WASHINGTON (AP) — The President joe biden Missouri primary voters will cast their ballots on Saturday, but much has changed since the last time the state went to the polls for the Democratic presidential nomination.
First, the coronavirus outbreak came a day after Biden defeated Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders by 26 percentage points in the 2020 primary. declared a pandemicand life around the world changed forever.
Two years later, after voting and election administration issues became highly politicized during the 2020 campaign, the Missouri Republican Party pushed through a package of stricter voting requirements It included a provision canceling state-run presidential primaries and leaving responsibility for them to state parties.
Saturday's primary is the first party-led presidential election for Missouri Democrats since the law took effect in August 2022. The event is not an Iowa-style caucus, and participants vote by moving around the venue, forming candidate preference groups, and debating with other caucus attendees. . Voters in Missouri show up at a voting center, cast a secret ballot, turn in their ballots and leave immediately.
Republicans held their presidential caucuses earlier this month, but the event more closely resembled the old Iowa format.
Biden faces a much less competitive field than four years ago. Both he and Republican former President Donald Trump unofficially won enough delegates on March 12 to clinch the nominations of both parties.
Let's see what happens on Saturday:
primary day
Voting will be open from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. CDT and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET.
Voting details
Biden, Jason Palmer, Marianne Williamson, former candidate Dean Phillips and two others are on the ballot. “Uncommitted” is also an option. There will be no Republican presidential election on Saturday.
who can vote
Missouri voters who register as Democrats or independents by February 21 can participate in the primary. Registered Republicans cannot participate.
Representative assignment rules
Sixty-four Democratic delegates are at stake in Missouri.
Fourteen at-large delegates are allocated in proportion to the statewide vote, as well as eight PLEO delegates, or “party leaders and elected officials.” A total of 42 delegates are at stake in her eight congressional districts in the state, which will be allocated proportionately to each district's voting results.
Candidates must receive at least 15% of the statewide vote to qualify for statewide delegates and votes in a congressional district to qualify for delegates in that district. must earn at least 15% of the
decision memo
The state party is expected to release final voting results sometime between Monday and next Thursday.
AP's winners will be determined based on announcements from the parties. If the party releases partial results by then, the Associated Press will show that Biden is the only major candidate in the race, with a lead in the state at a level consistent with the overwhelming margins seen in most other races. A player may be declared a winner at the first indication that he has won overall. far.
The Associated Press does not make predictions and declares a winner only if it determines there is no scenario in which a successor candidate closes the gap. Even if a race is not called, the Associated Press will continue to report on newsworthy developments, such as candidate concessions or declarations of victory. At that time, The Associated Press will clarify that it has not yet declared a winner and explain why.
What will turnout and advance voting look like?
More than 666,000 voters cast ballots in the state-run 2020 Democratic presidential primary. Turnout in non-competitive, party-led primaries with fewer polling places and limited in-person voting time is likely to be even lower.
Mail-in ballots are available to any voter who requests them between February 1 and March 12 and must be received by the state party by 10 a.m. CDT, or 11 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, on Saturday. be.
How long does it usually take to count votes?
All mail-in and in-person ballots from across the state will be transported to a single counting facility in Jefferson City. The Missouri Democratic Party expects to announce final results as early as Monday or no later than next Thursday.
Have you arrived yet?
As of Saturday, there are 149 days until the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and 227 days until the November general election.