“…And, oh, by the way, if you look at those places where people have to wait in line to vote, if you look at the places where people have to wait in line to vote in America it’s where what are called poor people live and that’s wrong. Okay, that’s just deeply wrong…”

Previously:

David Axelrod – Missouri Boys State – June 14, 2014 (June 15, 2014)

Kansas City Mayor Sly James – Missouri Boys State – June 15, 2014 – on guns (June 16, 2014)

Governor Jay Nixon spoke at Missouri Boys State this evening in Warrensburg on the campus of the University of Central Missouri. His prepared remarks were followed by a freewheeling forty-five minute question and answer session.    

Governor Jay Nixon speaking at Missouri Boys State in Warrensburg on the campus of the University of Central Missouri – June 19, 2014.

The subject of early voting came up:

[….]

Question: ….You mentioned participating for voting. How do you plan on having more people participate in actual voting?

Governor Jay Nixon (D): I don’t plan it. I just tell you to do it. And if you don’t do it then idiots get elected and bad things happen. [applause, cheers]

You know what it is, I mean, sure, I’m for early voting, I’m for absentee voting, I think we ought to have voting on weekends beforehand, I think you ought to be able to show up and vote like two weeks beforehand, that fits your schedule instead of making it hard.

I don’t think there ought to be lines at the polls. I think it’s ridiculous to live in a world in which you can go to McDonald’s and get a cheeseburger in one minute, but if you’re gonna vote you’ve got to stand in line for three hours. [applause, cheers] And we ought to fund it to make sure people can vote [inaudible]. [applause, cheers]  And, oh, by the way, if you look at those places where people have to wait in line to vote, if you look at the places where people have to wait in line to vote in America it’s where what are called poor people live and that’s wrong. Okay, that’s just deeply wrong. You go to the, you know, you go to the really ritzy places where they got plenty of tax dollars and people don’t have to wait at all. By golly, they can order a Perrier and vote at their leisure. [laughter] But, uh, I think we need to make voting much easier for people, both in time and in the way you do it.

[….]

Is that the motto of the Missouri republican party? Just asking.

Today, at Mother Jones:

Missouri GOP: If Polls Are Open Too Long, Voters Will Commit Fraud

The state’s Republicans are advancing a measure to expand early voting, but Democrats say that’s not the whole story.

-By Dana Liebelson

Tue Jun. 17, 2014 6:00 AM EDT

….In early May, after hundreds of volunteers collected signatures in church basements and break rooms, citizens delivered a petition with more than 300,000 signatures to Missouri’s secretary of state, whose office has until August to verify the signatures and decide whether to place the measure on the November ballot. But Missouri Republicans won’t let that happen without a fight.

On April 1, a couple months after the petition drive had begun, Rep. Tony Dugger (R-Hartville) sponsored a competing measure. In May, the GOP-led House passed a version of the bill that expands early voting by six days-excluding the weekend-to a limited number of polling places, while also prohibiting same-day voter registration. If the citizens’ initiative is approved, both measures will appear on the ballot in November. “The testimony in the Legislature in favor of the sham early voting bill was actually testimony against early voting,” says Lara Granich, the director of Missouri Jobs With Justice. “That makes the real motivation behind it clear. They want it to be more difficult for folks to vote….”

Previously:

Early voting initiative petitions in Missouri (November 20, 2013)

Campaign Finance: momentum (March 2, 2014)

Campaign Finance: How about, “Make it an unassailable right?” (April 6, 2014)

Campaign Finance: oh, yeah, early voting (April 17, 2014)

Campaign Finance: confidence in early voting (May 29, 2014)

Campaign Finance: the real early voting initiative (June 13, 2014)

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C131163 06/13/2014 MISSOURI EARLY VOTING FUND Kenneth McClain 510 N. Delaware Street Independence MO 64050 Self Attorney 6/11/2014 $25,000.00

[emphasis added]

Remember, remember the fourth of November. 2014.

