Missouri projected by independent analysts to have a very smooth election process.

Intro: Missouri was recently ranked among the top six states in election preparedness and according to Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, it is now up to voters to ensure a smooth voting process.

Joshua Skurnik (SCUR-nic) has more from Jefferson City.

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Three independent public policy and law institutes evaluated all fifty states on their ability to prepare for elections.

Missouri recieved a positive response in all categories.

Secretary of State Robin Carnahan says she feels this is a direct result of the hard work put in by election officials, and all that's left is for voters to be prepared.

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Description: Making sure they know their polling place, making sure their, they know that they're on the voter list in that proper place, where to go, and what's on the ballot.

Carnahan said voters are provided with ample materials and resources to be informed on the issues, candidates, and procedures.

Republican candidate for Secretary of State Mitch Hubbard accepted the rating but cited the current controversy over ACORN as a need for improvement.

Reporting from the state capitol, I'm Joshua Skurnik.

Intro: Secretary of State Robin Carnahan says Missouri can keep its recent high rating in election preparedness while making the voting process easier.

Joshua Skurnik has more from Jefferson City.

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Three independent public policy and law institutes conducted a report which ranked Missouri in the top six states for election preparedness.

Secretary of State Robin Carnahan says she believes Missouri can retain this high rating while adopting new ways to make voting procedure easier for citizens.

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Description: Obviously we need to make sure that the only people who vote are those who are eligible to vote and are on the voter list, but there are experiments some other states have been doing on ways to do that with out as much paper work as we require here in Missouri

Carnahan would like to see absentee ballot use without needing to show special circumstances and same day voter registration.

Republican Secretary of state candidate Mitch Hubbard said he believes these methods of circumventing steps would open up the opportunity for fraud and greatly hurt the authenticity of the election.

Reporting from the state capitol, I'm Joshua Skurnik.

Intro: Republican Secretary of State candidate Mitch Hubbard says the focus should be on preventing voter fraud instead of on improving the election day process.

Joshua Skurnik (SCUR-nic) has more from Jefferson City.

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Republican Secretary of State candidate Mitch Hubbard says the election process in Missouri is fine.

Hubbard cites a recent report made by three independent public policy and law institutes calling Missouri one of the most election ready states.

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Description: It's very simple, you have from six am in the morning till seven pm at night, it's just like going out and buying groceries or filling your car up with gas. It's no more difficult than doing that, you walk in, it takes most of the time ten, maybe fifteen minutes.

Hubbard says what does need to be improved is the crackdown on fraudulent voter registration efforts.

He also says that any attempts to shorten or deregulate the registration process will invite more opportunity for fraud.

Democratic candidate and current Secretary of State Robin Carnahan says that inacting such options as same-day registration and free-use absentee ballot voting will benefit the voters and not compromise the authenticity of the results.

Reporting from the state capital, I'm Joshua Skurnik.