Illustration by Tuesday Hadden

With Nov. 8 just around the corner, it is almost time to head to the polls. If you live in St. Louis County, that means an easy walk over to the Athletic Complex. If you live in St. Louis City, there are plenty of polling locations near campus. And note that Missouri has changed its voter identification laws, so remember to grab the appropriate ID before you leave. 

Additionally, WashU Votes and the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement have plenty of wonderful resources that can answer questions about the logistics of voting in Missouri (and around the country). 

Even if you know how to vote and have your gameday plan laid out, it’s not always clear what is on the ballot. Misleading language and a wide variety of issues can leave even the most politically savvy voter confused. So, here is a brief, non-partisan breakdown of the Nov. 8 election highlights. While WashU students vote in different precincts all across the country, this summary is based on the sample ballot for precinct HAD004, the ballot that those living on the South 40 will fill out.

Note: Much of this guide is curated from Ballotpedia.

US Senate

The biggest race, both by funding and political importance, is the battle for the US Senate. After Roy Blunt announced his retirement, a wide array of candidates on both sides of the aisle declared their candidacy. This included Eric Greitens, former Missouri governor, whose inflammatory ads and checkered past stirred controversy among voters across Missouri. 

The two candidates that emerged from the primaries were Trudy Busch Valentine and Eric Schmidt. Democratic Busch Valentine is the heir to the Anheuser-Busch company, a point Schmidt has emphasized throughout his campaign. Schmidt, the Republican in the race, is the current Attorney General of Missouri, where he has been actively fighting the Biden Administration in the courts. More information about this race can be found here. 

US House of Representatives

The other federal race on the ballot concerns Missouri’s 1st Congressional District. The Democratic incumbent Cori Bush has branded herself as a true progressive candidate and activist after protesting the end of rent moratoriums by sleeping on the Capitol steps. 

The Republican in the race is Andrew Jones Jr., an executive at an electric company. His key promise has been to reduce violent crime in St. Louis and to advocate for parental rights in education. Given Bush’s popularity and comfortable win in the primary, she is expected to beat Jones easily. More information can be found here.

Constitutional Amendment 1

Propositions and initiatives are arguably the most confusing elements of any ballot. Oftentimes, the wording is so obscure that a “yes” vote could be rejecting a proposal and a “no” vote could mean accepting one.

Constitutional Amendment 1 would allow the state treasurer of Missouri to invest in highly-rated municipal securities. For anyone not majoring in finance, this means that the Missouri state investment portfolio could invest in a wider variety of theoretically safe investments (more options to make low-risk money!). There is no recorded opposition to the bill, and state revenues are expected to grow by $2 million per year. More information can be found here. 

Constitutional Amendment 3

For many, Constitutional Amendment 3 is the most exciting element of this election’s ballot. A “yes” vote would legalize the recreational use of marjuana throughout the state for adults over the age of 21. In addition, it would allow for individuals with certain non-violent drug offenses to petition for their records to be expunged. 

Proponents argue that the legalization of cannabis would rectify historically discriminatory drug laws and create a thriving new taxable market. Opponents, which include the Missouri NAACP and Pro-Choice Missouri, argue that the proposal’s wording and liscensing structure upholds systemic injustice. Polling places public show support at around 50%, making the outcome a toss-up come election day. More information can be found here.

Constitutional Amendment 4

Constitutional Amendment 4 would increase the minimum amount of money a city must spend on state-run police departments. This proposal, in many ways, is a targeted push from Republican state lawmakers to prevent Kansas City from defunding their local police department. 

Kansas City has the only state-run police department in Missouri. As such, this amendment would solely impact Kansas City’s police department. A “yes” vote would allow for an increase in funding whereas a “no” vote would prevent state lawmakers from raising the minimum threshold for Kansas City’s police department. More information can be found here.

Constitutional Amendment 5

Constitutional Amendment 5 would create a new department within the state’s bureaucracy for the Missouri National Guard. Currently, the Missouri National Guard is housed within the Missouri Department of Public Safety. By making the National Guard its own department, the governor would have more direct control over deploying the force in times of emergency. Supporters argue that this will lower overhead budget costs and lead to swifter action in times of crisis. Opponents argue that this weaponizes the National Guard for the governor’s personal goals. More information can be found here.