The period for presidential candidates to file to appear on the Missouri Democratic presidential primary ballot closed at 5 p.m. January 22, 2024. The Missouri Democratic Party on Tuesday released the names of the candidates filed and whose names will appear on the ballot for the presidential primary election scheduled on Saturday, March 23, 2024:
Joseph R Biden, Jr.
Dean Phillips
Stephen P Lyons
Armando Perez-Serrato
Marianne Williamson
Jason Michael Palmer
Uncommitted
“Uncommitted” shall automatically appear on the ballot. Write-ins are not allowed per DNC Rules (Rule 11.C, Rule 14.A, Rule 14.C, Rule 14.D, Rule 14.E, & Rule 15.H)
On the Republican Legislature’s change requiring state parties to run their presidential preference primary elections, Missouri Democratic Party Chair Russ Carnahan released the following statement:
“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. The old fashioned caucus-only election makes it hard to participate in our free and fair Democratic elections and disenfranchises too many senior citizens, military personnel, those with disabilities, and work or childcare obligations from exercising their right to vote.” Carnahan said.
“Missouri Democrats sought to make lemonade with these lemons and maximize voter participation by offering a mail-in and an in-person voting option to Democratic presidential primary voters. It has long been the belief of the Democratic Party that greater participation in our Democratic elections is what is best for everyone, and the Missouri Democratic Party will continue to advocate for policies that expand access to voting and fight against these attacks on our Democratic process and restore Missouri’s state-run presidential primary for future elections.”
Additionally, the Missouri Democratic Party announced the Democratic National Committee conditionally approved MDP’s plan for Missouri’s 2024 Democratic Presidential Primary. The following details are confirmed with more information available soon:
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Missouri’s Democratic presidential primary is scheduled for Saturday, March 23, 2024.
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The Democratic presidential primary will be a hybrid election, offering Missouri Democrats an opportunity to cast their vote by mail or at an in-person voting site from 8 a.m. until noon on the day of the primary.
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Pending final availability, at least one in-person voting site will be held in each county, with additional sites in larger counties.
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Missourians registered to vote by February 21, 2024, with the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office will be eligible to vote in the Missouri Democratic presidential preference primary election, so long as the voter is not registered as a Republican.
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Ballots will be available for request beginning February 1 via the Missouri Democratic Party’s Website, with distribution beginning Feb 17. This request period will close on March 12.
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Ballots must be returned to the MDP by 10 a.m. on March 23, 2024.
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Votes will be counted by March 25, with the announcement to be made by March 28, 2024.
Background:
In 2022, the Republican-controlled legislature passed HB 1878, which eliminated Missouri’s state-run presidential preference primary election and designated a party-run system for choosing presidential nominees. This is another attack on free and fair Democratic elections that makes it harder for people to exercise their voting rights. The Missouri Democratic Party adamantly opposed this change, and none of the Democrats serving in the Missouri State House or Senate at the time voted for this bill. Nearly every Republican member supported the measure.
