The election was just last week, but newly elected Democratic representatives from the Columbia area already are thinking about changes they want to make for the next cycle.

Reps.-elect Mary Still and Stephen Webber held a news conference this morning near the Boone County Government Center calling for alterations to the state’s election process. Rep.-elect Chris Kelly was not there, but he supports the changes as well.

One change the three incoming lawmakers support is early voting, a process available in roughly 30 states that allows individuals to cast a ballot before Election Day.

Missouri voters now can cast absentee ballots if they provide a reason they won’t be able to make it to their polling places on Election Day.

Secretary of State Robin Carnahan reiterated her support of the practice last week, telling The Associated Press she supports allowing early voters to cast ballots at election headquarters as well as satellite polling places. Proponents of early voting, including Gov. Matt Blunt, argue that letting people cast ballots before Election Day cuts down on long lines. For example, voters had to wait in line for hours in the St. Louis County municipality of Velda City to cast a ballot.

Still said the process would "help expand opportunities for people."

"Now here in Boone County, we had a fabulously run election," Still said. "We didn’t see any problems. But other parts of the state did, so that would be an important opportunity to expand options for people with early voting."

Boone County Clerk Wendy Noren has said she would like to see early voting if the state can come up with the funding. Some Republicans in the General Assembly have been reluctant to support the practice.

Sen. Kevin Engler, a Farmington Republican set to become Senate majority leader, said early voting legislation would only gain traction if it is paired with a requirement that voters present photo identification at the polls. Such legislation would almost certainly be vetoed by Gov.-elect Jay Nixon.

When asked about Engler’s comments, Webber said, "It’s a shame to be trying to make a political deal" on a proposal that would get more people to vote.

"Voting is a good thing," Webber said. "We want to expand voting. And I don’t think it’s good to try to cut some sort of political deal and say, ‘We’re not going to expand the ability of Missourians to have their voice heard unless we get something out of it.’ "

Additionally, the three incoming representatives also pressed for limits on individual campaign contributions. They also called for automated "robo calls" to be included on the state’s "no-call" list.

While instating campaign donation limits would find little traction in the GOP-legislature, Engler said, he hoped restrictions on "robo calls" would find favor. Engler proposed legislation last year to place the calls on the No Call List, but the bill was stymied after Republican lawmakers demanded that the program be transferred out of the state attorney general’s office to the Missouri Public Service Commission.

"I think with the amount of calls that everybody had that hopefully somebody will take that up," Engler said, adding he would not be handling the bill this year.

Still and Webber discuss election reform:

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