election authority by 5 p.m. May 29, and the deadline for local election authorities to make ballots available to such voters is April 18;
Military and overseas ballots must be received by the election authority by June 5;
And local election authorities are also directed to post information on their website, use social media if available, issue press releases, conduct public appearances and directly contact stakeholders such as candidates.