BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

By the time the NFL playoffs begin in January, sports betting will be legal in Missouri.

The only remaining question now that voters approved&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/2024-160.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 2</a>&nbsp;is whether bettors will use platforms licensed in Missouri or if players will have to use accounts linked to licenses from other states.

The result on sports wagering wasn’t clear until the final votes were reported from Greene County after 1:30 a.m. Wednesday. The southwest Missouri county voted 55% against sports betting, narrowing the statewide margin to just over 14,000 votes out of 2.9 million cast.&nbsp;

The election didn’t go as well for the other gambling measure on the ballot. Voters said “no” to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/2024-165.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 5</a>, which would have authorized a new casino near the Lake of the Ozarks. It is only the third time since 1980 that Missouri voters rejected a proposal to expand gambling in the state.&nbsp;

With nearly all precincts reporting, Amendment 5 was losing 52% to 48%.

Winning for Missouri Education, the committee funded by the two biggest online bookmakers, FanDuel and DraftKings, poured a record of&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/29/spending-on-missouri-ballot-measures-nears-100-million-as-campaign-enters-final-week/">almost $41 million</a>&nbsp;into the campaign. That proved to be just enough to overcome a $14 million opposition campaign funded by Caesars Entertainment, which&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/opponents-of-missouri-sports-betting-amendment-pull-tv-ads-in-campaigns-homestretch/">pulled its television ads</a>&nbsp;three weeks before Election Day.

Initially polling with an advantage of&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/29/poll-shows-missouri-voters-back-trump-hawley-abortion-rights-and-minimum-wage-hike/">20 percentage points</a>, the narrow vote on Tuesday shows how effectively an opposition campaign undermined support.

New constitutional amendments become law 30 days after the election, so the first legal bets in Missouri could be placed as early as Dec. 5.&nbsp;

Backers of Amendment 5, who spent $4.2 million to make the ballot and another $6 million on the fall campaign, were unable to overcome skepticism of the benefits of expanded gambling created by the anti-sports wagering campaign.&nbsp;

Missouri voters last defeated a gambling measure in 2004 when voters rejected a proposal similar to Amendment 5. That would have authorized a licensed casino for the White River near Rockaway Beach in southwest Missouri.&nbsp;

Under state law, casinos must be located within 1,000 feet of the main channel of either the Mississippi or Missouri rivers.

The only other gambling proposal to lose was a measure to allow wagering on simulcast horse races in 1992. Voters had approved parimutuel wagering on live horse races in 1984 but no track was built.

The initiative campaign to legalize sports betting emerged from years of frustration with the General Assembly, where a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/04/10/sports-wagering-bill-remains-mired-in-missouri-senate-split-over-gambling-expansion/">triangular debate</a>&nbsp;pitted casinos and sports teams against video lottery proponents against ‘gray market’ games vendors who profit from inaction.

“We’re not extremely optimistic that that’s going to happen,” Mike Whittle, general counsel for the St. Louis Cardinals,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/14/record-spending-fuels-missouri-campaigns-to-legalize-sports-gambling-new-casino/">said last year</a>&nbsp;of the possibilities of legislative action. “I mean, we’ve kind of seen that movie way too many times.”

Missouri’s franchises from Major League Baseball, the NFL, the NHL, Major League Soccer and the National Women’s Soccer League provided the public face of the signature campaign.

The push to legalize sports wagering in Missouri began after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal law against wagering on sporting events in 2018. More than 35 states have legalized some form of the gambling since the court decision, including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.actionnetwork.com/news/legal-sports-betting-united-states-projections" target="_blank">every state on Missouri’s border</a>&nbsp;except Oklahoma.

Under the provisions of the amendment, each of six major professional sports teams could create a retail sports betting location within a district near its stadium. The teams could also provide fans with a branded online betting platform.

Each of the state’s six casino companies could also open a retail sportsbook at their casinos as well as offer an online platform.

And there would be two licenses for online betting companies without a link to a Missouri casino or sports team.

The profits from gambling would be taxed at 10%, but the measure allows deductions for promotional offers and federal taxes before the state revenue is calculated.&nbsp;

An economic study produced for Winning for Missouri Education estimates that $21.8 billion will be wagered during the first five years after legalization and more than 98% of the bets will be placed online.

That same study pegs the net to the state over that period at $134 million. Revenue in the fifth year is estimated at $38.7 million, about $10 million more than the maximum annual revenue projected by the fiscal note for the ballot measure.

There will be gambling at the Lake of the Ozarks, but not in a casino licensed by the Missouri Gaming Commission.

The defeat of Amendment 5 means there will be no competition for a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/10/29/osage-nation-plans-casino-hotel-for-missouris-lake-of-the-ozarks/">project launched in 2021</a>&nbsp;by the Osage Nation to have a property in Miller County taken into trust as ancestral lands where it could operate a casino and convention center.

The project is awaiting approval from federal officials. After that, the tribe and the state will&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nigc.gov/general-counsel/indian-gaming-regulatory-act" target="_blank">negotiate a compact</a>&nbsp;dividing responsibilities for law enforcement on the casino property. The agreement would also establish “taxation by the Indian tribe of such activity in amounts comparable to amounts assessed by the state for comparable activities.”&nbsp;

Tribes have the right to offer gambling that mirrors what the state allows “for any purpose by any person, organization, or entity.”

If the state refuses to negotiate a compact, or does not do so in good faith, the tribe may sue in federal court.

BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>By the time the NFL playoffs begin in January, sports betting will be legal in Missouri.The only remaining question now that voters approved&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/2024-160.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 2</a>&nbsp;is whether bettors will use platforms licensed in Missouri or if players will have to use accounts linked to licenses from other states.The result on sports wagering wasn’t clear until the final votes were reported from Greene County after 1:30 a.m. Wednesday. The southwest Missouri county voted 55% against sports betting, narrowing the statewide margin to just over 14,000 votes out of 2.9 million cast.&nbsp;The election didn’t go as well for the other gambling measure on the ballot. Voters said “no” to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/2024-165.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 5</a>, which would have authorized a new casino near the Lake of the Ozarks. It is only the third time since 1980 that Missouri voters rejected a proposal to expand gambling in the state.&nbsp;With nearly all precincts reporting, Amendment 5 was losing 52% to 48%.Winning for Missouri Education, the committee funded by the two biggest online bookmakers, FanDuel and DraftKings, poured a record of&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/29/spending-on-missouri-ballot-measures-nears-100-million-as-campaign-enters-final-week/">almost $41 million</a>&nbsp;into the campaign. That proved to be just enough to overcome a $14 million opposition campaign funded by Caesars Entertainment, which&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/opponents-of-missouri-sports-betting-amendment-pull-tv-ads-in-campaigns-homestretch/">pulled its television ads</a>&nbsp;three weeks before Election Day.Initially polling with an advantage of&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/29/poll-shows-missouri-voters-back-trump-hawley-abortion-rights-and-minimum-wage-hike/">20 percentage points</a>, the narrow vote on Tuesday shows how effectively an opposition campaign undermined support.New constitutional amendments become law 30 days after the election, so the first legal bets in Missouri could be placed as early as Dec. 5.&nbsp;Backers of Amendment 5, who spent $4.2 million to make the ballot and another $6 million on the fall campaign, were unable to overcome skepticism of the benefits of expanded gambling created by the anti-sports wagering campaign.&nbsp;Missouri voters last defeated a gambling measure in 2004 when voters rejected a proposal similar to Amendment 5. That would have authorized a licensed casino for the White River near Rockaway Beach in southwest Missouri.&nbsp;Under state law, casinos must be located within 1,000 feet of the main channel of either the Mississippi or Missouri rivers.The only other gambling proposal to lose was a measure to allow wagering on simulcast horse races in 1992. Voters had approved parimutuel wagering on live horse races in 1984 but no track was built.<h2>Amendment 2</h2>The initiative campaign to legalize sports betting emerged from years of frustration with the General Assembly, where a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/04/10/sports-wagering-bill-remains-mired-in-missouri-senate-split-over-gambling-expansion/">triangular debate</a>&nbsp;pitted casinos and sports teams against video lottery proponents against ‘gray market’ games vendors who profit from inaction.“We’re not extremely optimistic that that’s going to happen,” Mike Whittle, general counsel for the St. Louis Cardinals,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/14/record-spending-fuels-missouri-campaigns-to-legalize-sports-gambling-new-casino/">said last year</a>&nbsp;of the possibilities of legislative action. “I mean, we’ve kind of seen that movie way too many times.”Missouri’s franchises from Major League Baseball, the NFL, the NHL, Major League Soccer and the National Women’s Soccer League provided the public face of the signature campaign.The push to legalize sports wagering in Missouri began after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal law against wagering on sporting events in 2018. More than 35 states have legalized some form of the gambling since the court decision, including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.actionnetwork.com/news/legal-sports-betting-united-states-projections" target="_blank">every state on Missouri’s border</a>&nbsp;except Oklahoma.Under the provisions of the amendment, each of six major professional sports teams could create a retail sports betting location within a district near its stadium. The teams could also provide fans with a branded online betting platform.Each of the state’s six casino companies could also open a retail sportsbook at their casinos as well as offer an online platform.And there would be two licenses for online betting companies without a link to a Missouri casino or sports team.The profits from gambling would be taxed at 10%, but the measure allows deductions for promotional offers and federal taxes before the state revenue is calculated.&nbsp;An economic study produced for Winning for Missouri Education estimates that $21.8 billion will be wagered during the first five years after legalization and more than 98% of the bets will be placed online.That same study pegs the net to the state over that period at $134 million. Revenue in the fifth year is estimated at $38.7 million, about $10 million more than the maximum annual revenue projected by the fiscal note for the ballot measure.<h2>Amendment 5</h2>There will be gambling at the Lake of the Ozarks, but not in a casino licensed by the Missouri Gaming Commission.The defeat of Amendment 5 means there will be no competition for a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/10/29/osage-nation-plans-casino-hotel-for-missouris-lake-of-the-ozarks/">project launched in 2021</a>&nbsp;by the Osage Nation to have a property in Miller County taken into trust as ancestral lands where it could operate a casino and convention center.The project is awaiting approval from federal officials. After that, the tribe and the state will&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nigc.gov/general-counsel/indian-gaming-regulatory-act" target="_blank">negotiate a compact</a>&nbsp;dividing responsibilities for law enforcement on the casino property. The agreement would also establish “taxation by the Indian tribe of such activity in amounts comparable to amounts assessed by the state for comparable activities.”&nbsp;Tribes have the right to offer gambling that mirrors what the state allows “for any purpose by any person, organization, or entity.”If the state refuses to negotiate a compact, or does not do so in good faith, the tribe may sue in federal court.

Missouri voters narrowly approve sports betting amendment

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/cbates/">CLARA BATES</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>

An effort to hike the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour and guarantee paid sick leave won the support of Missouri voters Tuesday night.&nbsp;

Proposition A was approved by Missouri voters 58% to 41%.

The approval follows a trend of Missourians using the initiative petition process to increase the minimum wage — and more broadly, of Missourians using that process to advance policies at odds with the beliefs of the state’s Republican dominated legislature.

Proposition A was&nbsp;<a href="https://mohealthyfamilies.org/endorsements/" target="_blank">backed by</a>&nbsp;various unions and workers’ advocacy groups, social justice and civil rights organizations,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.businessforafairminimumwage.org/statement/Missouri2024" target="_blank">over 500 state business owners</a>&nbsp;and others.&nbsp;

Some business groups, including the state Chamber of Commerce, have opposed it, especially the guaranteed sick leave portion. But there wasn’t a coordinated opposition campaign.&nbsp;

The campaign in favor of the measure, called Missourians for Healthy Families and Fair Wages, raised nearly $6 million — including from out-of-state groups that don’t disclose their donors — and collected 210,000 signatures to have the issue placed on the statewide ballot.

The current minimum wage in Missouri is $12.30, which is equivalent to $492 per week, before taxes. The ballot measure would raise the state’s minimum wage to $13.75 next year and $15 in January 2026.&nbsp;

The increase would affect over 562,000 workers in the state, according to the Missouri Budget Project, or nearly 1 in 4 workers. The minimum wage would be adjusted based on inflation every year after 2026.

Voters approved a minimum-wage hike in 2006, with 75% of the vote, and again in 2018, with 62% of the vote.

And businesses will be required to provide one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to five days per year for small businesses and seven days per year for larger businesses. Small businesses are those with fewer than 15 employees.

The paid sick time provision will go into effect on May 1, 2025.

Without sick leave, proponents argue, workers have to choose between their financial and physical wellbeing — going into work sick or losing out on a needed paycheck.

Missouri will join 15 states that require employers to provide paid sick leave. The United States, unlike nearly every other country, lacks federal paid sick leave, so states, as well as cities, have taken the lead.&nbsp;

Some business groups raised alarm particularly with the sick leave provisions, saying the proposal constitutes government overreach in what should be the decisions of business owners.

At the same time, a coalition of hundreds of businesspeople in the state have signed on to support the ballot measure, arguing the policies help their bottom line, causing lower employee turnover, increased productivity and better health and safety conditions.

The ballot measure would change the state law but not the constitution, meaning the legislature could overturn it, but those on both sides of the issue told The Independent last month they see that as unlikely.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730884985514.png" alt=" Daniel Tucker, a leader with the Missouri Workers Center, teaches chants customized to an initiative petition to raise the minimum wage and mandate paid sick leave outside of the Secretary of State’s office building in Jefferson City in May (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Daniel Tucker, a leader with the Missouri Workers Center, teaches chants customized to an initiative petition to raise the minimum wage and mandate paid sick leave outside of the Secretary of State’s office building in Jefferson City in May (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/cbates/">CLARA BATES</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>An effort to hike the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour and guarantee paid sick leave won the support of Missouri voters Tuesday night.&nbsp;Proposition A was approved by Missouri voters 58% to 41%.The approval follows a trend of Missourians using the initiative petition process to increase the minimum wage — and more broadly, of Missourians using that process to advance policies at odds with the beliefs of the state’s Republican dominated legislature.Proposition A was&nbsp;<a href="https://mohealthyfamilies.org/endorsements/" target="_blank">backed by</a>&nbsp;various unions and workers’ advocacy groups, social justice and civil rights organizations,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.businessforafairminimumwage.org/statement/Missouri2024" target="_blank">over 500 state business owners</a>&nbsp;and others.&nbsp;Some business groups, including the state Chamber of Commerce, have opposed it, especially the guaranteed sick leave portion. But there wasn’t a coordinated opposition campaign.&nbsp;The campaign in favor of the measure, called Missourians for Healthy Families and Fair Wages, raised nearly $6 million — including from out-of-state groups that don’t disclose their donors — and collected 210,000 signatures to have the issue placed on the statewide ballot.The current minimum wage in Missouri is $12.30, which is equivalent to $492 per week, before taxes. The ballot measure would raise the state’s minimum wage to $13.75 next year and $15 in January 2026.&nbsp;The increase would affect over 562,000 workers in the state, according to the Missouri Budget Project, or nearly 1 in 4 workers. The minimum wage would be adjusted based on inflation every year after 2026.Voters approved a minimum-wage hike in 2006, with 75% of the vote, and again in 2018, with 62% of the vote.And businesses will be required to provide one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to five days per year for small businesses and seven days per year for larger businesses. Small businesses are those with fewer than 15 employees.The paid sick time provision will go into effect on May 1, 2025.Without sick leave, proponents argue, workers have to choose between their financial and physical wellbeing — going into work sick or losing out on a needed paycheck.Missouri will join 15 states that require employers to provide paid sick leave. The United States, unlike nearly every other country, lacks federal paid sick leave, so states, as well as cities, have taken the lead.&nbsp;Some business groups raised alarm particularly with the sick leave provisions, saying the proposal constitutes government overreach in what should be the decisions of business owners.At the same time, a coalition of hundreds of businesspeople in the state have signed on to support the ballot measure, arguing the policies help their bottom line, causing lower employee turnover, increased productivity and better health and safety conditions.The ballot measure would change the state law but not the constitution, meaning the legislature could overturn it, but those on both sides of the issue told The Independent last month they see that as unlikely.

