Missouri Election Committee opposes The Secretary of State that Early Voting should occur in Missouri

Intro: Missouri's Election Committee Legislators say Missouri is smart for not having Early Voting.

Laura Nichols has more from Jefferson City

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Missouri is one of 19 states that does not allow people to vote in person two weeks before the election.

Members of the Missouri Election Committee including O'Fallon Representative Cynthia Davis say they oppose Missouri ever adopting early voting practices.

Davis said early voting increases expenses not available in state and local budgets during this economic downturn.

Davis also said the extra time and locations increases voting fraud at the expense of convenience.

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Description: "The people who really care about the integrity of our process would rather wait in line and have it be done fair and square than have all these cute little ideas come up that allow people to cheat."

Ryan Hobart, Spokesman for the Secretary of State's Office said Robin Carnahan is working to create early voting in Missouri because she said it reduces long lines and voter fraud.

Davis said absentee ballots already provide a mechanism to vote ahead of time in case people have a conflict on election day.

Reporting from the Capitol, I'm Laura Nichols.

Intro: Missouri's Secretary of State says long lines at the polls could be prevented by Early Voting

Laura Nichols has more from the Capitol

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Ryan Hobart, Spokesman for Missouri Secretary of State's Office said Robin Carnahan is pushing for bills that will allow early voting in Missouri.

Early voting has been adopted by 31 states.

Hobart said early voting reduces voter fraud because people have to show up in person to vote.

He also said it reduces long lines and the need for mail-in absentee ballots.

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Description: "People will see that in other states there are huge amounts of people utilizing it and that a lot of people find it very convenient and that it increases turnout in elections elsewhere. And hopefully people will see that Missourians need the same convenience that is offered in over 30 other states."

Members of the Missouri Election Committee including Representative Stanley Cox say that by having more locations and extended time early voting will increase voter fraud.

Cox said he has not seen a proposal for early voting that would provide the security Missouri needs in its election system.

Reporting from the Capitol, I'm Laura Nichols.