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For mid-Missouri counties, population and voter registration don't always track

A table showing changes in voter registration and population numbers in four Mid-Missouri counties between 2020 and 2024.
Stan Jastrzebski and Ella Holt
As population goes up, more voters need to register or the percentage can go down. Likewise, as population decreases, if voter registration stays flat, the percentage of registered voters can go up. Note: percentages include all county residents, not just eligible voters.

Missouri’s voter registration deadline is coming up in less than a week, but depending on which county one looks at, the story of how population comports with that statistic can look very different.

Though the population of Boone County has risen since the last presidential election four years ago, the percentage of registered voters has decreased.

In an email, Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon noted that around 66% of Boone County residents are registered to vote in this election, compared to the 71% registered in 2020. Lennon said she expects the number to rise by around 2,000 by Election Day, meaning about 68% of people would be registered.

Conversely, Callaway County’s voter registration has risen since 2020. The county’s population went up about 1% in the past four years, but voter registration has increased at a faster pace. County Clerk Ronda Miller said some of the increase is due to population growth, but that’s not the only reason.

“I would attribute a lot also to the issues that are on the ballot. I think that with the media and what goes on and what is told and just even social media I think a lot of people are like ‘Hey I want to get out and I want to vote and make my voice heard,’” said Miller.

Callaway County’s voter registration has increased by 3% since 2020, meaning that 69% of residents are registered.

Other counties tell still different stories. In Howard County, there was a decrease of 1.3% in population, and a 2.9% decrease in voter registration. Randolph County saw a population decrease of 4.5%, yet an increase of 4.7% in voter registration.

Some of these fluctuations may be attributable to how percentages are calculated. As population goes up, more voters need to register or the registration percentage can go down. Likewise, as population decreases, if voter registration stays flat, the percentage of registered voters can go up.

Eligible voters may register to vote in November’s general election through Wednesday, Oct. 9.