The General Election is Tuesday, voters should bring a photo ID


Ozark County Clerk Brian Wise holds a poster giving information about which valid government-issued photo IDs are acceptable for voters to present during absentee or in-person voting for the General Election.

The Nov. 8 General Election is Tuesday, and Ozark County Clerk Brian Wise and Deputy Clerk Wilma Watson explain some changes that voters will see with this election’s procedures. 

 

Photo ID needed

The biggest change involves the need for voters to bring a photo identification of themselves with them to the poll. 

“Most people automatically… show their driver’s license,” Wise said. “But in the past you could instead show your voter ID card, a utility bill… or one of several different things. Now, it’s a photo ID, specifically a state- or federally-issued photo ID.”

Options include a Missouri driver’s license, Missouri non-driver’s license, U.S. passport or military identification. The ID has to be valid, therefore, driver’s licenses and other IDs cannot be expired. Student IDs do not qualify. 

 

Absentee voting continues, changes explained

No excuse absentee voting is currently underway at the Ozark County Clerk’s Office, located on the main floor of the Ozark County courthouse in Gainesville ahead of Tuesday’s General Election. “Right now, we have no-excuse absentee voting. It started Oct. 25. This is the first year that we’ve had it to where you don’t have to give a reason why you’re voting absentee. Anyone can come in and request a ballot to vote absentee, and they don’t have to give a reason.” 

Another portion of absentee voting in which the voter had to give an excuse as to why they couldn’t vote on Nov. 8 was held Sept. 27 through Oct. 24. 

“It’s not early voting, per say, but it’s as close to early voting as Missouri can have,” Wise said. “It will be the last two weeks prior to the election from this election until that law changes – so for the very foreseeable future.” 

Wise’s office is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and voters can vote absentee during anytime it is open. The office will also be open extended hours for absentee voters: from 8 a.m. until noon Saturday, Nov. 5, and 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 7. For more information about absentee voting, contact Wise’s office at 417-679-3516.

Wise told the Times at 3 p.m. Monday that 228 absentee ballots had been cast. He said he guesses that voter turnout may be around 37 percent. 

 

A local and a state law enforcement question

Locally, the big issue on the ballot is a proposed additional half-cent Ozark County law enforcement sales tax, which if passed, would double the amount of sales tax currently received by the Ozark County Sheriff’s Department. The department is currently operating on a half-cent sales tax. See page A5 in this week's edition for more information on that issue. 

Wise points out that another issue on the ballot, Constitutional Amendment No. 4, asks a similar question. But, he points out, it is a state measure, not the local measure. 

A sample ballot showing each question can be viewed on page A12 of this week's edition.

The Ozark County law enforcement sales tax question reads: “Shall Ozark County, Missouri, impose a county wide sales tax of one-half of one percent (1/2 of 1%) for the purpose of providing funds for law enforcement.”

Constitutional Amendment No. 4 asks: “Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to authorize laws, passed before December 31, 2026, that increase minimum funding for a police force established by a state board of police commissioners to ensure such police force has additional resources to serve its communities?”

 

Ozark County ballot candidates, questions

In Ozark County, these Republican candidates are running unopposed in the General Election: Associate Circuit Judge Raymond Gross, Presiding Commissioner Terry Newton, County Clerk Brian Wise, Circuit Clerk and Recorder of Deeds Jackie Smith, Treasurer Christy Thompson, Prosecuting Attorney C. Lee Pipkins and Collector Darla Sullivan. The candidates will take office, if not already serving in the position, on Jan. 1, 2023. 

Ozark County ballots will also ask voters to decide a U.S. Senator, Missouri State Auditor, U.S. Representative, 155th District State Representative, Supreme Court Judges and Court of Appeals Judges. 

Four proposed constitutional amendments and one proposed constitutional convention question round out the ballot. 

Those measures, along with candidates in those races, are listed on the sample ballot on page A12 of this week’s Times. 

 

Polling places

Polling places, listed on the sample ballot, will be open from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Because the polls close several hours after the Times’ Tuesday press deadline, local results will be posted on our Facebook page Tuesday night, and precinct-by-precinct totals will be published in the Nov. 16 edition.

Ozark County Times

504 Third Steet
PO Box 188
Gainesville, MO 65655

Phone: (417) 679-4641
Fax: (417) 679-3423