[CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY KMB >> THE FINAL BLITZ IS UNDERWAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS WELL AS IN KANSAS AND MISSOURI.
WE ARE NOW JUST HOURS AWAY FROM ELECTION DAY AND THE POLLS OPENING ON NOVEMBER 3RD.
BUT THAT HASN'T STOPPED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FROM CASTING THEIR VOTES ALREADY.
ON THE GROUND AND IN THE AIR.
KMBC HAD A VIEW OF THE LINE FOR EARLY VOTING IN JOHNSON COUNTY THIS MORNING.
THE TURNOUT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STATE LINE IS EXPECTED TO BE HISTORIC.
GOOD AFTERNOON, I'M LARA MORITZ.
KELLY: AND I'M KELLY ECKERMAN FROM STATE LEADERS, TO SENATORS AND THE PRESIDENCY THE BALLOTS IN KANSAS AND MISSOURI ARE FULL OF IMPORTANT ISSUES THAT COULD IMPACT VOTERS
FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARE PREPARING AS WELL IN ANTICIPATION OF HUGE CROWDS.
KMBC 9'S MATT FLENER IS AT UNION STATION AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE KANSAS CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT TODAY, MATT?
MATT: YEAH, KELLY.
THEN LAST DAVE ABSENTEE VOTING.
I WILL SHOW YOU THE LINES BACK HERE.
WE'RE HEARING IT IS HOUR AND A HALF WAIT BEFORE THE POLLING PLACE CLOSES AT 5:00 P.M. HERE TODAY.
GOOD NEWS, AS YOU MENTIONED.
KANSAS CITY POLICE HAVE BEEN LOOKING INTO THIS ELECTION DAY AND NOT SOON ANY CREDIBLE THREATS TO POLLING PLACES S FAR.
>> WE'RE CONFIDENT OUR CITY WILL GET THROUGH IT, WE WILL SHINE.
MATT: SO FAR?
SO GOOD.
FOR VOTERS' SAFETY IN KANSAS CITY.
KANSAS CITY POLICE SAY THEY'VE SEEN NO MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH INTIMIDATION OR SAFETY AT THE POLLS.
JAKE: IF SOMETHING ARISES THAT THREATENS THAT, WE'LL BE READY TO RESPOND AT ANY TIME.
MATT: COME ELECTION TUESDAY, DON'T EXPECT TO SEE POLICE AT THE POLLS, UNLESS THEY'RE CALLED OR ARE VOTING THEMSELVES.
JAKE: WE WILL NOT BE HIGHLY VISIBLE AT POLLING LOCATIONS, WE STAND READY TO RESPOND ANYWHERE.
BUT THOSE LOCATIONS ARE OVERSEEN AND ADMINISTERED TO BY THE ELECTION AUTHORITIES MATT: WHAT ABOUT AFTER PEOPLE VOTE?
A PROFESSOR, WHO SPECIALIZES IN ELECTION SECURITY, SAID THE MOST LIKELY PROBLEMS WILL COME FROM ANY SORT CLERICAL ERRORS NOT VOTER FRAUD.
>> PATIENCE AND NORMS OF PROFESSIONALISM, AS WELL AS A BIPARTISAN PROCESS ARE THE BEST WAY TO SORT THAT OUT MATT: MEANWHILE, POLICE ARE READY TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE
REMAINS SAFE IN THE WEEK AHEAD.
>> WHAT WE'VE LEARNED IS HOW TO BE READY FOR ANY TYPE OF SITUATION. .
MATT: BOTH KCPD AND THE FBI AND U.S. ATTORNEYS OFFICE ARE ALL ON STANDBY READY IN CASE SOMETHING POPS UP OVER THESE NEXT FEW DAYS MATT, KMBC 9 NEWS
>> ALL DAY TOMORROW, KMBC WILL CHECK WITH ELECTION AUTHORITIES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STATE LINE, TO MAKE SURE VOTES ARE COUNTED ACCURATELY, AND PEOPLE STAY SAFE AT THE POLLS.
THIS AFTERNOON, WE KNOW A RECORD 95 MILLION AMERICANS HAVE ALREADY CAST THEIR BALLOTS.
BUT BOTH PRESIDENT TRUMP, JOE BIDEN AND THEIR SURROGATES ARE STILL WORKING FRANTICALLY TO GET THEIR VOTERS TO THE POLLS TOMORROW.
ABC'S FAITH ABUBEY BREAK IT ALL DOWN.
FAITH: AFTER MONTHS OF BITTE CAMPAIGNING, FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP AND FORMER VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN, IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS -- GETTING YOUR SUPPORTERS TO THE POLLS.
JOE BIDEN: THE POWER TO CHANGE THE COUNTRY IS IN YOUR HANDS PRESIDENT TRUMP: GET OUT AN VOTE THAT?
ALL I ASK. JUST TAKE A LITTLE TIME AND VOTE.
REPORTER: PRESIDENT TRUMP HOPING FOR A HUGE ELECTION DAY TURNOUT.
