KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Members of the Republican party will participate in a caucus Saturday, March 2 to pick their candidate for the presidential election. Democrats will host a hybrid combination of an in-person and mail-in election culminating on March 23.
In years past, the state hosted a presidential preference primary in a more traditional election format.
In 2022, the state legislature passed a new law making political parties host their own presidential preference process.
Republicans
Each county will host a caucus at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 2. To find the location in your county, visit the party’s statewide website.
Voters must present a government-issued ID with an address that matches their voter registration in order to participate.
If you’re not a registered Republican, you’ll have to sign a pledge to the party before being able to participate.
All participants must be inside their caucus location by 10 a.m. The doors lock at that time and no voters are allowed in afterward.
During a caucus, participants listen to representatives from candidates and then stand up in groups for each candidate.
The candidate with the most people literally in their corner wins the caucus.
Three candidates qualified in Missouri: Donald Trump, Nikki Haley, and David Stuckenberg.
“There’s a buzz for it,” said Clay County Republican Central Committee Chairman Gary Smedile. “There is some confusion and learning to it, but the folks who call are interested, they want to participate, they want to know what’s going on, they’re going to make the effort to come.”
Republicans will announce their winner March 2.
Democrats
Every voter registered as a Democrat in Missouri has — or will — receive a ballot in the mail for the presidential primary.
The ballots come from “Merriman River Group.”
Voters have until March 23 to complete and return the mail-in ballots.
Democrats can request a ballot between now and March 12.
There will also be an opportunity to vote in-person on Saturday, March 23, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The voting locations vary by county and are available on the party’s website.
President Joe Biden, Dean Phillips, Stephen P. Lyons, Armando Perez-Serrato, Marianne Williamson, Jason Michael Palmer, and uncommitted are options on the ballot.
Jackson County Democrats Executive Director Tyler McCall said the party decided to do the hybrid in-person and mail-in option to make the process as traditional as possible.
“To give people the most opportunity to vote, make it as easy as possible on people,” McCall said.
Democrats will announce their winner March 28.
—
