JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — All 10 members of Missouri’s Electoral College officially cast ballots for President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence in the Capitol Monday.
The Republican team won Missouri by nearly 16 points in November’s election. Former Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Senator Kamala Harris received the needed number of electoral votes Monday to secure the presidential election, however.
The Electoral College met across the country Monday in all states as well as Washington, D.C. with varying practices, traditions, and COVID-19 precautions in place.
In Missouri, the 10 members filed into the Senate Lounge and filled out ballots that were then sealed and placed into white envelopes. The ballots were then counted — with all going to Trump and Pence as expected. Electors signed six Certificates of Vote which will be taken to the Secretary of State’s Office and delivered to Congress and the Office of the Federal Register.
The entire process took about 10 minutes with Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft in attendance. Some of the electors wore masks, including Penny Henke who donned a Trump 2020 face covering. State Sen. Dan Hegeman, who represented the 6th congressional district, wore a Kansas City Chiefs mask as he cast his ballot.
Police presence was relatively heavy in the Missouri Capitol Monday during the event.
“I want to thank Secretary of State Ashcroft’s Office, county clerks, poll workers, electors, and all those involved in our elections for their part in ensuring Missouri’s Nov. 3 general election ran smoothly and the will of Missouri’s voters was recognized,” Gov. Mike Parson said. “I also want to thank the nearly 70 percent of eligible Missouri voters who turned out to cast their votes on Election Day. Every Missourian should be confident in the legitimacy of their vote and take pride in the strength and security of our elections here in Missouri.”
More than 1.7 million Missourians voted for Trump on Nov. 3; nearly 1.3 million people voted for Biden. Trump and his supporters launched a series of legal challenges following the election — none of which have been successful thus far.
Missouri’s #ElectoralCollege officially cast 10 ballots for President Trump and Vice President Pence. #moleg #mogov pic.twitter.com/2SFRcdJgWl
— Kaitlyn Schallhorn (@K_Schallhorn) December 14, 2020
Earlier Monday, Parson signed Certificates of Ascertainment to establish the credentials of the electors.
Members of Missouri’s Electoral College were chosen earlier this year by the Missouri Republican Party.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing was in place among guests who gathered in the Senate Lounge to witness the process. An overflow room was also provided.
This story has been updated.
Kaitlyn Schallhorn was the editor in chief of The Missouri Times from 2020-2022. She joined the newspaper in early 2019 after working as a reporter for Fox News in New York City.
Throughout her career, Kaitlyn has covered political campaigns across the U.S., including the 2016 presidential election, and humanitarian aid efforts in Africa and the Middle East.
She is a native of Missouri who studied journalism at Winthrop University in South Carolina. She is also an alumna of the National Journalism Center in Washington, D.C.
Contact Kaitlyn at kaitlyn@themissouritimes.com.
