Want local, revelatory journalism in your inbox?
Be the first to read articles, hear about events and get updates on our newsroom.
We do not sell or share your information with anyone. We will never spam you.
Latest News
‘It’s either this or nothing’: For people with disabilities in Kansas City, voting isn’t always accessible
When Darla Wilkerson went to absentee vote in person for the upcoming election, she noticed a large sign on the floor in the doorway reminding everyone to socially distance and wear their masks. But the sign was difficult for voters with disabilities, like limited vision, to maneuver around, impeding the accessibility of the polling site. […]
For trans and nonbinary voters, photo ID requirements can discourage participating in elections
In Kansas and Missouri, legal name changes and gender marker alterations can be long, tedious and costly processes, discouraging many trans and nonbinary voters from casting a ballot and barring the most financially disadvantaged from participating in elections altogether.
Young Kansans could prove to be a powerful voting bloc on Election Day
Voter registration among 18- to 24-year-olds is up in many states across the country, according to a report from the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University. This trend runs true in Kansas, where as of the end of September, voter registration among Kansans ages 18-24 was up 28% from November 2016.
Are you an ‘inactive voter’ in Missouri? Here’s what that means.
More than 30,000 registered voters within the Kansas City, Missouri, election jurisdiction are classified as inactive voters — otherwise registered voters who the local election authority was unable to locate or get in contact with before Election Day.
What questions do you have about voting on Election Day?
We know these are tough times — the country is still experiencing the raging COVID-19 pandemic, an economic recession and continuing protests against injustice. And in two weeks, it’ll be Election Day, where millions will cast their votes for president and a slew of other statewide and local races. The lead-up to Election Day has […]
Poll worker shortage? Not exactly, local election officials say.
The poll worker shortage in the Kansas City area was more critical in the first elections after governor-issued states of emergency in each state. With fewer poll workers, some local election boards had to close polling sites, leaving voters confused. But in the weeks ahead of the general election, some election boards across the metro are seeing a different situation unfold.
How ballot drop boxes could help Kansans voting by mail this year
With just weeks to go until Election Day, Kansans voting by mail will be able to deliver their ballots at designated ballot drop box locations in their county, providing another option to ensure ballots are received on time.
Notary needed: How Kansas City residents are stepping up to ensure voter participation
In a year when election officials are expecting record turnout numbers and more voters want to vote by mail ahead of Election Day, access to a notary could mean the difference between someone casting their vote remotely and having to vote in person.
How Kansas City-area election workers are trying to keep voters safe on Election Day
To keep voters safe on Election Day, polling places will be equipped with a health and safety apparatus that includes masks, face shields, plexiglass, social distancing markers, hand sanitizer and single-use pen and stylus combos.
Is your local election website as secure as it could be?
Cybersecurity experts say one of the most common and easiest measures to implement is an https encryption. But while many people rely on these local county election websites as trusted sources of election and voting information — particularly in a pivotal election year — many of these information hubs lack proper security measures against cyberattacks.
Voter Guide: How to vote safely in Kansas’ upcoming election
No matter what your voting plan is for Election Day 2020, this nonpartisan guide is here to help you navigate and understand the state’s voting process, protocols, and deadlines so that you can successfully cast your ballot on Nov. 3.
Voter Guide: How to vote safely in Missouri’s upcoming election
No matter what your voting plan is for Election Day 2020, this nonpartisan guide is here to help you navigate and understand the state’s voting process, protocols, and deadlines so that you can successfully cast your ballot on Nov. 3.
Missouri secretary of state contradicts health officials’ advice on Election Day plans
Jay Ashcroft’s comments come at a time when more voters are expressing interest in voting by mail in November.
In the midst of a pandemic, Missouri voters say ‘Yes’ to expanding Medicaid
Missouri became the 38th state in the U.S. to expand its Medicaid program earlier this week. But the expansion won’t go into effect until July 2021, potentially leaving thousands without health coverage in the midst of a global health crisis and high unemployment as a result of that crisis.