Previously:

Early voting initiative petitions in Missouri (November 20, 2013)

Campaign Finance: momentum (March 2, 2014)

Campaign Finance: How about, “Make it an unassailable right?” (April 6, 2014)

Campaign Finance: oh, yeah, early voting (April 17, 2014)

Campaign Finance: confidence in early voting (May 29, 2014)

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

131163 05/29/2014 MISSOURI EARLY VOTING FUND United Food & Commercial Workers Active Ballot Club 1775 K Street, NW Washington DC 20006 5/27/2014 $15,000.00

[emphasis added]

They believe. Some other folks don’t:

Sean Nicholson ‏@ssnich

This from @AxiomStrategies/@pelopidas is odd and amusing. http://bit.ly/1mFX7iL 12:47 PM – 28 May 2014

Heh.

Previously:

Early voting initiative petitions in Missouri (November 20, 2013)

Campaign Finance: momentum (March 2, 2014)

Campaign Finance: How about, “Make it an unassailable right?” (April 6, 2014)

Campaign Finance: oh, yeah, early voting (April 17, 2014)

Previously:

Early voting initiative petitions in Missouri (November 20, 2013)

Campaign Finance: momentum (March 2, 2014)

….There are definitely two different philosophies in Missouri when it comes to the participation of qualified voters – make it difficult, or make it easier….

Campaign Finance: How about, “Make it an unassailable right?” (April 6, 2014)

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission, for the ballot initiative to institute early voting:

C131163 04/17/2014 MISSOURI EARLY VOTING FUND Reliant Care Management Company, LLC 9200 Watson Road Suite 210 Saint Louis MO 63126 4/15/2014 $10,000.00

C131163 04/17/2014 MISSOURI EARLY VOTING FUND Priorities USA Action 1501 M Street, NW Suite 910 Washington DC 20005 4/15/2014 $100,000.00

[emphasis added]

And since the end of March:

C131163 04/06/2014 MISSOURI EARLY VOTING FUND International Brotherhood of Teamsters 25 Louisiana Avenue NW Washington DC 20001 4/4/2014 $25,000.00

C131163 04/11/2014 MISSOURI EARLY VOTING FUND Steven Stogel 7777 Bonhomme Avenue Suite 1210 Clayton MO 63105 DFC Group, Inc. Owner 4/9/2014 $7,500.00

C131163 04/13/2014 MISSOURI EARLY VOTING FUND Holman Schiavone, LLC 4600 Madison Suite 810 Kansas City MO 64112 4/11/2014 $10,000.00

C131163 04/14/2014 MISSOURI EARLY VOTING FUND Operating Engineers Local 101 Political Action Committee 6601 Winchester Suite 280 Kansas City MO 64133 3/28/2014 $25,000.00

[emphasis added]

From their April quarterly campaign finance report:

C131163: Missouri Early Voting Fund

Po Box 1921 Committee Type: Campaign

Jefferson City Mo 65102

[….]

Established Date: 11/08/2013

[….]

Information Reported On: 2014 – April Quarterly Report

Beginning Money on Hand $19,973.16

Monetary Receipts + $368,150.00

Monetary Expenditures – $376,276.60

Contributions Made – $0.00

Other Disbursements – $0.00

Subtotal     ($8,126.60)

Ending Money On Hand   $11,846.56

[emphasis added]

That’s another $177,500.00 on top of that.

Previously:

Early voting initiative petitions in Missouri (November 20, 2013)

Campaign Finance: momentum (March 2, 2014)

….There are definitely two different philosophies in Missouri when it comes to the participation of qualified voters – make it difficult, or make it easier….

