Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, and the League of Women Voters of Southwest Missouri is making sure local citizens are prepared to vote.

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan national organization dedicated to promoting voter education and advocating for public policy issues. The organization is split into chapters that focus their efforts around candidates and issues specific to local and state elections.

“Our main goal is to make sure people have the tools and resources that they need, so that when they walk into the polling location, they feel confident and informed,” said Emily Fessler, Co-President of the League of Women Voters of Southwest Missouri.

Since 2003, the League of Women Voters of Southwest Missouri has covered Greene, Webster, and Christian Counties. The local chapter began in Springfield in 1953 and expanded its coverage to its neighboring counties as support and membership interest grew.

The League strives to keep citizens informed and actively participating in their local elections. The organization provides resources on the election process, including voter registration, ballot information, the polling process and ways citizens can still vote if they will be absent the day of the election.

The League also provides education on general research, such as finding unbiased, nonpartisan, and reliable sources and knowing who to contact with questions related to the voting process or public policy issues.

One of the League’s biggest initiatives is the release of its Voter’s Guide, a resource that provides general election information, including requirements for voters, what to expect on the ballots and short candidate interviews.

On Oct. 15, 2024, the League distributed 11,000 copies of the annual guide. The guide is available online or in print at each of the Greene, Christian and Webster County libraries. Drury University has copies available around campus, including at the O’Reilly Enterprise Center (OEC).

Aside from the Voter’s Guide, the League hosts candidate interviews in partnership with the Informed Voter Coalition. The interviews, produced by KSMU Ozarks Public Radio, will air at 12 p.m. from Oct. 14-24. Recordings will also be available on KSMU’s website and the Springfield News-Leader website without requiring a subscription.

For quick access to district-specific information, the League promotes Vote411.org. This website personalizes ballot and election information when visitors provide their address. Individuals can check their voter registration on the site as well.

Although a single vote may not feel significant, Fessler encourages all citizens to use their right to vote.

“There are plenty of elections that were won or lost by just a handful of votes,” said Fessler. “When I remember that, it helps to encourage me with the fact that my voice does matter. Even if the person I vote for doesn’t end up getting that position, that doesn’t mean that I didn’t make a difference.”

College students active in their communities may become passionate about issues on their ballots. Voting offers a way to bring attention to these meaningful issues.

“Whatever you care about, there are candidates out there who care about those things, too. Those are the people who are going to bring your voice forward,” said Fessler. “By you not exercising your right to vote, you’re saying ‘I don’t care about those issues as much as I say I do.’”

The League of Women Voters is open to all individuals, not just women. Fessler notes that college student participation is critical for inspiring first-time and younger voters who may not otherwise see individuals who look like them at their polling places or participating in local elections.

Individual membership costs $60 annually and includes membership in both the Southwest Missouri chapter and national organization. The League also offers a $15 annual rate for students. Interested individuals can apply at www.lwvswmo.org.

If you are interested in civic engagement or volunteering with the League, email lwvsouthwestmo@gmail.com or visit the League of Women Voters of Southwest Missouri’s website for more information.

For information about local voter registration and election information, visit Vote411.org or the Missouri Secretary of State’s website www.sos.mo.gov.

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