Missouri

Polling places are open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. If voters are in line at closing time of 7:00 p.m. they will still be allowed to vote. Voters arriving after 7:00 p.m. will not be allowed to vote.

Individuals registered to vote can find their polling place at the Missouri Voter Information Lookup page. https://s1.sos.mo.gov/elections/voterlookup/.

Voters in most of Missouri can only vote at their assigned polling place or at the central polling place. In St. Louis County, and St. Louis City, voters can vote at any polling place. In Kansas City, voters may vote at any polling location if they are using an electronic machine. Boone County and Greene County have both precinct voting and several county wide vote centers.
Each polling place is run by county clerks or local boards of elections. Look up your local election authority using Missouri’s local election authority tool: https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/localelectionauthority

Registration Deadlines

For registration deadlines, see How to Register below.

How to Check Your Registration: Voters can determine whether they are registered to vote at the following link: Am I Registered?.

You are eligible to vote in Missouri if you:

Are a U.S. citizen
Are a resident of Missouri
Are at least 18 years old by Election Day

You are NOT eligible to vote in Missouri if:

You are in prison or detention or jail or penal institution
You were convicted of a felony or misdemeanor connected with voting
You are on parole for a felony conviction or convicted of a felony
You were disqualified from voting due to a court order

Restorative Requirements

If you have completed a felony sentence, including any term of incarceration, parole, supervision, period of probation, or you have been pardoned, then you are immediately eligible to register to vote

Individuals convicted of crimes related to voting only become eligible to vote if they are pardoned by the governor and the election authority determines they are eligible to vote.

You may preregister to vote in Missouri

at the age of 17-1/2

How to register

Eligibility to register to vote:

To be eligible to register to vote in Missouri, an individual must

Be a citizen of the United States,
Be a resident of the State of Missouri, and
Be 17 1/2 years of age (must be 18 by Election Day).

Voting Eligibility:

To be eligible to cast a ballot in Missouri an individual must

Be registered to vote in the jurisdiction where they live by the 4th Wednesday prior to the election, (For the November 5, 2024 election, the last date to register is October 9, 2024.)
Not be confined under sentence of imprisonment following conviction, (note: those in pretrial detention, and those in jail who have not been sentenced retain the right to vote, as do those who got an SIS (suspended imposition of sentence)),
Not be on probation or parole after conviction of a felony,
Not be convicted of a felony or misdemeanor connected to voting, and
Not be declared incapacitated. (note: a guardianship order must specifically indicate whether a person who has been appointed a guardian retains the right to vote).

How to Register and Registration Deadlines:

Missouri residents may register online, by mail, or in person.

DEADLINE: Missouri voters must register no later than 5 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday prior to Election Day (October 9, 2024 for the November 5 general election). Any person registering after that date will be registered to vote in future elections.

Active Missouri voters who move to a new county within Missouri may update their registration at any time, including at the election office (but not polling place) on Election Day. Registered voters who move within their jurisdiction (county) can update their address at the polls on Election Day. But new voters in Missouri must register by the deadline, except for new residents who have moved to Missouri after the deadline may register to vote for president and vice-president.

The registration deadline for the Nov. 5 Election is Oct. 9, 2024.

ONLINE: Voters may register online at https://s1.sos.mo.gov/elections/voterregistration so long as they meet the eligibility requirements. The online registration application must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday prior to election day. (October 9, 2024 for the November 5 election).
BY MAIL: Voters may print and mail their application by accessing the registration form at https://s1.sos.mo.gov/Elections/VoterRegistration/Home/Print. The completed application must be mailed to the voters local election office and postmarked by the fourth Wednesday prior to Election Day (October 9, 2024 for the November 5 election). Local election authorities can be located here: https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/localelectionauthority.

REQUESTING AN APPLICATION TO BE MAILED: Voters may request an application be mailed to them using the form at https://s1.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/request. The application will arrive within 3-5 business days and the completed application must be postmarked by the fourth Wednesday prior to Election Day. (October 9, 2024 for the November 5 election).

IN PERSON: Voters may register in person at the office of their local election authority (typically their County Clerk’s office or election board headquarters). Voters may locate their County Clerk’s office using the tool at https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/pickupmail, and their local election authority using the tool at https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/localelectionauthority. Voters can also register in person at the Department of Motor Vehicles Office, or offices that provide public assistance, state funded programs that primarily service people with disabilities, armed services recruitment offices, and government agencies such as libraries. In person registration must be completed by

5:00 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday prior to Election Day (October 5, 2024 for the November 5 election), or before the normal closing time of the public building where registration is being held. In person registrations are considered submitted based on the date the applicant signs the form.

