Local, state officials made Election Day a success

We proudly celebrated our freedoms on Nov. 3, as Americans flocked to the polls in huge numbers. Over 140 million votes were cast, a major endorsement of our orderly electoral process that remains the envy of the rest of the world.

I am proud of our state and local election officials, who work so hard to instill the public’s trust in our system. I would like to thank Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, Butler County Clerk Tonyi Deffendall, Dunklin County Clerk Kent Hampton, their staffs, election judges and everyone else who ensured our state obtained accurate and timely results on election night.

To maintain confidence in our elections, I support President Trump’s efforts to ensure the integrity of each ballot. With so much riding on the results, it is imperative to let the legal process play itself out to ensure the next president is elected freely and fairly. If we can’t ensure our elections remain credible, citizens will lose faith in our system.

One major story this election was the significant opinion polling errors in the race for president and others across the country. For instance, a poll on Halloween showed Trump only leading Biden by five percentage points in Missouri, and he actually won by 16 points. The same poll showed Gov. Parson up six, and he won the state by 17 points. National polls had Biden leading by an average of seven points, and one even showed him leading by 11. Currently he is only ahead by about three points. These are just some examples of the many polls that skewed heavily in favor of Joe Biden and other Democrats.

Going forward, Americans will be correct to regard opinion poll results with a certain amount of caution. My suspicion is that pollsters were not just incompetent, but that some left-leaning organizations used polling as a weapon against the Republican Party. Showing lopsided margins against the president and down-ballot candidates demoralized rank and file voters, potentially depressing turnout and directing much needed funds to certain candidates.

I am gratified that Missourians approved Amendment 3. This will change the redistricting process authorized in 2018 back to the previous system utilized by the state for decades that involves governor-appointed bipartisan citizen commissions. The bipartisan citizen commissions offer a fairer system for creating maps than the system created in 2018 that utilizes a single, unelected state demographer. It keeps districts compact and contiguous, which will better prevent gerrymandered districts which break communities apart and place them in districts with distant areas that face different issues.

As citizens of the greatest nation in the world, we are blessed beyond measure with an abundance of freedom and prosperity that is yearned for by all those who don’t have the good fortune to call America home. It is on Veterans Day that we give thanks for our rights and liberties and, more importantly give thanks to all those who have sacrificed to secure and defend them. These sacrifices have been made by the proud American citizens who made the selfless decision to serve as members of our Armed Forces. These heroes chose a life of service, and took a path that few have the bravery or the commitment to undertake.

While some have made the ultimate sacrifice and live now only in our hearts and memories, many more have returned home to continue their service to this nation in one way or another. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for each and every person who has served our nation in the armed forces.

May God bless and keep you and our great nation.

Hardy Billington represents District 152, which includes parts of Butler and Dunklin counties.