Missourians vote to increase minimum wage, require paid sick leave

An extremely close race for Buchanan County Western District Commissioner as incumbent Democrat Ron Hook wins re-election by 20 votes.

Unofficial results released by the Buchanan County Clerk's office has Hook with 7,851 votes to 7,831 votes for Republican challenger Everett Goddard, Jr. That's a split of 49.96% to 49.83%, close enough to trigger a likely recount.

St. Joseph state Rep. Bill Falkner easily won re-election in the other contested local race. Falkner, a Republican, won 8,145 votes to 4,999 cast for Democrat Andrew Gibson. Falkner won election to his fourth and final term in the Missouri House. Term limits will prevent him from running again.

Buchanan County voters gave strong support for former President Donald Trump and incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley.

Buchanan County voters gave overwhelming support to sports betting and narrowly supporter the lifting of the state abortion ban.

You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostAn extremely close race for Buchanan County Western District Commissioner as incumbent Democrat Ron Hook wins re-election by 20 votes.Unofficial results released by the Buchanan County Clerk's office has Hook with 7,851 votes to 7,831 votes for Republican challenger Everett Goddard, Jr. That's a split of 49.96% to 49.83%, close enough to trigger a likely recount.St. Joseph state Rep. Bill Falkner easily won re-election in the other contested local race. Falkner, a Republican, won 8,145 votes to 4,999 cast for Democrat Andrew Gibson. Falkner won election to his fourth and final term in the Missouri House. Term limits will prevent him from running again.Buchanan County voters gave strong support for former President Donald Trump and incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley.Buchanan County voters gave overwhelming support to sports betting and narrowly supporter the lifting of the state abortion ban.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

An extremely close Buchanan CO race sets up possible recount

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

Abortion-rights advocates say the amendment will grant widespread access to abortion in Missouri for the first time in years

ST. LOUIS — Abortions rights will be enshrined in the Missouri Constitution, after voters on Tuesday overturned the state’s near-total abortion ban.

The Associated Press called the race at 10:30 p.m. with Amendment 3 winning 54% to 46%.

“We did not accept this nightmare thrust upon us,” said Tori Schafer, deputy director for policy and campaigns of the ACLU of Missouri.&nbsp;

When the amendment goes into effect in 30 days, abortion will be legal up until the point of fetal viability — generally seen as the point at which a fetus can survive outside the womb on its own, or around 24 weeks, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.acog.org/advocacy/facts-are-important/understanding-and-navigating-viability#:~:text=Later%20in%20pregnancy%2C%20a%20clinician,fully%20develop%20in%20the%20uterus." target="_blank">American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists</a>.

The amendment also protects access to other reproductive health care, like birth control.

Missouri has a long history of electing anti-abortion lawmakers who over the last several years crafted some of the more restrictive laws in the country, known as TRAP laws, or “targeted regulation of abortion providers.”

The legislature in 2019 passed a “trigger law,” meant to go into effect if Roe v. Wade fell. When the constitutional right to an abortion was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court in June 2022,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/06/24/abortion-is-now-illegal-in-missouri-in-wake-of-u-s-supreme-court-ruling/">Missouri was the first state to&nbsp;</a>make virtually all abortions illegal.

A decade ago, more than 5,000 abortions were performed in Missouri, according to data from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. By 2020, that number dropped to 167 due to a series of “targeted regulation of abortion providers” laws enacted by the legislature, including a mandatory 72-hour waiting period between the initial appointment and a surgical abortion and mandatory pelvic exams for medication abortions.

Between June 24, 2022 and July 31, 2024, 74 abortions were performed in Missouri under the state’s emergency exemption, according to health department data.

In January, a coalition called Missourians for Constitutional Freedom formally kicked off a citizen-led initiative petition process to get abortion on the ballot.&nbsp;

The coalition, whose leaders include the ACLU of Missouri, Abortion Action Missouri and the state’s Planned Parenthood affiliates, emphasized the state’s strict abortion laws in the months leading up to the election.

The abortion-rights campaign saw overwhelming support across the state early on, turning in more than 380,000 signatures to the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office in May.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The campaign behind the amendment successfully raised more than $16 million leading up to the November election, according to reports filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission. This money, a significant portion of which came from out-of-state groups that don’t disclose their donors, helped fund TV ads and other messaging across the state.&nbsp;

Those opposed to the amendment launched a mostly grassroots effort to fight the amendment with the help of anti-abortion lawmakers, churches and activists. Their messaging leaned heavily into claims that the amendment would legalize gender-affirming surgeries for minors, something&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/16/missouri-abortion-gender-affirming-health-care-amendment-3/">legal experts have disputed.</a>

Several different PACs created to encourage Missourians to “vote no” cumulatively raised a few million dollars to fight the amendment, including through radio ad buys, billboards and fliers, mostly relying on word-of-mouth to raise concerns with the amendment.&nbsp;

Susan Prinster, 72, a member of&nbsp;Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in&nbsp;O’Fallon, gathered with a few dozen other parishioners to pray the rosary on Tuesday afternoon, hours before polls closed across the state.&nbsp;

“I’m very scared,” Prinster said following the recitation of the rosary late Tuesday afternoon in&nbsp;St. Charles County as part of a larger effort across the Archdiocese of St. Louis to pray for the defeat of Amendment 3.&nbsp;“I don’t know where this thing came from.”

Prinster remembers the moment 52 years ago when she learned Roe v. Wade, a U.S. Supreme Court decision that protected the constitutional right to an abortion, was decided. She was holding her first child, still an infant, in her arms at her home in Missouri.

“It was awful,” she said, recalling how she looked down at her child as they swayed in a rocking chair.&nbsp;

Sylvia Kiphart, a retired preschool teacher who now serves as coordinator for Assumption’s “Pro-Life” program, said if Amendment 3 passes she hopes a new ballot measure is quickly introduced attempting to overturn it.

“We’ve got to stop them,” she said. “We’ve got to. We can’t keep killing babies.”

While the amendment will go into effect in early December, abortion won’t immediately become readily accessible across the state.&nbsp;

Leaders with Missourians for Constitutional Freedom have said many of the state’s existing TRAP laws, which made access nearly impossible prior to the abortion ban, will first need to be challenged in court.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725887984419.png" alt="Supporters of a proposed ballot measure to legalize abortion up until the point of fetal viability gathered at a rally hosted by Missourians for Constitutional Freedom on Feb. 6 in Kansas City (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>Supporters of a proposed ballot measure to legalize abortion up until the point of fetal viability gathered at a rally hosted by Missourians for Constitutional Freedom on Feb. 6 in Kansas City (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a><h2>Abortion-rights advocates say the amendment will grant widespread access to abortion in Missouri for the first time in years</h2>ST. LOUIS — Abortions rights will be enshrined in the Missouri Constitution, after voters on Tuesday overturned the state’s near-total abortion ban.The Associated Press called the race at 10:30 p.m. with Amendment 3 winning 54% to 46%.“We did not accept this nightmare thrust upon us,” said Tori Schafer, deputy director for policy and campaigns of the ACLU of Missouri.&nbsp;When the amendment goes into effect in 30 days, abortion will be legal up until the point of fetal viability — generally seen as the point at which a fetus can survive outside the womb on its own, or around 24 weeks, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.acog.org/advocacy/facts-are-important/understanding-and-navigating-viability#:~:text=Later%20in%20pregnancy%2C%20a%20clinician,fully%20develop%20in%20the%20uterus." target="_blank">American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists</a>.The amendment also protects access to other reproductive health care, like birth control.Missouri has a long history of electing anti-abortion lawmakers who over the last several years crafted some of the more restrictive laws in the country, known as TRAP laws, or “targeted regulation of abortion providers.”The legislature in 2019 passed a “trigger law,” meant to go into effect if Roe v. Wade fell. When the constitutional right to an abortion was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court in June 2022,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/06/24/abortion-is-now-illegal-in-missouri-in-wake-of-u-s-supreme-court-ruling/">Missouri was the first state to&nbsp;</a>make virtually all abortions illegal.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730868620268.png" alt=" Tori Schafer, an attorney with the ACLU of Missouri, speaks to a few hundred people gathered Tuesday in St. Louis for an Amendment 3 watch party as the crowd waits on election results (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Tori Schafer, an attorney with the ACLU of Missouri, speaks to a few hundred people gathered Tuesday in St. Louis for an Amendment 3 watch party as the crowd waits on election results (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>A decade ago, more than 5,000 abortions were performed in Missouri, according to data from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. By 2020, that number dropped to 167 due to a series of “targeted regulation of abortion providers” laws enacted by the legislature, including a mandatory 72-hour waiting period between the initial appointment and a surgical abortion and mandatory pelvic exams for medication abortions.Between June 24, 2022 and July 31, 2024, 74 abortions were performed in Missouri under the state’s emergency exemption, according to health department data.In January, a coalition called Missourians for Constitutional Freedom formally kicked off a citizen-led initiative petition process to get abortion on the ballot.&nbsp;The coalition, whose leaders include the ACLU of Missouri, Abortion Action Missouri and the state’s Planned Parenthood affiliates, emphasized the state’s strict abortion laws in the months leading up to the election.The abortion-rights campaign saw overwhelming support across the state early on, turning in more than 380,000 signatures to the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office in May.&nbsp;&nbsp;The campaign behind the amendment successfully raised more than $16 million leading up to the November election, according to reports filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission. This money, a significant portion of which came from out-of-state groups that don’t disclose their donors, helped fund TV ads and other messaging across the state.&nbsp;Those opposed to the amendment launched a mostly grassroots effort to fight the amendment with the help of anti-abortion lawmakers, churches and activists. Their messaging leaned heavily into claims that the amendment would legalize gender-affirming surgeries for minors, something&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/16/missouri-abortion-gender-affirming-health-care-amendment-3/">legal experts have disputed.</a>Several different PACs created to encourage Missourians to “vote no” cumulatively raised a few million dollars to fight the amendment, including through radio ad buys, billboards and fliers, mostly relying on word-of-mouth to raise concerns with the amendment.&nbsp;Susan Prinster, 72, a member of&nbsp;Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in&nbsp;O’Fallon, gathered with a few dozen other parishioners to pray the rosary on Tuesday afternoon, hours before polls closed across the state.&nbsp;“I’m very scared,” Prinster said following the recitation of the rosary late Tuesday afternoon in&nbsp;St. Charles County as part of a larger effort across the Archdiocese of St. Louis to pray for the defeat of Amendment 3.&nbsp;“I don’t know where this thing came from.”Prinster remembers the moment 52 years ago when she learned Roe v. Wade, a U.S. Supreme Court decision that protected the constitutional right to an abortion, was decided. She was holding her first child, still an infant, in her arms at her home in Missouri.“It was awful,” she said, recalling how she looked down at her child as they swayed in a rocking chair.&nbsp;Sylvia Kiphart, a retired preschool teacher who now serves as coordinator for Assumption’s “Pro-Life” program, said if Amendment 3 passes she hopes a new ballot measure is quickly introduced attempting to overturn it.“We’ve got to stop them,” she said. “We’ve got to. We can’t keep killing babies.”While the amendment will go into effect in early December, abortion won’t immediately become readily accessible across the state.&nbsp;Leaders with Missourians for Constitutional Freedom have said many of the state’s existing TRAP laws, which made access nearly impossible prior to the abortion ban, will first need to be challenged in court.

Missouri voters approve Amendment 3, overturn state’s abortion ban 

A Gallatin man whose family farming operation is the setting of a reality TV show has pleaded guilty in federal court to a fraud scheme. 

52 year old Steve McBee was charged by Judge Stephen Bough with one count of federal crop insurance fraud.  McBee, the owner of McBee Farming Operations, stars in the reality TV series "The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys" on Peacock.

By pleading guilty, McBee admitted to engaging in fraudulent activity between 2018 and 2020 that caused a loss to the US Department of Agriculture.  He is ordered to pay restitution and must forfeit $3,158,923 to the government

McBee admitted in federal court that he engaged in fraudulent activity that caused an economic loss to the federal government. Under the terms of the plea agreement, McBee must pay restitution as determined by the court. The total loss claimed by the government is $4,022,123. Additionally, McBee must forfeit to the government $3,158,923.

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostA Gallatin man whose family farming operation is the setting of a reality TV show has pleaded guilty in federal court to a fraud scheme. 52 year old Steve McBee was charged by Judge Stephen Bough with one count of federal crop insurance fraud. McBee, the owner of McBee Farming Operations, stars in the reality TV series "The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys" on Peacock.By pleading guilty, McBee admitted to engaging in fraudulent activity between 2018 and 2020 that caused a loss to the US Department of Agriculture. He is ordered to pay restitution and must forfeit $3,158,923 to the governmentMcBee admitted in federal court that he engaged in fraudulent activity that caused an economic loss to the federal government. Under the terms of the plea agreement, McBee must pay restitution as determined by the court. The total loss claimed by the government is $4,022,123. Additionally, McBee must forfeit to the government $3,158,923.

Gallatin farmer, star of reality TV show, pleads guilty to fraud scheme

Hillyard Technical Center has grown from a school district
vo-tech school to something much more important to the economic growth of the
community.

St. Joseph School Superintendent Gabe Edgar says Hillyard has
been attracting more and more students.

“A think a lot of that is due to some of the philosophical shifts
that we’ve had in the school system itself,” Edgar says during his visit to the
KFEQ Hotline. “Hillyard was one of those things when I first got here that was way,
way underutilized. So, we’ve kind of changed the branding and changed the
marketing strategy toward that population.”

Edgar says the Hillyard Advisory Board has members of the St.
Joseph manufacturing community on it, directing instruction more toward the
workforce needs of the greater St. Joseph area.

Edgar says Hillyard aims now to address the workforce needs of
the St. Joseph region.

“Before we were just training students to train students,”
Edgar says. “We weren’t training students to go to the workforce or go to Gray
Manufacturing or Altec or wherever that may be. We’ve become more specific and
we’re really trying to engage that student population at a young age.”

Edgar adds that Hillyard will work effortlessly with the new
Convergent Technology Alliance Center on the Missouri Western State University campus.
CTAC will work with local manufacturers to train students for the high skill
manufacturing jobs in demand today. It is a joint venture between Missouri
Western and North Central Missouri College of Trenton.

“So, a student can go to Hillyard, they can get their
apprenticeship and they can go into the workforce,” Edgar explains. “Then there’s
the next step. You can go to Hillyard, you can get your certificate, then you
go to North Central for two years and you go into the workforce. And then we
have a path also where you go to Hillyard, you go to North Central, finish your
four-year degree at Missouri Western. So, it’s all seamless and it works
together.” 

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostHillyard Technical Center has grown from a school district
vo-tech school to something much more important to the economic growth of the
community.St. Joseph School Superintendent Gabe Edgar says Hillyard has
been attracting more and more students.“A think a lot of that is due to some of the philosophical shifts
that we’ve had in the school system itself,” Edgar says during his visit to the
KFEQ Hotline. “Hillyard was one of those things when I first got here that was way,
way underutilized. So, we’ve kind of changed the branding and changed the
marketing strategy toward that population.”Edgar says the Hillyard Advisory Board has members of the St.
Joseph manufacturing community on it, directing instruction more toward the
workforce needs of the greater St. Joseph area.Edgar says Hillyard aims now to address the workforce needs of
the St. Joseph region.“Before we were just training students to train students,”
Edgar says. “We weren’t training students to go to the workforce or go to Gray
Manufacturing or Altec or wherever that may be. We’ve become more specific and
we’re really trying to engage that student population at a young age.”Edgar adds that Hillyard will work effortlessly with the new
Convergent Technology Alliance Center on the Missouri Western State University campus.
CTAC will work with local manufacturers to train students for the high skill
manufacturing jobs in demand today. It is a joint venture between Missouri
Western and North Central Missouri College of Trenton.“So, a student can go to Hillyard, they can get their
apprenticeship and they can go into the workforce,” Edgar explains. “Then there’s
the next step. You can go to Hillyard, you can get your certificate, then you
go to North Central for two years and you go into the workforce. And then we
have a path also where you go to Hillyard, you go to North Central, finish your
four-year degree at Missouri Western. So, it’s all seamless and it works
together.” The new CTAC will open soon.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Hillyard grows from vo-tech school to vital link to greater St. Joseph economy

Election Day and perhaps the most striking part of this
Election Day for our area is the lack of contested races, on both sides of the
river.

St. Joseph state Rep. Bill Falkner, a Republican, is being
challenged by Democrat Andrew Gibson. St. Joseph state Rep. Brenda Shields, a
Republican, is running unopposed. State Rep. Dean Van Schoiack of Savannah, a
Republican, is running unopposed.

Buchanan County voters in the Western District will decide
whether to re-elect Democrat Ron Hook, who has been the Western District
Commissioner since 2009, or whether to choose Republican challenger, Everett Goddard,
Jr. Some Buchanan County residents will choose between incumbent Republican
state Rep. Sean Pouche or Democrat Andrea Denning for the Missouri House 13th
District, which includes much of Platte County as well as southern and eastern
Buchanan County.

In Kansas, Republican Craig Bowser of Holton is unopposed
after winning a three-candidate race in the primary, which included incumbent Sen.
Dennis Pyle. Republican Allen Reavis of Atchison is unopposed in the 63rd
Kansas House race.

Northern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves, the dean of the Missouri Congressional delegation, is running for re-election, opposed by Democrat Pam May. Libertarian Andy Maidment and Green Party candidate Mike Diel are also in the race.

Voters in the 2nd Congressional District of Kansas will be choosing new representation. Congressman Jake LaTurner decided against running for a third term. Republican Derek Schmidt of Independence, the former Kansas Attorney General, and Democrat Nancy Boyda of Baldwin City, who formerly held the seat, are running to replace LaTurner. Libertarian John Hauer of Topeka is also on the ballot.

Missouri voters face six issues on the ballot.

Perhaps the two constitutional amendments getting the most
attention are Amendment #2, legalizing sports betting in Missouri and Amendment
#3, legalizing abortion.

Amendment #5 would allow a gambling boat at the Lake of the Ozarks.

Amendment #6 would reinstate a court fee to help finance
sheriff and prosecutor pensions.

Amendment #7 would ban ranked choice voting in Missouri.

Proposition A would raise the state minimum age and require
businesses to provide sick leave.

Polls close at 7 o’clock this evening. KFEQ will broadcast
election results along with Fox News and the Missourinet, beginning at 7pm. We
will be updating St. Joseph Post throughout the night.

This article has been updated since first published.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730821779773.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostElection Day and perhaps the most striking part of this
Election Day for our area is the lack of contested races, on both sides of the
river.St. Joseph state Rep. Bill Falkner, a Republican, is being
challenged by Democrat Andrew Gibson. St. Joseph state Rep. Brenda Shields, a
Republican, is running unopposed. State Rep. Dean Van Schoiack of Savannah, a
Republican, is running unopposed.Buchanan County voters in the Western District will decide
whether to re-elect Democrat Ron Hook, who has been the Western District
Commissioner since 2009, or whether to choose Republican challenger, Everett Goddard,
Jr. Some Buchanan County residents will choose between incumbent Republican
state Rep. Sean Pouche or Democrat Andrea Denning for the Missouri House 13th
District, which includes much of Platte County as well as southern and eastern
Buchanan County.In Kansas, Republican Craig Bowser of Holton is unopposed
after winning a three-candidate race in the primary, which included incumbent Sen.
Dennis Pyle. Republican Allen Reavis of Atchison is unopposed in the 63rd
Kansas House race.Northern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves, the dean of the Missouri Congressional delegation, is running for re-election, opposed by Democrat Pam May. Libertarian Andy Maidment and Green Party candidate Mike Diel are also in the race.Voters in the 2nd Congressional District of Kansas will be choosing new representation. Congressman Jake LaTurner decided against running for a third term. Republican Derek Schmidt of Independence, the former Kansas Attorney General, and Democrat Nancy Boyda of Baldwin City, who formerly held the seat, are running to replace LaTurner. Libertarian John Hauer of Topeka is also on the ballot.Missouri voters face six issues on the ballot.Perhaps the two constitutional amendments getting the most
attention are Amendment #2, legalizing sports betting in Missouri and Amendment
#3, legalizing abortion.Amendment #5 would allow a gambling boat at the Lake of the Ozarks.Amendment #6 would reinstate a court fee to help finance
sheriff and prosecutor pensions.Amendment #7 would ban ranked choice voting in Missouri.Proposition A would raise the state minimum age and require
businesses to provide sick leave.Polls close at 7 o’clock this evening. KFEQ will broadcast
election results along with Fox News and the Missourinet, beginning at 7pm. We
will be updating St. Joseph Post throughout the night.This article has been updated since first published.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Election Day and few contested races in St. Joseph region

ATCHISON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 5p.m. Monday in Atchison.

A 2014 Chevrolet SUV driven by Kyesha Cluke, 44, Atchison, was northbound on 9th Street in the City of Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

A 2021 Lincoln SUV driven by Kathryn Barr, Atchison, was southbound on 9th Street and was making a left turn onto Atchison Street. The vehicles were involved at the intersection.

EMS transported Cluke to Amberwell Hospital for examination. Police released no additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730817410262.jpeg" alt="Photo Atchison Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Atchison Police</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 5p.m. Monday in Atchison.A 2014 Chevrolet SUV driven by Kyesha Cluke, 44, Atchison, was northbound on 9th Street in the City of Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.A 2021 Lincoln SUV driven by Kathryn Barr, Atchison, was southbound on 9th Street and was making a left turn onto Atchison Street. The vehicles were involved at the intersection.EMS transported Cluke to Amberwell Hospital for examination. Police released no additional details.

Kansas woman injured after SUVs collide 

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/sterlingsewell/">STERLING SEWELL</a>

If the 2020 presidential election is an indicator, determining who the next president will be may not be clear on election night.

Local election officials as well as Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft said that voters should be assured that elections in Missouri are secure even if vote counting takes time.

“I trust our elections,” Ashcroft said. “I was on the ballot in August, I lost, and sadly I trust that I lost.”

It could take days after polls close before the final results become clear. The same is true for control of the U.S. House and Senate and other close contests.

According to Ashcroft’s office, there were just under 4.4 million registered voters in the state who could potentially cast ballots in this election. Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon said 134,000 voters are registered in the county.

In addition to counting this volume of votes, legal challenges, audits and recounts can also extend the period needed to determine the outcome.

Election officials, like Lennon, caution Americans to be patient. What might look like delays are part of the normal process and not a sign of something nefarious.

