The Cape Girardeau County Commission has approved renewing a contract with Springfield, Missouri-based E.J. Rice Company to do a mandatory biennial canvass of the county's estimated 49,334 voters for the 2021-2022 election cycle.

"We're always updating our records in-house as we go along but this canvass is part of our obligation under the National Voter Registration Act," said Kara Clark Summers, county clerk and election authority.

The NVRA, passed by Congress in 1993, requires states to keep voter registration lists accurate and current, such as identifying people who've become ineligible to cast ballots because of having died or moved outside the jurisdiction.

"We used to do the canvass ourselves here in the county, but we've found it cheaper overall to farm the work out (to E.J. Rice) because of the company's access to material discounts and various bulk mail options," Summers said.

Cost savings

Rice, the low bidder for the 2021-2022 counting initiative, also performed Cape Girardeau County's 2019-2020 canvass for $29,970.67.

The new contract is for $19,018.32, a cost reduction of more than $10,000.

"We're not doing a voter guide nor the envelope in which it was enclosed this time," explained Summers.

The NVRA-required canvass will be paid for out of the county clerk's budget and Rice should begin sending out postcards to voters in January, she said.