The Saline County Commissioners sent a letter to Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft asking for guidance and options regarding residents being able to mail in their ballots for the August Primary and November General Elections due to COVID-19 concerns.
Commissioners said their concern is that everybody who wants to vote in each election may not have the opportunity due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Commissioners say:

1. Before sending this letter, we asked (County Clerk) Debbie Russell about voting and poll workers. She expressed, at the time of letter, she had not heard from the Secretary of State as to options, and she did express the need of poll workers and concern.
2. There is concern in the commissioner’s office about mail-in voting and voter fraud. Also, there is concern about the need to have safe voting available to constituents; and since Saline County is a “hot spot,” we need to be thinking of options that we have heard of other states proposing.
3. We have the ability to question our legislatures about what they are proposing. We are in no way trying to bypass any office holder or to “Convince” of any specific method of voting.  We want our county to be prepared, and we are supporting our officeholders as a team and doing the commission’s part.  We do not have the answers and seeking options and advice from the Secretary of State.

The letter reads:
Dear John R. Ashcroft,
We are concerned about the upcoming Primary and General Elections in Saline County. A majority of our poll workers are older adults, in their 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.
As you know, Saline County has been declared a “hot spot” with the highest number of COVID-19 cases per capita.
With the continued threat from the coronavirus, for an extended indefinite period of time, it is senseless to expose poll workers and voters to a potential life-threatening situation just to vote. We are also concerned that our County Clerk is not going to be able to find poll workers because of this issue.
When other states are implementing mail-in balloting, or, in some cases, have already set up this voting procedure, it appears that this should be a prime consideration for you and state legislature. It is important for our citizens to vote, but not at the risk of their lives.
Please take into consideration the peril to the population of the State of Missouri, and begin implementing mail-in balloting.
Sincerely,
Saline County Commissioners