In the last month, via the Missouri Ethics Commission – contributions from the folks that want to help make early voting a a reality in Missouri:

C131163 03/05/2014 MISSOURI EARLY VOTING FUND SEIU Missouri State Council PAC 5585 Pershing Suite 170 Saint Louis MO 63139 3/3/2014 $15,000.00

C131163 03/06/2014 MISSOURI EARLY VOTING FUND Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 562 Political Education Fund 12385 Larimore Road Saint Louis MO 63138 3/4/2014 $10,000.00

C131163 03/09/2014 MISSOURI EARLY VOTING FUND National UAW Community Action Program (CAP) 8000 E. Jefferson Detroit MI 48214 3/7/2014 $35,000.00

C131163 03/14/2014 MISSOURI EARLY VOTING FUND Strong Garner Bauer, PC 415 E. Chestnut Expressway Springfield MO 65802 3/12/2014 $10,000.00

C131163 03/15/2014 MISSOURI EARLY VOTING FUND UFCW District Union Local Two 1305 E. 27th Street Kansas City MO 64108 3/13/2014 $10,000.00

C131163 03/23/2014 MISSOURI EARLY VOTING FUND Langdon & Emison 911 Main Street Lexington MO 64067 3/21/2014 $25,000.00

C131163 03/23/2014 MISSOURI EARLY VOTING FUND SEIU Missouri/Kansas State Council 2725 Clifton Avenue Saint Louis MO 63139 3/21/2014 $10,000.00

C131163 03/29/2014 MISSOURI EARLY VOTING FUND SEIU Missouri/Kansas State Council 2725 Clifton Avenue Saint Louis MO 63139 3/27/2014 $10,000.00

C131163 03/30/2014 MISSOURI EARLY VOTING FUND Teamsters Joint Council No. 56 4501 Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd. Kansas City MO 64130 3/28/2014 $10,000.00

C131163 04/06/2014 MISSOURI EARLY VOTING FUND International Brotherhood of Teamsters 25 Louisiana Avenue NW Washington DC 20001 4/4/2014 $25,000.00

[emphasis added]

Interestingly, no billionaires have contributed to the effort. Yet.

Heh.

There are definitely two different philosophies in Missouri when it comes to the participation of qualified voters – make it difficult, or make it easier.

Previously: Early voting initiative petitions in Missouri (November 20, 2013)

Since the beginning of the year, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C131163 01/29/2014 MISSOURI EARLY VOTING FUND Davis, Bethune & Jones, LLC 1100 Main Street Suite 2930 Kansas City MO 64105 1/27/2014 $25,000.00

C131163 01/29/2014 MISSOURI EARLY VOTING FUND Davis, Ketchmark, McCreight & Ivers, PC 11161 Overbrook Road Suite 210 Leawood KS 66211 1/27/2014 $25,000.00

C131163 02/06/2014 MISSOURI EARLY VOTING FUND Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 562 Political Education Fund 12385 Larimore Road Saint Louis MO 63138 2/4/2014 $10,000.00

C131163 02/12/2014 MISSOURI EARLY VOTING FUND United Food and Commercial Workers International Union 1775 K Street, NW Washington DC 20006 2/10/2014 $30,000.00

C131163 02/20/2014 MISSOURI EARLY VOTING FUND Missouri National Education Association Ballot Issue Crisis Fund 1810 E. Elm Street Jefferson City MO 65107 2/18/2014 $10,000.00

C131163 02/21/2014 MISSOURI EARLY VOTING FUND James B Nutter Sr 1201 W. 66th Street Kansas City MO 64113 James B. Nutter & Company Owner 2/19/2014 $10,000.00

C131163 02/23/2014 MISSOURI EARLY VOTING FUND IUOE Local 513 Political & Educational Fund 3449 Hollenberg Drive Bridgeton MO 63044 2/21/2014 $25,000.00

C131163 03/01/2014 MISSOURI EARLY VOTING FUND AFSCME MO People Public Employees Organized To Promote Legislative Equality 2419 B Hyde Park Road Jefferson City MO 65109 2/27/2014 $10,000.00

C131163 03/01/2014 MISSOURI EARLY VOTING FUND Carey & Danis, LLC 8235 Forsyth Boulevard Floor 11 Saint Louis MO 63105 2/27/2014 $25,000.00

[emphasis added]

Probably not a voter suppression initiative – it’s interesting to note who isn’t contributing to the effort.