“We do also remind people that Election Day results are still considered unofficial because there is still a certification process that has to happen,” Lennon said.

Lennon said this certification process includes things like confirming provisional ballots and counting military and overseas ballots that must arrive by 12 p.m. Friday, as allowed under state law.

Even when enough votes have been counted to allow media outlets to project a winner, those results are not final or official. They still need to be certified by election officials, a process that usually occurs over several weeks following Election Day.

The official certification deadline for presidential electors in Missouri is Nov. 20, and Dec. 10 — the second Tuesday of the month — for other federal offices.

These dates, as well as the rules and procedures for how elections are conducted, vary by state. To Lennon, this is a strength of the system.

“It is part of the way that we are decentralized in elections in this country. Overall, I feel that it makes us stronger because we have so many local election officials that are conducting the election in their own communities,“ Lennon said.

Ballots cast by voters on Election Day are tabulated relatively quickly, usually by machine, but even those results need to be double-checked. In Missouri, counties must recount by hand votes from 5% of polling locations as a check that counting by machines was correct.

There are 60 polling places in Boone County for this election, Lennon said. Three polling places will be selected at random and recounted to meet the 5% requirement.

Mailed absentee ballots can take longer to count. Each ballot must be reviewed for accuracy and to ensure that it comes from a legitimate voter. The process of removing the ballot from the envelope, confirming its validity and preparing it to be counted, either by hand or machine, takes time.

Some states prohibit officials from beginning this process before Election Day, all but guaranteeing that the count will be extended. In Missouri, absentee ballots are prepared and placed in a secure ballot box beginning five days before the election. They are not counted until the polls close at 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Two battleground states, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, prohibit the opening, preparing and counting of ballots until 7 a.m. on Election Day. Results from these states may take more time than other presidential battleground states as a result.

There are other factors that could lead to a longer wait for final results.

Most states, including Missouri, require mailed ballots to be received by the close of polls on Election Day. However, a few states, such as Nevada, California and Maryland, allow ballots to arrive several days after Election Day, as long as they are postmarked by Election Day.

Some states give voters a few days to “cure” or fix errors on their mail ballots so they can be counted. This is not the case in Missouri, but for national races outside the state, this can make a difference.

Close races can also trigger automatic or candidate-requested recounts or attract legal challenges that can drag the contest out even further.

This complicated and extended counting process can lead to false claims of election fraud or interference, as was the case in 2020. In that election, it took four days for The Associated Press to unofficially declare Joe Biden president. The votes were not officially certified until weeks later, as is normal procedure.

Despite this, former president Donald Trump demanded that the counting be stopped hours after the polls closed, and declared himself the winner, falsely accusing Democrats of finding ballots to manipulate the outcome.

“We don’t want them to find any ballots at 4 o’clock in the morning and add them to the list,” Trump said. ”As far as I’m concerned, we already have won it.”

But what Trump and his allies were denouncing was the normal vote-counting process.

Officials had warned repeatedly that the count would take time, especially with the expanded use of mail balloting by Democrats during the pandemic. That created what became known as a “red mirage” favoring Trump on Election Day, something that disappeared once all the votes were tallied.

As secretary of state, Ashcroft is the man in charge of securing and certifying the results of the election.

“Missouri leads the nation in making sure we have accessibility, security and credibility,” Ashcroft said. “It’s easy to vote, it’s hard to cheat, and if you do we’ll come after you so that when all is said and done we can all understand the results are what the people of the state desire.”

This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/elections/officials-say-missouri-elections-take-time-but-remain-secure/article_e8f1b2f2-9643-11ef-bf8a-b7d09f28fda0.html#tncms-source=Top%20Story" target="_blank">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730819673594.png" alt="A polling location in Jefferson City (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>A polling location in Jefferson City (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/sterlingsewell/">STERLING SEWELL</a>If the 2020 presidential election is an indicator, determining who the next president will be may not be clear on election night.Local election officials as well as Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft said that voters should be assured that elections in Missouri are secure even if vote counting takes time.“I trust our elections,” Ashcroft said. “I was on the ballot in August, I lost, and sadly I trust that I lost.”It could take days after polls close before the final results become clear. The same is true for control of the U.S. House and Senate and other close contests.The reasons are largely procedural.Accurate vote counting takes time.According to Ashcroft’s office, there were just under 4.4 million registered voters in the state who could potentially cast ballots in this election. Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon said 134,000 voters are registered in the county.In addition to counting this volume of votes, legal challenges, audits and recounts can also extend the period needed to determine the outcome.Election officials, like Lennon, caution Americans to be patient. What might look like delays are part of the normal process and not a sign of something nefarious.“We do also remind people that Election Day results are still considered unofficial because there is still a certification process that has to happen,” Lennon said.Lennon said this certification process includes things like confirming provisional ballots and counting military and overseas ballots that must arrive by 12 p.m. Friday, as allowed under state law.Even when enough votes have been counted to allow media outlets to project a winner, those results are not final or official. They still need to be certified by election officials, a process that usually occurs over several weeks following Election Day.The official certification deadline for presidential electors in Missouri is Nov. 20, and Dec. 10 — the second Tuesday of the month — for other federal offices.These dates, as well as the rules and procedures for how elections are conducted, vary by state. To Lennon, this is a strength of the system.“It is part of the way that we are decentralized in elections in this country. Overall, I feel that it makes us stronger because we have so many local election officials that are conducting the election in their own communities,“ Lennon said.Ballots cast by voters on Election Day are tabulated relatively quickly, usually by machine, but even those results need to be double-checked. In Missouri, counties must recount by hand votes from 5% of polling locations as a check that counting by machines was correct.There are 60 polling places in Boone County for this election, Lennon said. Three polling places will be selected at random and recounted to meet the 5% requirement.Mailed absentee ballots can take longer to count. Each ballot must be reviewed for accuracy and to ensure that it comes from a legitimate voter. The process of removing the ballot from the envelope, confirming its validity and preparing it to be counted, either by hand or machine, takes time.Some states prohibit officials from beginning this process before Election Day, all but guaranteeing that the count will be extended. In Missouri, absentee ballots are prepared and placed in a secure ballot box beginning five days before the election. They are not counted until the polls close at 7 p.m. on Election Day.Two battleground states, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, prohibit the opening, preparing and counting of ballots until 7 a.m. on Election Day. Results from these states may take more time than other presidential battleground states as a result.There are other factors that could lead to a longer wait for final results.Most states, including Missouri, require mailed ballots to be received by the close of polls on Election Day. However, a few states, such as Nevada, California and Maryland, allow ballots to arrive several days after Election Day, as long as they are postmarked by Election Day.Some states give voters a few days to “cure” or fix errors on their mail ballots so they can be counted. This is not the case in Missouri, but for national races outside the state, this can make a difference.Close races can also trigger automatic or candidate-requested recounts or attract legal challenges that can drag the contest out even further.This complicated and extended counting process can lead to false claims of election fraud or interference, as was the case in 2020. In that election, it took four days for The Associated Press to unofficially declare Joe Biden president. The votes were not officially certified until weeks later, as is normal procedure.Despite this, former president Donald Trump demanded that the counting be stopped hours after the polls closed, and declared himself the winner, falsely accusing Democrats of finding ballots to manipulate the outcome.“We don’t want them to find any ballots at 4 o’clock in the morning and add them to the list,” Trump said. ”As far as I’m concerned, we already have won it.”But what Trump and his allies were denouncing was the normal vote-counting process.Officials had warned repeatedly that the count would take time, especially with the expanded use of mail balloting by Democrats during the pandemic. That created what became known as a “red mirage” favoring Trump on Election Day, something that disappeared once all the votes were tallied.As secretary of state, Ashcroft is the man in charge of securing and certifying the results of the election.“Missouri leads the nation in making sure we have accessibility, security and credibility,” Ashcroft said. “It’s easy to vote, it’s hard to cheat, and if you do we’ll come after you so that when all is said and done we can all understand the results are what the people of the state desire.”This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/elections/officials-say-missouri-elections-take-time-but-remain-secure/article_e8f1b2f2-9643-11ef-bf8a-b7d09f28fda0.html#tncms-source=Top%20Story" target="_blank">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

Officials say Missouri elections take time, but remain secure

ANDREW COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 12:30p.m. Monday in Andrew County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2027 Nissan Sentra driven by a 24-year-old Highland, Kansas man was northbound on Interstate 229 near the 14 mile marker. The driver lost control on the wet road.