Verifying Registration:

Within 7 to 10 business days of receiving registration, the local election authority will provide verification that the voter’s registration was received and processed. If the voter does not receive this confirmation, they should contact their local election authority.

Voters may find their local election authority using the tool at https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/localelectionauthority
Individuals may also check if they are registered to vote by visiting the Missouri Voter Information Lookup page at https://s1.sos.mo.gov/elections/voterlookup/.

If You Want to Vote Absentee, requests may be made:

In-Person
By Mail
By Fax
By Email

Absentee Ballots may be returned:

In-Person
By Mail

Early Voting: Missouri does not have early voting. It has no-excuse absentee voting 2 weeks before Election Day and six weeks of excuse-based mail in or in person absentee.

No-excuse absentee voting: Available up to 2 weeks before Election Day: Beginning on the second Tuesday before Election Day through 5pm the day before Election Day, voters may cast an absentee ballot in person without providing a reason. (Oct. 22, – Nov. 4, 2024 for the Nov. 5 election).

Excuse-based absentee voting: Available up to 6 weeks before Election Day (2 weeks no excuse): Registered Missourians who expect to be prevented from going to their polling place on Election Day may vote absentee starting six weeks before election day (Sept. 24 through Nov. 4, 2024 for the November 5, 2024 election). These Missourians can vote absentee in person at their local election authority office or satellite locations established by the local election authority. Voters may also request an absentee ballot be mailed to them.These voters must provide one of these reasons for voting absentee:

Absence on Election Day from the jurisdiction of the election authority in which the voter is registered to vote;
Incapacity or confinement due to illness or physical disability, including a person who is primarily responsible for the physical care of a person who is incapacitated or confined due to illness or disability who resides at the same address (new) (no notarization required);
Religious belief or practice;
Employment as an election authority, as a member of an election authority, or by an election authority at a location other than the voter’s polling place; or employment as a first responder, a healthcare worker or a member of law enforcement;
Incarceration, provided all qualifications for voting are retained; (no notarization required)
Certified participation in the “Address Confidentiality Program” (established under Missouri statute sections 589.660 through 589.681 of the Missouri State Code) because of safety concerns related to victims of domestic violence, rape, sexual assault, or stalking.

Apply for an Absentee Ballot: Eligible voters may submit requests to receive an absentee ballot by mail from their local election authority in person, by mail, by fax, or email. The form can be found here https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/ElectionGoVoteMissouri/AbsenteeBallotRequestForm.pdf. Voters casting absentee ballots in person can complete the form at the time they cast their ballots. Voters requesting a ballot by mail should submit the form to their election authority.

DEADLINE: Applications must be completed by the voter or or by the voter’s guardian or spouse, parent, child, grandparent, sibling, grandchild, mother-in-law, father-in-law, daughter-in-law, or son-in-law. Applications to request a ballot by mail must be received by the election authority by 5:00 p.m. on the second Wednesday prior to an election (5:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 23, 2024 for the November 5, 2024 general election.)

Applications must be sent via email, mail, or fax to the voters’ local election authority which can be found here https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/localelectionauthority. Voters who cast absentee ballots in person may complete the application at their local election authority at the same time they cast their ballot.

Voters can vote an absentee ballot in person in their local election authority office until 5:00 p.m. on Monday, November 4, 2024.

NEW VOTERS ONLY: If the voter has registered to vote by mail or online and has requested an absentee ballot by mail and has not voted in person in a previous election, they must submit a copy of identification with their absentee ballot application. These are the same forms of identification required to cast a ballot.

Voter Registration

To register to vote in Missouri you should provide:

Last Four Digits of your Social Security Number
Your Missouri Driver’s License Number

If you are registering to vote for the first time by mail, you will need to provide a copy of a valid ID. Acceptable forms of ID include:

Current and Valid Photo ID
Valid Tribal ID
Government Issued Document that shows your current name and address
Utility Bill, Bank Statement, Government Check, or Paycheck that Shows your current name and address
Birth Certificate
Other proof of US Citizenship issued by the Federal Government

If you do not have one of these forms of ID and need help getting ID, go to www.voteriders.org.

