Today is the primary for Missouri and Kansas, with a lot of critical races on the ballot. At polling places, election officials will be on hand to ensure everything goes smoothly for voters. We'll hear from two of them about what they do and why it's so important.

Poll workers from both sides of the aisle are prepping to ensure voters can cast their ballots today. But recently, political tensions have made some wary of the safety of polling locations. KCUR's Brian Ellison spoke with Jackson County election judges Kent Bradford and Teresa Corona about their experiences and concerns with safety at the polls.

Want to learn about the races on your ballot? Check out the KC Voter Guide for information about every candidate and ballot question.

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Kansas City Today is hosted today by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg.

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