The car traveled off the west side of the road and overturned.

Andrew County EMS transported the driver to Mosaic Life Care. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

ANDREW COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 12:30p.m. Monday in Andrew County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2027 Nissan Sentra driven by a 24-year-old Highland, Kansas man was northbound on Interstate 229 near the 14 mile marker. The driver lost control on the wet road.The car traveled off the west side of the road and overturned.Andrew County EMS transported the driver to Mosaic Life Care. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Kansas man hospitalized in St. Joe after car overturns

LIVINGSTON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 6:30a.m. Monday in Livingston County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2022 Ford F350 driven by a 26-year-old man from Chula was westbound on Highway V at LIV 251 two miles east of Chillicothe.

The pickup struck the drivers side of a southbound 2005 Buick LeSabre driven by an 18-year-old Chillicothe man who failed to yield when crossing Highway V.

Chillicothe EMS transported the teen to Truman Medical Center. The pickup driver was not injured. The teen was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

LIVINGSTON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 6:30a.m. Monday in Livingston County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2022 Ford F350 driven by a 26-year-old man from Chula was westbound on Highway V at LIV 251 two miles east of Chillicothe.The pickup struck the drivers side of a southbound 2005 Buick LeSabre driven by an 18-year-old Chillicothe man who failed to yield when crossing Highway V.Chillicothe EMS transported the teen to Truman Medical Center. The pickup driver was not injured. The teen was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

Missouri teen injured after pickup, car crash

The Kansas City Chiefs needed overtime to get the job done, but remained the lone unbeaten team in the NFL and set the franchise record for the most consecutive wins, defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30-24 at Arrowhead Stadium on Monday night.&nbsp;

The 14 consecutive wins date back to last year.&nbsp; Previously the longest winning streak was 13 games, back between 2019 to 2020, when Kansas City made the first Super Bowl run in 50 years.&nbsp;

After both teams traded punts to open the game, it was Harrison Butker that got the Chiefs on the board first, late into the first quarter, hitting a 40 yard field goal.&nbsp; Following that, the Buccaneers put together an 11 play drive that carried into the second quarter, ending with a seven yard touchdown run by Rachaad White, who grew up in Kansas City and attended Center High School.

An 11 play drive by the Chiefs on the ensuing drive consumed over six minutes of clock, and for the first time since he joined Kansas City after being traded last week, Deandre Hopkins found the endzone on a one yard touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes.&nbsp; The Chiefs wound up leading 10-7 at the halftime break.&nbsp;

Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield put together a nice drive to take the lead back at the start of the second half, driving down the field and finding tight end Cade Otton for a go ahead touchdown.&nbsp; The lead was extended later in the quarter, Chase McLaughlin knocking through a 47 yard field goal, putting Tampa Bay up 17-10 going into the final quarter of regulation.&nbsp;

With the Buccaneers leading, Kansas City put together another long drive, 12 plays using up the final minutes of the third quarter and finding the endzone early in the fourth, Mahomes connecting with Samaje Perine for a seven yard touchdown pass.&nbsp; Following the play though, the entirety of Chiefs Kingdom collectively held their breath.

While scrambling to find Perine on the play, Mahomes appeared to tweak an existing ankle injury, and was helped off the field by trainers and into the blue injury tent on the sideline, while backup Carson Wentz began warming up in case he was needed.&nbsp; Following a Tampa Bay punt though, the crowd was loud, as Mahomes trotted back onto the field.

Even hobbled, Mahomes showed he was an MVP caliber quarterback, putting together a 15 play drive that ended with the welcome party for Hopkins continuing, as Mahomes again found the 12 year veteran in the endzone for a five yard touchdown pass, giving the Chiefs the lead back for the first time since halftime.&nbsp;

Both teams went on to trade punts, setting Tampa Bay up for one last drive to tie up the game, which Mayfield orchestrated over 15 plays, leaving just 27 seconds on the clock as Ryan Miller caught a one yard touchdown pass.&nbsp; With some question if head coach Todd Bowles would go for two, it was McLaughlin that marched on the field to knock through the extra point and leave the game tied.

The Chiefs made an attempt to get down the field, having three timeouts remaining, but were forced to punt and send the game to overtime.&nbsp; Kansas City won the toss, and chose to receive.&nbsp; Overtime wins and the Kansas City Chiefs, they go together like peanut butter and jelly, having not lost an overtime matchup since the 2021 AFC Conference Championship against the Cincinnati Bengals.

A 10 play drive for the Chiefs ended the game, as Kareem Hunt plunged into the endzone from two yards out, one play after Travis Kelce nearly found the endzone on a quick pass from Mahomes, advancing the Chiefs to an 8-0 record.&nbsp;

Mahomes put together his best game of the season thus far, going 34 of 44 passing for 291 yards and three touchdowns and no interceptions, the first this season Mahomes had no turnovers.&nbsp; Hunt rushed 27 times for 106 yards and a score.&nbsp; Kelce had 14 catches for 100 yards, while Hopkins had eight catches for 86 yards and two touchdowns.

The Chiefs will stay in Kansas City next week for their first AFC West rivalry matchup at Arrowhead Stadium, after traveling to the Chargers and Raiders, taking on the Denver Broncos in Week 10.&nbsp; Kickoff is at noon with pregame at 11am on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM) and Q Country 92.7

