ST. LOUIS -- During historically divisive times, one Missouri city could be moving toward a nonpartisan way of electing its leaders.

St. Louis voters will decide on Proposition D on the Nov. 3 ballot. It would create a nonpartisan primary system, and implement what's known as "approval voting" in municipal elections.

Mallory Rusch, campaign manager for STL Approves, the group backing the measure, said approval voting allows voters to choose all the candidates they like, instead of just one -- and the top two candidates advance.

"Our current system really cuts voters off at the knees," she said. "You get to vote one time in a crowded Democratic primary race, and whoever wins that race, even if it's only with 25% of the vote, that person is going to represent you."

The African-American Aldermanic Caucus opposes the measure, predicting in a statement that Prop D would be the end of the Democratic Party in St. Louis, and would "obscure true debates and issue-driven dialogue among candidates." Rusch countered that Prop D is seeing strong support. It's been endorsed by the St. Louis American, St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Democratic congressional candidate Cori Bush.

Chris Raleigh, director of campaigns and advocacy for the Center for Election Science, which helped Fargo, N.D., become the first city in the United States to enact approval voting this year. He said some St. Louis residents don't vote in city elections because they fear their vote will be split or spoiled.

"People have angst about city government. We also see it all over the country," he said. "We looked at the top 100 cities and 60% of people voted against the top vote-getter -- oftentimes the person who becomes the mayor -- in these primaries. So, this is a bit of an epidemic."

Raleigh said polling shows the approval-voting process improves voter turnout and engagement. If passed, the measure would be in effect for the Spring 2021 municipal elections.

Information about Prop D is online at ballotpedia.org.

Election Day is November 8, and Utah elections officials say it isn't too early for voters to start making a plan for casting their ballots. For many, voting by mail is a popular way to save time and avoid long lines at the polls.

Utah county clerks will begin sending mail-in ballot packages to all active registered voters after October 28, which is the last day to register.

Hayden Loftus - election specialist with the Lieutenant Governor's Office - said in 2020, more than 90% of the votes cast were by mail. He said the system gives Utah voters a lot of options.

"You can vote it in person at your county clerk's office," said Loftus. "You can use any of the drop-box locations across the state up until Election Day, November 8, at 8 p.m. Or you can mail your ballot back in, as long as it's postmarked by the day before the election."

Voting by mail was introduced in 2013 in Utah - and by 2016, about 25% of voters were using the system. By 2020, all 29 Utah counties were participating.

Earlier this year, skeptics of mail-in voting tried to end it, but their initiative failed to garner enough signatures to put it on the ballot.

Loftus said it's especially important for voters to complete the signature verification on the ballot envelope or face a delay in their vote being counted.

"Voters need to sign that, or their ballot will be challenged, and they'll have to come into the office," said Loftus. "But as long as they get it signed and the verification process works out, then their ballot will be counted, and everything will go smooth."

Registered voters can track their ballot's progress through the system by signing up at 'vote.utah.gov.'

Members of the military and citizens who live abroad can register to vote absentee by filing a Federal Post Card Application with their county clerk.

Support for this reporting was provided by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

CLARIFICATION: Lynna Kaucheck is the communications manager for Progress Michigan, and the group is not a sponsor of MichiganVoting.org. Dates to order and return mail-in and absentee ballots also were clarified. (11:31 a.m. MST, Oct. 3, 2022)


Voting advocates say more and more Michiganders are choosing to cast absentee ballots to save time and avoid long lines on Election Day.

In 2020, two-thirds of the 5.5 million votes cast in Michigan were mail-in or absentee ballots. Although turnout is historically lower for midterm elections, officials expect voting early will remain a popular option this time around.

Lynna Kaucheck, communications manager for Progress Michigan, said if you want to vote with an early ballot, you have to ask for one.

"You need to request a ballot even if you're on the permanent absentee voter list," Kaucheck noted. "You can do that online, by mail, by calling your city or township clerk's office and requesting a ballot, or just going to your clerk's office and requesting the ballot."

Kaucheck says voters should request their ballots by October 25th, 14 days before the election, to ensure it arrives on time.
Ballots must then be returned to your county or township clerk's office by mail, to a drop box, or to a satellite office of your clerk by November 8th.

Kaucheck added it is easy to follow your ballot through the process by logging on to the Secretary of State's Michigan Voter Information Center at Mi.gov/vote.

"Once you go in to check your ballot, it will tell you if your clerk has received your application," Kaucheck outlined. "Once they've mailed it, it will show that they've mailed it. Once you submit it, and they receive it, it will show that they have received it."

Elections usually go smoothly in Michigan, but Kaucheck suggested if you have questions about your mail-in ballot or any other facet of voting, there is help online.

"All of our information comes from michiganvoting.org," Kaucheck explained. "It's a voter education site. It's nonpartisan, and it's been reviewed by legal experts. It's very factual."

She added if you encounter illegal interference or voter fraud at the polls, you should call the watchdog group Election Protection at 866-Our-Vote (687-8683).


Support for this reporting was provided by The Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Those 50 and older make up more than half of Wisconsin's registered voters, and a new statewide poll shows they want candidates to hear their concerns about issues such as inflation.

AARP's 2022 election survey found along with inflation, taxes, government spending, and protecting Social Security and Medicare are key concerns for older voters around Wisconsin.

Lisa Lamkins, advocacy director for AARP Wisconsin, said while rising consumer costs affect everyone, they are especially felt by those 50 and older, with 65% of respondents noting they are worried about their personal financial situation.

"The rising grocery prices, gas prices dipped but are going back up again, and folks who are on fixed income actually feel those hits a little bit more," Lamkins outlined. "I think that's where we can see that inflation factor really driving older voters."

As for statewide races, the poll indicated the contests for governor and U.S. Senate are tight, but Republican candidates hold a slight edge. In the race for governor, Tim Michels narrowly leads incumbent Democrat Tony Evers 50% to 47%. For the U.S. Senate, Republican incumbent Ron Johnson leads Democratic challenger Mandela Barnes by five percentage points.

The two Democratic candidates do see large support among Black voters 50 and older. Meanwhile, Lamkins pointed out the survey indicates older Wisconsinites are fed up with what they think is a cold-shoulder coming out of Washington D.C.

"They think that members of Congress don't listen to people like them," Lamkins explained. "I think it really behooves politicians to pay attention and to listen especially to older voters who could truly be the difference in this election."

More than 80% of survey respondents back the sentiment about not being heard by Congress. Another 74% think the country is headed in the wrong direction, with a similar result for Wisconsin's outlook.