Early voting would change the political landscape:

….Early voting could reduce the ads people are fond of complaining about during election cycles. I’d bet television, radio, print, and direct mail houses wouldn’t be too happy about those reductions in revenue. Fewer ads would reduce the cost of campaigns, don’t you think? Or maybe just shift it elsewhere. Like maybe field operations?

And, obviously, if a significant percentage of voters chose to vote early late attack ads will have no effect on their vote. In a longer early voting period there would be time to rebut (and in the case of media, investigate) early attack ads. There is the danger that a rebuttal could reinforce the original attack (after all, these are American voters). There’s an element of risk there for the campaign consultant industrial complex.

As voter behavior changes campaign and election behavior on the part of consultants, candidates and political parties will change. The game remains, identify and turn out the folks that will vote with you.

Change could be a good thing.

Update:

More today.

C131163 03/02/2014 MISSOURI EARLY VOTING FUND CHIPP Political Account 1401 Hampton Avenue 3rd Floor Saint Louis MO 63139 2/28/2014 $25,000.00

[emphasis added]

A precinct polling place in west central Missouri on Election Day 2008. [file photo]

Three early voting initiative petitions have been filed with the Missouri Secretary of State and are awaiting public comment.

2014-56, 2014-57, and 2014-58 [pdf] would amend Article VIII of the Missouri Constitution by adding a new section which would allow early voting, would establish a centralized and satellite polling places for early voting, would establish weekend voting hours in the early voting period, and would have a process for reporting (as a public record) who had already voted. The last point would be crucial for get out the vote operations. If someone had already voted and a candidate/political party knew it they wouldn’t have to waste money on direct mail and/or phone calls directed at that particular voter.

At best, studies have shown mixed results for voter turnout when it comes to early voting. From the Pew Research Center:

September 23, 2013

Study: Early voting associated with lower turnout

By Rich Morin

Reformers hate it when this happens:  The country’s most widely adopted reform designed to make voting easier may lower the chances that an individual voter will go to the polls, according to a new study to be published in an upcoming issue of the American Journal of Political Science…..

….They found that only early voting when it is implemented by itself and Election-Day registration appeared to significantly affect turnout chances-early voting in a negative way and Election-Day registration positively….

….Why should turnout go down when people are allowed to vote early-and why do more people cast ballots in states that permit people to register and vote on Election Day?

These researchers say it’s because early voting robs “Election Day of its stimulating effects,” reducing social pressure to vote and gives less reason for campaigns to motivate their supporters and get them to the polls.

Voters are less motivated to cast ballots because early voting has the effect of “dissipating the energy of Election Day over a longer period of time….[S]ocial pressure is less evident, guidance on how or where to vote is less handy, and the prospect of social interactions at the polls is decreased,” they wrote.

Early voting laws also seem to affect the campaign itself by reducing efforts on both sides to mobilize support. For example, they examined patterns of media advertising in early voting and no-reform states. “The volume of ads is lower in states with early voting and the ramp up of ads before Election Day is also less steep in these states,” they found…..

[emphasis added]

Heh. Early voting could reduce the ads people are fond of complaining about during election cycles. I’d bet television, radio, print, and direct mail houses wouldn’t be too happy about those reductions in revenue. Fewer ads would reduce the cost of campaigns, don’t you think? Or maybe just shift it elsewhere. Like maybe field operations?

And, obviously, if a significant percentage of voters chose to vote early late attack ads will have no effect on their vote. In a longer early voting period there would be time to rebut (and in the case of media, investigate) early attack ads. There is the danger that a rebuttal could reinforce the original attack (after all, these are American voters). There’s an element of risk there for the campaign consultant industrial complex.

As voter behavior changes campaign and election behavior on the part of consultants, candidates and political parties will change. The game remains, identify and turn out the folks that will vote with you.