Those wishing to participate in the Missouri Democratic presidential preference primary may now request mail-in ballots online.
Although Missouri Republicans are voicing their choice for the next president in caucuses on March 2, the state Democratic party will continue to conduct a presidential preference primary.
State lawmakers approved a shift back to the caucus system in 2022. Those seeking the change argued that it would save the state money to have the major political parties fund their own presidential candidate selections, rather than Missouri taxpayers. Efforts to reverse the change in the 2023 legislative session were unsuccessful.
“After the Missouri Republicans eliminated our state-run presidential primary, the Missouri Democratic Party worked to design the best party-run process possible given the barriers of the new law,” said Missouri Democratic Party Chair Russ Carnahan in a statement last month.
The Democratic primary will be held from 8 a.m. to noon March 23. According to a release from the Missouri Democratic Party, “at least one in-person voting site will be held in each county, with additional sites in larger counties,” pending final availability.