Bill > HB1410

This bill makes several changes to Missouri's primary election laws. The key provisions are: 1. Requires voters to be affiliated with a political party in order to vote in that party's primary election, with exceptions for unaffiliated voters and new registrants. The political party affiliation must be established at least 23 weeks prior to the primary. 2. Requires the Secretary of State to maintain voter registration records and provide lists of eligible voters for each party to local election authorities. Local authorities must then provide primary ballots only to voters registered with the corresponding party. 3. Allows political parties to exempt themselves from the closed primary system and conduct their own caucuses or primary elections at their own expense. 4. Requires the state to pay the costs of implementing and providing notice of the closed primary system, except for any party-run caucuses or primaries. 5. Allows voters to declare their political party affiliation at the polls starting in 2023, which election authorities must process through their normal voter registration procedures. The bill aims to establish a closed primary election system in Missouri, where only voters registered with a party can participate in that party's primary, with some exceptions. The provisions are set to take effect on January 1, 2025.