On Thursday’s St. Louis on the Air, host Don Marsh discussed the “Beyond the Ballot” project with St. Louis Public Radio reporter Ashley Lisenby and Harvest Public Media editor Erica Hunzinger.
The project is a collaborative effort among Missouri public radio stations KBIA, KCUR, KSMU and St. Louis Public Radio, and it explores Missouri voters’ aspirations for November's midterm elections.
Hunzinger, who oversees the project, said its aim is to amplify voter constituencies and “see what people wanted out of their representation in the statehouse and D.C.”
“We’ve been learning that Missouri voters want a bunch of different things,” Hunzinger added. “They’re not a monolithic voting block just because Trump won the state in 2016; things have changed a little bit.”
Lisenby noted that there is a split among younger, first-time voters – with some excited for the upcoming elections and others disengaged.
“Missouri is interesting in that we don’t have some of the kind of races we’re seeing in other states, [which] are these really fiery races that are setting new precedents,” Lisenby said. “And so maybe that’s one reason why some kids who can now vote aren’t as engaged.”
St. Louis on the Air brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. St. Louis on the Air host Don Marsh and producers Alex Heuer, Evie Hemphill, Lara Hamdan, Caitlin Lally and Xandra Ellin give you the information you need to make informed decisions and stay in touch with our diverse and vibrant St. Louis region.
