The mayor of Missouri’s largest city couldn’t cast his primary vote because of “human error” in operating the registration system.
Missouri is one of six states holding primary elections across the nation on Tuesday. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas arrived at his polling station early in the morning to film a video reminding citizens to go vote when the polling station rejected him because he was not included in its system.
“I made a video this morning about the importance of voting and then got turned away because I wasn’t in the system even though I’ve voted there for 11 years, including for myself four times! Go figure, but that’s okay,” Lucas tweeted. “We’ll be back later today!”
He added: “By the way, me writing ‘but that’s okay,’ was me being Midwestern and passive aggressive. It’s really not okay. Talked to the election director this AM and will be following up further. If the mayor can get turned away, think about everyone else… We gotta do better.”
By the way, me writing “but that’s okay,” was me being Midwestern and passive aggressive. It’s really not okay. Talked to the election director this AM and will be following up further. If the mayor can get turned away, think about everyone else… We gotta do better. https://t.co/0cblbstz5R
— Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) March 10, 2020
Lucas was not the only voter facing problems in Missouri. KMBC reporter Matt Evans described a similar problem in which voters were not appearing in the system. At his polling station, however, voters were not turned away, and their registration was confirmed by a call to the state office.
We also saw some issues at the polling place where we were this morning (Central United Methodist), but poll workers called the KCEB and confirmed voters were on the rolls and they were allowed to vote. We’re looking into this on @kmbc https://t.co/0G4pw1DevF
— Matt Evans (@MattEvansKMBC) March 10, 2020
Lucas’s situation outraged many who feared the registration system in the state was preventing valid voters from participating in the primary.
Kristen Clarke, president of the National Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, tweeted: “The Mayor of Kansas City went to vote at the site that he has been going to for the last 11 years and he wasn’t on the rolls. This is Exhibit A when it comes to voter suppression in America today. It’s outrageous and should never be tolerated.”
The Mayor of Kansas City went to vote at the site that he has been going to for the last 11 years and he wasn’t on the rolls.
This is Exhibit A when it comes to #VoterSuppression in America today. It’s outrageous and should never be tolerated. https://t.co/166d8JOf3h
— Kristen Clarke (@KristenClarkeJD) March 10, 2020
If they’re turning away the freaking mayor of Kansas City, imagine how many other people they’re unjustly turning away. https://t.co/mOB2QfqaLa
— Erick Fernandez (@ErickFernandez) March 10, 2020
This strikes me as evidence of voter suppression against the duly elected Mayor of KCMO. https://t.co/HXfqW4Jk1F
— Jonathan Franks (@jonfranks) March 10, 2020
Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft addressed the incident that prevented Lucas from voting and blamed “human error” for the mistake. His office tweeted, “Mayor @QuintonLucasKC was unable to vote this morning. Unfortunately, human error caused this — the poll worker typed his first name in the last name box. Election officials have reached out to him and he will cast a ballot today.”
In #KCMO, Mayor @QuintonLucasKC was unable to vote this morning. Unfortunately, human error caused this – the poll worker typed his first name in the last name box. Election officials have reached out to him and he will cast a ballot today. https://t.co/doEk628XGt
— Missouri SOS Office (@MissouriSOS) March 10, 2020
Former Vice President Joe Biden is expected to win Missouri’s 2020 Democratic primary. According to the RealClearPolitics polling average, Biden leads Sen. Bernie Sanders by more than 30 percentage points nationwide.
