Voter ID: What's New?
Have a government- issued photo ID?
Vote as usual! All voting options are available, including absentee in person and no-excuse early voting before Election Day.
You can vote a special signature-match ballot on Election Day; if you need to vote absentee you must vote absentee by mail
Don't have a photo ID?
At this time, voters must show ONE of the forms of government-issued photo ID set forth at ShowIt2Vote.com to vote absentee in person or a regular ballot on Election Day.
YOU CAN USE AN EXPIRED QUALIFYING PHOTO ID AS LONG AS IT EXPIRED AFTER NOV. 8, 2022
Voters who do not have a qualifying ID as shown at ShowIt2Vote.com can cast a special signature-match provisional ballot on Election Day that a bipartisan team at the Election Board can validate via signature matching. Voting absentee by mail may be another option.
Any eligible US Citizen and Missouri resident who will be age 18 or older by Election Day, can register to vote.
People with previous felony convictions are eligible to vote as soon as they are off papers (unless convicted of a voting-related offense).
KNOW YOUR BALLOT
County, state and federal elections occur every even-numbered year in August (primary) and November (general). Local municipal elections occur every year in the spring.
The League of Women Voters publishes Voter Guides to give info about candidates and issues. Check out Vote411.org or call the League office
at 314-961-6869.
VOTING OPTIONS
You can vote absentee IN PERSON or BY MAIL before Election Day if you have one of the reasons* set out in the section below OR you can vote early in person for 2 weeks before the election (no excuse required).
On Election Day, you can vote at a polling place IN PERSON from 6am-7pm.
Both STL City & STL County now offer "vote-anywhere" on Election Day, meaning that you can vote at
ANY polling place in your jurisdiction!
Accepted Reasons for Voting Absentee
ELIGIBILITY:
Absentee voters must provide ONE of the following reasons for voting absentee:
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Absence on Election Day from the jurisdiction of the election authority in which such voter is registered to vote-for example, planning to be on an out of town trip (ballot envelope must be NOTARIZED);
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Incapacity or confinement due to illness or physical disability, including a person who is primarily responsible for the physical care of a person in the same household who is incapacitated or confined due to illness or disability (caregiver) (NO NOTARY REQUIRED);
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Religious belief or practice (ballot envelope must be NOTARIZED);
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Employment as an election worker, first responder, healthcare worker, or law eforcement (ballot envelope must be NOTARIZED);
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Incarceration, provided all qualifications for voting are retained (NO NOTARY REQUIRED); or
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Certified participation in the Safe At Home address confidentiality program established under sections 589.660 to 589.681 because of safety concerns.
Voters who are PERMANENTLY DISABLED may also apply for permanent absentee status by filling out a special form provided by their local election authority.
ABSENTEE VOTING: In Person or By Mail
Voters who vote absentee IN PERSON don't need to apply beforehand; they can just give the reason when they check in to vote-or they can vote absentee in person without an excuse starting two weeks before Election Day. At this time, voters must have a photo ID to vote absentee in person.
Voters who want to vote absentee BY MAIL must apply to get a ballot. This can take time, so voters should apply several weeks before Election Day.
Apply for an absentee by mail ballot online at MOVOTE.ORG or call your local election authority to request an application.
You must submit a separate aplication for every election, even if you are on permanently disabled absentee status!
If you choose to vote absentee by mail, make sure you follow all directions carefully, especially on the ballot return envelope. If the return envelope isn't filled out correctly, or the ballot arrives in the mail after 7pm on Election Day, the ballot will be REJECTED and the vote will not be counted.
Election officials in Missouri are not required to let a voter know that their absentee by mail ballot has been rejected . Voters must call their election office to make sure that their absentee ballot has been received and accepted before 7pm on Election Day .
COMPLETING & RETURNING YOUR BALLOT:
Once you receive your ballot and fill it out, place your ballot in the return envelope provided by your election authority. It is important to complete the statement on the envelope, verify your address, and sign the ballot envelope, in front of a notary if required.
Absentee ballots cast for a health-related reason DO NOT require a notary, but most other absentee ballots require a notarized signature. Need to find a notary? Check out notaryhub.movpc.org.
Don't mark out your return address or any bar codes on the return envelope, as that information is needed to help verify your ballot.
DEADLINE: Your absentee by mail ballot must be RECEIVED by the election authority by 7pm on Election Day. You can return the ballot in person if necessary, or have a close relative do so for you.
Completed ballots may be returned to your election authority by mail or in person by the voter or a close relative. If you choose mail, mailing can take up to 7-10 days, so plan ahead!
Running late or changed your mind about voting absentee by mail? You can surrender your ballot and vote in person instead.
Ballot lost, damaged, or never received? You can fill out a Lost Ballot Affidavit at your local election authority office or at your polling place on Election Day & cast a regular (not provisional) ballot. Need more help? Call or text the Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE.