Election rally at Capitol scheduled for Jan. 6

Missourians concerned about election integrity will once again rally Jan. 6 at the state Capitol.

The "Let's Take MO Back" rally is scheduled for 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Jan. 6, and will include remarks from state lawmakers, as well as an opportunity to discuss election security with legislators.

Rep. Ann Kelley, R-Lamar, is helping plan and organize the rally, but she said it isn't affiliated with any group or organization in particular.

Kelley, who is the House majority caucus secretary, reserved the Capitol Rotunda and created flyers for the event.

"I'm not the one putting it on by any means," Kelley said. "I would say it's a grassroots group that has come together that is trying to change our elections and make them better -- make them more transparent and secure."

She said the rally is not associated with the Jan. 6 rally at the U.S. Capitol last year or the rally at the state Capitol on the same day.

Instead, Kelley said, organizers wanted to host it during the first week of session. Friday is scheduled as a technical session, which Kelley said caused concern legislators won't be present in the Capitol, and organizers were worried the first day of session, a Wednesday, would be too hectic.

"No significance, really," Kelly said. "It was just a day. We were limited since we're only in session two days that week."

Kelley said she got involved because she attended MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell's three-day cyber symposium in South Dakota. The symposium, held in August, was centered around election security as Lindell said he had evidence China intervened in U.S. elections last year. No such evidence was revealed at the symposium.

Kelley said she has been traveling around the state with other concerned Missourians to talk about election security and give presentations about elections.

She said the purpose of the Jan. 6 rally is to bring people from across the state together to demonstrate the importance of election security as an issue for Missourians.

State legislators are expected to speak at the rally, Kelley said, as will some of the concerned Missourians who have been traveling around the state to talk about elections.

Kelley said she has invited Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, Gov. Mike Parson and Attorney General Eric Schmitt, but hasn't received a response.

Another goal of the rally is to convince Schmitt to sign onto a lawsuit challenging the 2020 election results in four battleground states, Kelly said. Schmitt expressed support for a similar lawsuit last year filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Kelley said she has asked for a meeting with Schmitt to discuss the lawsuit, but was only able to talk to his chief of staff and attorneys.

"He signed one last year, and the Supreme Court didn't do anything with it. So we're hoping he's one of the (attorneys general) that signs the lawsuit this year," she said.

Kelley said she didn't know how many people would show, but she is hoping for at least 1,000.

"The sixth will tell how many we actually have," she said.

Mike O'Connell, a spokesperson for the Missouri Department of Public Safety, said Capitol Police is aware of the rally and is following routine preparations for the event.