Voting by mail

A Kansas City, Missouri, woman shares her concern about the status of mail-in voting ahead of the November election.

ABLE TO DELIVER BALLOTSON TIME.AND THE UPROAR OVERTHE U.S. POSTAL SERVICEIS CAUSING VOTER-CONFUSION.ACROSS THE COUNTRY -MANY PEOPLE AREWORRIED THEIR VOTEWON'T BE-COUNTED IFTHEY SEND THEIR BALLOTIN THE MAIL.41 ACTION NEWS ANCHOR,CYNTHIA NEWSOMETALKED WITH A KANSASCITY WOMAN---WONDERING HOW TOMAKE SURE HER VOTEWILL COUNT.SHE'S ONE OF MILLIONSOF AMEICANS WHO WEREPLANNING TO VOTE-BY-MAIL...BECAUSE OF THEPANDEMIC.NOW THEY'RE RE-THINKING THAT CHOICE.TYPICALLY BEFOREELECTIONS CIVIC ANDCIVIL RIGHTS GROUPSARE ENCOURAGINGPEOPLE TO MAKE SURETHEY VOTE.

//THIS TIME, THEOSEGROUPS HAVE THE ADDEDJOB OF EXPLAINING HOWTO VOTE...SOPEOPLE --LIKE THE WOMANYOU'RE ABOUT TO MEET...CAN MAKE SURE THEIRVOTE COUNTS... ..THIS IS THE RIGHT WAY TORAISE TOMATOES.A DAILY DOSE OF WATERAND GAYLE HILL'S PLANTSARE THRIVING.BUT AS SHE WATERS HERTOMATOES, GAYLE ISWORRIED THAT A VALUESHEGREW UP TO BELIEVE IN...IS IN JEOPARDY.Gayle Hill, Voter, JacksonCountyMy grandparents and my greatgrandparents reminded me,how our people fought for theright to vote.SHE'S UPSET THAT SOMEMAIL-PROCESSINGMACHINES AND MAILBOXES ARE BEINGREMOVED, AND SOMEPOSTAL WORKERS AREBEING LAID OFF.LIKE SO MANY AMERICANSSHE'S WORRIED ABOUTMAKING SURE THAT WHENSHE VOTES...HER VOTE ISCOUNTED.Gayle Hill, Voter, JacksonCountySince the voting process andthe mail is being sabotaged,well, extend the time to countthe vote.

I don't understandwhy that's sodifficult.I TALKED WITH JOHNSONCOUNTY ELECTION BOARDCOMMISSIONER, CONNIESCHMIDT.SHE SAID, DELAYING THEDATE IS NOT AN OPTION...SO YOU HAVE TO ACTNOW...REQUEST YOUR MAIL-INBALLOT EARLY.Connie Schmidt,Commissioner,Johnson CountyElection Board"If they wait until the daybefore election day to put it inthe mail, it still might not gettous until after Friday, which isthe last day we can receivethem--friday after electionday."YOU CAN ALSO DROP THEMIN THE BALLOT BOXES..ATYOUR ELECTION OFFICE.VOTING IN PERSON ISANOTHER WAY TO MAKESURE YOUR VOTE COUNTS.THE HARD-COPY BALLOTSARE CHECKED..ANDELECTION OFFICIALS SAIDELECTRONIC VOTING ISALSO SAFE BECAUSE THEINFORMATION IS STOREDON A FLASH DRIVE ANDCONFIRMED AT THEELECTION OFFICE.Gayle Hill, VoterI think I'll go down to theelection board --that's plan A.Plan B is mail-in and talkingto all my friends and familyand making sure all the peopleI know are registered to vote.SHE HOPES ALL THECONFUSION ANDDISTRACTIONS OVERVOTING WILL NOT HURTVOTER-TURNOUT.Gayle Hill, VoterI don't think people are goingto give up.

I believe peoplelike me, know how importantthis is and it's even moreimportant because they'retrying to supress our voteSHE MAINTAINS THATAMERICA'S VALUE OFONE-PERSON, ONE VOTEWILL PREVAIL.KANSAS ELECTIONOFFICAILS TOLD ME YOUCAN ALSO GO ON THESECRETARY OF STATE'SWEBSITE AND LOOK UPVOTER VIEW.TYPE IN YOUR NAME ANDBIRTHDATE...AND FINDYOUR POLLING PLACE --AND ALSOCONFIRM IF YOUR BALLOTWAS RECEIVED.YOUR LOCAL ELECTIONOFFICE -- CAN HELP YOUWALK THROUGH THEPROCESS.CYNTHIA NEWSOME 41ACTION NEWS.