THE LATEST 538 FORECAST SHOWING HE HAS JUST A 10 PERCENT CHANCE OF WINNING REELECTIO THE LATEST ABC NEWS POLL SHOWS THE RACE IN THE SUNSHINE STATE IS STILL A TOSS-UP WITH THE
COVID-19 PANDEMIC DEFINING THE CONTEST.
ON THE EVE OF ELECTION DAY, THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN FOCUSING THEIR EFFORTS ON PENNSYLVANIA A STATE TRUMP WON BY LESS THAN A POINT IN 2016.
POLLS SHOW HE'S UP IN THE KEYSTONE STATE DESPITE THE RACE SLIGHTLY TIGHTENING BIDEN: IT'S TIME FOR DONALD TRUMP TO PACK HIS BAGS AND GO HOME!
IN AN EFFORT TO FLOOD THE ZONE KAMALA HARRIS HEADING TO HUSBAND -- WHILE JILL AND JOE BIDEN TAKE ON THE WESTERN HALF.
VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE AND PRESIDENT TRUMP ALSO HEADING TO THE BATTLEGROUND STATE.
STATE.
MEANWHILE MR. TRUMP RAISING EYEBROWS WITH THIS INACCURATE COMMENT PRESIDENT TRUMP: WE SHOULD KNOW THE RESULT OF THE ELECTION ON NOVEMBER THIRD.
THIS THAT'S THE WAY ITS E BEEN AND THAT'S THE WAY SHOULD BE.
REPORTER: WHILE NEWS OUTLETS OFTEN PROJECT A WINNER BEFORE ALL THE BALLOTS ARE IN VOTE TALLIES HAVE NEVER BEEN FINAL ON ELECTION NIGHT.
IN FACT THIS YEAR, WITH RECORD NUMBER OF EARLY BALLOTS ALREADY CAST THE FINAL RESULTS COULD TAKE A WHILE TO CERTIFY.
JOE BIDEN: MY RESPONSE IS THE PRESIDENT'S NOT GONNA STEAL THIS ELECTION.
REPORTER: IT COULD TAKE SEVERAL DAYS TO COUNT THE VOTES IN STATES LIKE PENNSYLVANIA AND WISCONSIN BUT WE COULD GET SOME ANSWERS IN OTHER BATTLEGROUND STATES LIKE
FLORIDA, ARIZONA AND NORTH CAROLINA WHICH EXPECT TO HAVE MOST OR ALL OF THEIR MAIL-IN AND IN-PERSON VOTES COUNTED ON ELECTION NIGHT.
>> IN KANSAS, VOTERS ARE USHERING IN A NEW ERA IN THE SUNFLOWER STAT AFTER DECADES IN WASHINGTON SENATOR PAT ROBERTS IN RETIRING CREATING A HUGE BATTLE FOR HIS
SEAT.
TWO DOCTORS ARE ON THE BALLOT, REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN ROGER MARSHALL AND DEMOCRAT BARBARA BOLLIER WHO IS CURRENTLY A STATE SENATOR.
AND THIS EVENING THE LONG, EXPENSIVE SENATE CAMPAIGN IS ENDING.
MICHEAL MAHONEY JOINS US FROM ONE OF THE FINAL RALLY SITES MICHEAL?
REPORTER: DEMOCRAT BARBARA BOLLIER AND DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSWOMAN SHARICE DAVIDS ARE EXPECTED HERE IN A BIT AT FOR A RALLY AT THOMPSON PARK.
REPUBLICAN ROGER MARSHALL WORKED THE JOHNSON COUNTY AREA TODAY, TOO.
THAT INCLUDED A STOP AT ZEB'S COFFEE HOUSE IN EUDORA WHERE HE MET SOME VOTERS.
ONE TOLD MARSHALL HE WAS PRAYI FOR HIM.
DEMOCRAT BOLLIER WRAPPED UP HER IN-PERSON CAMPAIGNING OVER THE WEEKEND.
TODAY, SHE SPENT A LOT OF TIME DOING ZOOM INTERVIEWS WITH REPORTERS AROUND KANSAS.
<< I AM RUNNING ON MY OWN AS A VOICE OF REASON AND I WILL WORK WITH WHOEVER IS IN THE U.S.
PRESIDENCY SEAT AND WE'LL JUST SEE.
>> I AM THE SENATOR THAT WILL KEEP YOUR FAMILY SAFE AND HEALTHY. I'M GOING TO BUILD OU ECONOMY.
BRING OUR JOBS BACK, AND I'M GOING TO PROTECT OUR GOD GIV CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.
REPORTER: MARSHALL HAS BEEN OUTSPENT BY BOLLIER BY ABOUT 4-1.
SHE RAISED $24 MILLIO ON TOP OF THAT, THERE WAS ANOTHER $20 MILLION IN 3RD PAR MONEY, FROM BOTH SIDES, SPENT ON THE KANSAS SENATE RACE.
>> KANSAS HAS NOT ELECTED A DEMOCRAT TO THE U.S. SENATE SINCE FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT WAS PRESIDENT.
>> ONE OF THE BIGGEST DECISIONS MISSOURI VOTERS WILL MAKE IS WHO WILL BE GOVERNOR.