Kansas City area moms who lost sons to police violence are still searching for answers
Since 2013, 265 people have been shot and killed by law enforcement in Kansas and Missouri — 30 by the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department alone. Their deaths have left behind mothers, sisters, children, friends and family whose lives have been uprooted by sudden loss.
Wide-ranging policies give Kansas and Missouri cops discretion for violence
Policy solutions to stop police killings are gaining more traction in local governments. Launched in early June by the nonprofit police reform group Campaign Zero, a data-backed research platform called 8 Can’t Wait outlines eight specific use-of-force policies to reduce the number of police killings. But local adoption of these policies varies widely, an analysis by The Beacon found.
Local activists want to ‘defund’ the Kansas City Police Department. What does that mean?
Amid mass protests against police violence in Kansas City and throughout the nation, one three-word phrase keeps coming up: “Defund the police.” But what does it actually mean? The Beacon spoke to local activists to explain the thinking behind the phrase that has caught national attention. Calls to defund the police are rooted in critiques that police departments receive exorbitant funding that should instead be reinvested into programs that directly aid the community. It is that dichotomy — of a police department with too much money and social programs with too little — that local activists say they want to change.
The Beacon launches free texting campaign around social justice and racial equity
A new program will deepen our commitment to social justice and racial equity coverage. Through texting, we can deliver the news to more of the community, including those without access to secure, reliable internet.
Small and mid-sized towns in Kansas and Missouri are seeing mass protests like never before
A Beacon analysis found that over 50 small towns across both states have witnessed a protest in the weeks following George Floyd’s killing.
With demands for police accountability, there’s a renewed interest for local control of KCPD
At a time of mass protests against police violence — where calls to increase officer accountability and even defund police departments are being amplified across the country — Kansas City, Mo., stands out as the only major U.S. city without local control of its police department. For 80 years, a board appointed by the Missouri governor has controlled the police department.
New Kansas court record system could expand access to hard-to-reach documents
How the Kansas’ new court records system could reform what some see as a cumbersome and opaque process.
Behind Local News: Covering protests against police violence
The Beacon hosted an open community conversation to provide an inside look into decisions our newsroom is making in real time about covering protests around police brutality. Celisa Calacal, The Beacon’s assistant editor and a reporter at local protests, and Kelsey Ryan, The Beacon’s editor and founder, responded to questions our readers sent in and asked during the live chat. We addressed criticisms of how local media frames unrest, the ethics of covering protests and editing protest stories, and reader concerns about newsroom diversity and equity awareness.
Why Kansas City’s protest story is different
Thirteen black men killed at the hands of Kansas City police. The only major police department without local control. As demonstrations against police killings of black Americans continue across the country, we dive deeper.
Bridging the digital divide in a work-from-home era
At a time when most work and school has moved online, a digital divide has deepened between the haves and have nots. According to the Federal Communications Commission, more than 24 million Americans have no access to broadband internet.
Representation — and federal funding — at stake with 2020 Census
Local leaders fear a bigger undercount in 2020 — and its potential impact on services. The risks of an undercount are even higher for people of color, children, rural communities, and other vulnerable groups who rely on social safety programs that distribute funds based on Census data.
Faced with a pandemic, nonprofit leaders get creative
Throughout the Kansas City region, nearly 13,000 nonprofits are scrambling to carry out their missions under uniquely adverse circumstances: They’ve altered services. Canceled fundraising events. Changed internal operations. And many can no longer use in-person volunteers because of the pandemic.
Pandemic poses new troubles for elections
The prospect of voting in a pandemic is creating fears and logistical nightmares across the U.S. Democrats and some Republicans are urging Missouri’s political leaders to follow the lead of Kansas and other states and encourage mail-in voting — or at least create early voting opportunities to reduce crowds on Election Day.
As COVID-19 spreads, here’s how people are stepping up to help
As stores and restaurants shut down and workers head home to socially distance themselves, people in Missouri and Kansas continue to look outward. They are finding ways to help others — even as needs among the elderly, homeless and most vulnerable grow more severe.