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730783988935.jpeg" alt="Chiefs players celebrate with wide receiver Deandre Hopkins (8) following his go ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter/ Photo courtesy of the Chiefs on X" />
 <figcaption>Chiefs players celebrate with wide receiver Deandre Hopkins (8) following his go ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter/ Photo courtesy of the Chiefs on X</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostThe Kansas City Chiefs needed overtime to get the job done, but remained the lone unbeaten team in the NFL and set the franchise record for the most consecutive wins, defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30-24 at Arrowhead Stadium on Monday night.&nbsp;The 14 consecutive wins date back to last year.&nbsp; Previously the longest winning streak was 13 games, back between 2019 to 2020, when Kansas City made the first Super Bowl run in 50 years.&nbsp;After both teams traded punts to open the game, it was Harrison Butker that got the Chiefs on the board first, late into the first quarter, hitting a 40 yard field goal.&nbsp; Following that, the Buccaneers put together an 11 play drive that carried into the second quarter, ending with a seven yard touchdown run by Rachaad White, who grew up in Kansas City and attended Center High School.An 11 play drive by the Chiefs on the ensuing drive consumed over six minutes of clock, and for the first time since he joined Kansas City after being traded last week, Deandre Hopkins found the endzone on a one yard touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes.&nbsp; The Chiefs wound up leading 10-7 at the halftime break.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">D HOP WELCOME PARTY‼️ <a href="https://t.co/fk8N4ZeMRX">pic.twitter.com/fk8N4ZeMRX</a>&mdash; Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1853620264258748771?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield put together a nice drive to take the lead back at the start of the second half, driving down the field and finding tight end Cade Otton for a go ahead touchdown.&nbsp; The lead was extended later in the quarter, Chase McLaughlin knocking through a 47 yard field goal, putting Tampa Bay up 17-10 going into the final quarter of regulation.&nbsp;With the Buccaneers leading, Kansas City put together another long drive, 12 plays using up the final minutes of the third quarter and finding the endzone early in the fourth, Mahomes connecting with Samaje Perine for a seven yard touchdown pass.&nbsp; Following the play though, the entirety of Chiefs Kingdom collectively held their breath.While scrambling to find Perine on the play, Mahomes appeared to tweak an existing ankle injury, and was helped off the field by trainers and into the blue injury tent on the sideline, while backup Carson Wentz began warming up in case he was needed.&nbsp; Following a Tampa Bay punt though, the crowd was loud, as Mahomes trotted back onto the field.Even hobbled, Mahomes showed he was an MVP caliber quarterback, putting together a 15 play drive that ended with the welcome party for Hopkins continuing, as Mahomes again found the 12 year veteran in the endzone for a five yard touchdown pass, giving the Chiefs the lead back for the first time since halftime.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">D HOP&#39;S MAKING HIMSELF AT HOME 🙌 <a href="https://t.co/2OWSMRTJRx">pic.twitter.com/2OWSMRTJRx</a>&mdash; Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1853645191632007175?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Both teams went on to trade punts, setting Tampa Bay up for one last drive to tie up the game, which Mayfield orchestrated over 15 plays, leaving just 27 seconds on the clock as Ryan Miller caught a one yard touchdown pass.&nbsp; With some question if head coach Todd Bowles would go for two, it was McLaughlin that marched on the field to knock through the extra point and leave the game tied.The Chiefs made an attempt to get down the field, having three timeouts remaining, but were forced to punt and send the game to overtime.&nbsp; Kansas City won the toss, and chose to receive.&nbsp; Overtime wins and the Kansas City Chiefs, they go together like peanut butter and jelly, having not lost an overtime matchup since the 2021 AFC Conference Championship against the Cincinnati Bengals.A 10 play drive for the Chiefs ended the game, as Kareem Hunt plunged into the endzone from two yards out, one play after Travis Kelce nearly found the endzone on a quick pass from Mahomes, advancing the Chiefs to an 8-0 record.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WALK. OFF. WINNER‼️ <a href="https://t.co/h2uxAQQ3bF">pic.twitter.com/h2uxAQQ3bF</a>&mdash; Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1853655018387423443?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Mahomes put together his best game of the season thus far, going 34 of 44 passing for 291 yards and three touchdowns and no interceptions, the first this season Mahomes had no turnovers.&nbsp; Hunt rushed 27 times for 106 yards and a score.&nbsp; Kelce had 14 catches for 100 yards, while Hopkins had eight catches for 86 yards and two touchdowns.The Chiefs will stay in Kansas City next week for their first AFC West rivalry matchup at Arrowhead Stadium, after traveling to the Chargers and Raiders, taking on the Denver Broncos in Week 10.&nbsp; Kickoff is at noon with pregame at 11am on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM) and Q Country 92.7

Chiefs win franchise record 14th consecutive game, beat Buccaneers 30-24 in OT

New representation in Congress will be decided by voters in
Kansas’ Second Congressional District on Tuesday.

Incumbent Republican Jake LaTurner decided not to run for a
third term.

The decision surprised Republican Derek Schmidt of
Independence, the former state Attorney General, and motivated him to get in
the race.

“He made the unexpected decision not to seek re-election and
that presented really a choice,” Schmidt tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “I think
our country has some serious challenges. We need serious people who want to get
in and try to fix some things.”

Schmidt says he wants to address inflation, illegal
immigration, and intrusion of big government if elected to Congress.

As for Democrat Nancy Boyda of rural Baldwin City, she decided
to run for the office she once held, because, as she puts it, she couldn’t sit
by and watch what is going on in the country.

“Like health care, like immigration, like the price of
housing. All of that can be addressed by a Congress,” Boyda tells KFEQ/St.
Joseph Post. “The lack of being able to even function in Congress that has
brought our country to this place that we are today.”

Boyda won the second district seat in 2006 and served for one
term. Boyda also served in the Pentagon.

Illegal immigration is a big topic this election, especially
in the race for the White House. It is big in the Second Congressional District
of Kansas race as well.

Boyda says Congress has failed to address illegal immigration,
which she says could have been resolved 16 years ago, when Congress considered bipartisan
immigration legislation.

“The Democrats didn’t want to do this bill to start off,
because they thought it would look like anti-immigrant. And the Republicans said
it’ll look like an amnesty bill,” according to Boyda. “So, both sides dug their
heels in and we’ve done nothing.”

Schmidt says the issue has grown much worse over the years.

“But in the last three-and-a-half years, there have been
nearly three times as many illegal aliens enter the United States as there are
people total in the state of Kansas; three times our state’s population,”
Schmidt asserts. “This is not just more of the same. Something’s different
today.”

Schmidt says he has talked to LaTurner about the office.

“So, he’s been very encouraging in this race,” Schmidt says. “I’m
very optimistic about the outcome, but we’re working hard all the way through Tuesday.”

Boyda feels confident about her chances, though the district
is heavily Republican.

“We’ve actually engaged the voters in a real conversation about
our democracy, instead of just throwing stones at each other,” Boyda says. “And
I think it will make a difference.”

The Second Congressional District of Kansas includes northeast
Kansas. It runs from the Nebraska border to the Oklahoma border with a carve
out for the greater Kansas City area.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostNew representation in Congress will be decided by voters in
Kansas’ Second Congressional District on Tuesday.Incumbent Republican Jake LaTurner decided not to run for a
third term.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730744041031.jpeg" alt="Derek Schmidt/Photo courtesy of the Schmidt campaign" />
 <figcaption>Derek Schmidt/Photo courtesy of the Schmidt campaign</figcaption>
 </figure>The decision surprised Republican Derek Schmidt of
Independence, the former state Attorney General, and motivated him to get in
the race.“He made the unexpected decision not to seek re-election and
that presented really a choice,” Schmidt tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “I think
our country has some serious challenges. We need serious people who want to get
in and try to fix some things.”Schmidt says he wants to address inflation, illegal
immigration, and intrusion of big government if elected to Congress.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730744100696.jpeg" alt="Nancy Boyda/Photo courtesy of the Boyda campaign" />
 <figcaption>Nancy Boyda/Photo courtesy of the Boyda campaign</figcaption>
 </figure>As for Democrat Nancy Boyda of rural Baldwin City, she decided
to run for the office she once held, because, as she puts it, she couldn’t sit
by and watch what is going on in the country.“Like health care, like immigration, like the price of
housing. All of that can be addressed by a Congress,” Boyda tells KFEQ/St.
Joseph Post. “The lack of being able to even function in Congress that has
brought our country to this place that we are today.”Boyda won the second district seat in 2006 and served for one
term. Boyda also served in the Pentagon.Illegal immigration is a big topic this election, especially
in the race for the White House. It is big in the Second Congressional District
of Kansas race as well.Boyda says Congress has failed to address illegal immigration,
which she says could have been resolved 16 years ago, when Congress considered bipartisan
immigration legislation.“The Democrats didn’t want to do this bill to start off,
because they thought it would look like anti-immigrant. And the Republicans said
it’ll look like an amnesty bill,” according to Boyda. “So, both sides dug their
heels in and we’ve done nothing.”Schmidt says the issue has grown much worse over the years.“But in the last three-and-a-half years, there have been
nearly three times as many illegal aliens enter the United States as there are
people total in the state of Kansas; three times our state’s population,”
Schmidt asserts. “This is not just more of the same. Something’s different
today.”Schmidt says he has talked to LaTurner about the office.“So, he’s been very encouraging in this race,” Schmidt says. “I’m
very optimistic about the outcome, but we’re working hard all the way through Tuesday.”Boyda feels confident about her chances, though the district
is heavily Republican.“We’ve actually engaged the voters in a real conversation about
our democracy, instead of just throwing stones at each other,” Boyda says. “And
I think it will make a difference.”The Second Congressional District of Kansas includes northeast
Kansas. It runs from the Nebraska border to the Oklahoma border with a carve
out for the greater Kansas City area.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.