DEMOCRAT, STATE AUDITOR NICOLE GALLOWAY IS WORKING TO TAKE OVER FOR INCUMBENT GOVERNOR MIKE PARSON.
RIGHT NOW, POLLING COMPANY HAS THE RACE AS A CLOSE ONE WITH PARSON WINNING.
FOR HIS FINAL DAY ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL PARSON SPENT HIS DAY FLYING AROUND THE STATE MAKING SEVERAL STOPS, INCLUDING SOME TIME IN ST. JOSEPH.
GALLOWAY WILL CLOSE HER CAMPAIGN TONIGHT AT A RALLY WITH THE MISSOURI DEMOCRATIC PARTY HERE IN KANSAS CITY POLLS OPEN TUESDAY MORNING AT 6:00 IN MISSOURI.
POLLS CAN OPEN AS EARLY AS 6 IN SOME KANSAS COUNTIES, SO CHECK YOUR LOCAL ELECTION BOARD TO MAKE SURE.
THE POLLS WILL CLOSE AT 7:00 THAT NIGHT IN BOTH STATES AND YOU'RE IN LINE AT 7:00 YOU CAN STILL CAST A BALLOT.
>> DOUGLAS COUNTY, KANSAS STRUGGLED TO STAFF THE POLLS IN AUGUST -BUT NOW GOING INTO THE GENERAL ELECTION.
THEY HAVE HUNDREDS MORE THAN THEY NEED.
KMBC 9'S BIANCA BELTRAN SPOKE TO A NEW POLL WORKER WHO SHARED WHY SHE ANSWERED THE CALL TO WORK THE ELECTION REPORTER: THIS IS EMILY'S FIRST TIME WORKING AN ELECTION IN
KANSAS.
SHE SAW A NEWS ARTICLE ABOUT HOW ELECTION BOARDS WERE RECRUITING YOUNGER POLL WORKERS AS SOME VETERAN POLL WORKERS SUSCEPTIBLE TO COVID-19 ARE STEPPING BACK THIS YEAR.
THE 33-YEAR-OLD ANSWERED THE CALL.
>> I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF THE CONCERNS I HAD IN JUST THINKING ABOUT MY OWN GRANDPARENTS WHO HAVE BEEN PRETTY POLITIC ACTIVE AND ARE NOT ABLE TO WORK AND SO BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT
PEOPLE IN THAT REPORTER: SHE IS AMONG 900 PEOPLE WHO APPLIED TO WORK THE GENERAL ELECTION IN DOUGLAS COUNTY.
EVEN STAFFING TO HAVE EXTRA VOLUNTEERS ON HAND, THE COUNTY CLERK SAYS THERE ARE 400 PEOPLE WILLING TO HELP THAT THEY HAD TO TURN AWAY.
>> NEVER HAVE WE BEEN IN THA POSITION.
USUALLY IN LIKE OUR PRESIDENTIAL, WE'RE REALLY SCRAMBLING TO STAFF, T POLLING PLACE.
IT'S REALLY NEAT, BECAUSE WE'RE ABLE TO STAFF IT IN THE WAY THAT WE'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO.
REPORTER: THE INFLUX OF VOLUNTEERS ALLOWED THE COUNTY TO EXPAND THE NUMBER OF EARLY VOTING SITES TO HANDLE UNPRECEDENTED VOTER TURNOU >> SINCE VOTING CLOSES IN A FEW
MINUTES FOR ADVANCE VOTING IT HAS BEEN NON-STOP ALL MORNING.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE STOOD UP.
REPORTER: EMILY SAYS SHE'LL DO >> THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE WORKING SO I'VE MET A LOT OF PEOPLE MY AGE SO THAT'S BEEN REALLY NICE HOPEFULLY WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE WORKING IN FUTURE
ELECTIONS, I KNOW I'M GOING TO.
BIANCA: IN LAWRENCE, KANSAS, BIANCA BELTRAN KMBC 9 NEWS.
>> IN DOUGLAS COUNTY, ABOUT 40,000 PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY VOTED.
THAT'S NEARLY HALF OF REGISTERED VOTERS.
IT'S APPROACHING THE COUNTY'S RECORD NUMBER OF 54,000 VOTERS FROM THE 2008 ELECTION.
>> YOU'RE GOING TO THE POLLS IN PERSON TOMORROW, DOCTORS WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS HEALTH SYSTEM SAY YOU NEED TO BE PREPARED.
MASKS WILL BE REQUIRED WHEN YOU GO VOTE AND HAND SANITIZER WILL LIKELY BE AVAILABLE.
BUT WITH LONG LINES WITH CROWDS OF PEOPLE, DOCTORS RECOMMEND YOU PROTECT YOUR EYES FROM THE VIRUS AS WELL >> I THINK THAT YOU'RE COVERING
UP YOUR THIRD MUCOUS MEMBRANE, WHICH IS YOUR EYES THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE MOST IMPORTA PART AND YOU DON'T NEED BOTH A FACE SHIELD AND THE GOGGLES THAT YOU EITHER ONE OR THE OTHER
REALLY >> RIGHT, YOU NEED THE MASK AND THEN A A FACE SHIELD FOR THE