How To Vote In Springfield On Tuesday

SPRINGFIELD, MO — Election Day is Tuesday and millions of voters across the country will hit the polls to express their satisfaction or displeasure with their elected officials. But Springfield, Missouri, voters will simply be asked two questions — and they both affect your wallet.

First, city voters will be asked whether Greene County should impose a .5 percent countywide sales tax increase to go toward general revenue. Under a new state law, the county won't be able to ask voters for a general revenue tax increase again until 2019, the Springfield News-Leader reported. Most of the tax money would go toward criminal justice projects, the newspaper said, including jail upgrades, more jail staff and more prosecutors.

Next, voters will be asked whether to keep the current city property tax, which is 27 cents per $100 of the assessed valuation, "excluding the special levy for parks, public health, and the Art Museum," and authorize the city to use that money for "municipal purposes," including police, fire and public works workers. There would be no increase in the current property tax level if approved.

The city said the money would go toward several proposed projects, including new or upgraded fire stations, police vehicles and facilities and infrastructure improvements to curb flooding.

Polling Locations

Though you might now have an idea of how you want to cast your ballot, it'll be hard to do so if you don't know where to go. To find out where your polling location is, head over to the city's "Where Do I Vote?" map application You can either click on your home's location on the map or enter your home address in the "Find Address" box. The application will tell you where you can vote, give information about the location and tell you how to get there.

So if you lived at the McDonald's restaurant on Sunshine Street, you would vote at Portland School, located at 906 W. Portland St. in Springfield. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

What To Bring

Under Missouri's new photo voter ID law that went into effect in June, voters must now bring acceptable forms of identification to prove they are registered voters.

A state driver's license or nondriver license is acceptable for voting, as well as a U.S. passport or military ID. Alternatively, voters can provide a secondary form of identification — such as a paycheck or bank statement — and sign a statement certifying their identity. If you're registered to vote but have no form of identification, you can still cast a provisional ballot.

Under state law, Missouri must help voters who might not have a photo ID obtain a free state non-driver license.

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