Voting In-Person

In Missouri, you may use a current photo ID issued by the U.S. or the state of Missouri. This ID may not have expired after the date of the most recent general election. Acceptable ID includes:

Valid Missouri non-driver’s ID
Valid Missouri Driver’s License
Valid US Passport
Veteran’s ID
Valid Military ID

If you do not have ID with you, you may still vote provisionally. That provisional vote will count if you return that day with your ID or if election officials can verify that your signature matches your voter registration signature. If you do not have one of the Missouri valid IDs and need help getting ID, go to www.voteriders.org. State issued photo IDs are free.

Identification Required for Registration:

Identification is required for voters registering before a registrar in person but optional for voters registering online or by mail. Identification is required for all voters on voting day. First time voters who registered online or by mail and want to vote absentee by mail must include a copy of their ID with their absentee application.

A person registering to vote in person is required to provide a birth certificate, Native American tribal document, other proof of United States citizenship, a valid Missouri drivers or non-drivers license or some other form of personal identification.

Other proof of United States Citizenship might include:

a nonexpired United States passport; or,
Naturalization Papers.

Other forms of personal identification might include:

a nonexpired military ID or veteran’s ID card;
a nonexpired photo ID issued by the United States or the state of Missouri.

Identification Requirements to Cast a Ballot:

Missouri voters must show one of the following forms of photo ID to vote in person on election day or in-person absentee:

A non-expired Missouri driver’s license or a non-expired or non-expiring Missouri non-driver’s license (a driver’s or non-driver’s license that expired after the most recent general election (November 8, 2022) is considered non-expired;
A document issued by either the United States Government or the Missouri Government which
- shows a photograph of the voter;
- contains the name of the voter which substantially conforms to the most recent signature in the voter’s registration record; and
- includes an expiration date and is not expired or expired after the most recent general election (November 8, 2022);
Any photo ID issued by the Missouri National Guard, the U.S. Armed Forces (including the Space Force), or the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs that is not expired or does not have an expiration date.

A voter who does not have the required form of identification at the time that they appear at the polling place but who is a registered voter, may cast a BLUE provisional ballot. Their ballot will count if either

They return to the polling place after casting the ballot and present valid identification; or
The signature on their provisional ballot envelope is determined by their local election authority to match the signature on file with their voter registration record.

If a voter casts a provisional ballot, they will receive a stub from their provisional ballot envelope with instructions on how to find out if the vote was counted.

Voters might be eligible for a free Missouri non-driver license for voting purposes. Additional information is available at https://www.sos.mo.gov/showit2vote.

Registered voters who move within Missouri may update their registration address at any time including at the offices of their local election authority on Election Day. Voters who move within the same jurisdiction can update at the polls and cast a regular ballot. Voters may also update their registration address online at https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/register.

Voters who move from another state must register anew in Missouri prior to the registration deadline.

Voters who move to Missouri after the registration deadline for a presidential election are entitled to register and vote only a presidential and vice presidential ballot in their new jurisdiction.

Voting Military

U.S. citizens living overseas may register and request a ballot using the overseas voter registration/ballot request form. You will have the following identification options when completing the form: Service members and their dependents may register and request a ballot using the federal voter registration/ballot request form (“FPCA”). You will have the following identification options when completing the form:

U.S. State or Territory or District Issued ID
Option to Indicate that you do not have the Requested ID
Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number

Voting Overseas

U.S. citizens living overseas may register and request a ballot using the overseas voter registration/ballot request form. You will have the following identification options when completing the form:

U.S. State or Territory or District Issued ID
Option to Indicate that you do not have the Requested ID
Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number

The Missouri Military and Overseas Voting Access Portal:

The Missouri Military and Overseas Voting Portal is a secure website developed by the Missouri Secretary of State’s office that allows eligible Missouri voters to 1) register to vote, 2) request and receive their absentee ballots, and 3) if the voter is a military member in a hostile zone, transmit that voter’s marked ballot.

Visit the Military and Overseas Voting Access Portal at https://movotesportal.sos.mo.gov/movotes/voter/login.aspx.

Eligibility:

Missouri voters that are currently overseas, and Missouri voters that are part of the United States Uniformed services, National Guard, Federal Service, their spouse or dependent; any active military member whether stationed in the United States or overseas can use the Military and Overseas Voting Access Portal at https://movotesportal.sos.mo.gov/movotes/voter/login.aspx. to register to vote and request and receive their absentee ballot.

Missed the Registration Deadline?

Active members of the armed forces and their dependents who missed the registration deadline may still vote for federal offices only. They can access a ballot at the Military and Overseas Voting Access Portal (https://movotesportal.sos.mo.gov/movotes/voter/login.aspx.), or fill out the Federal Write-In Absentee ballot (FWAB) at https://www.fvap.gov/portal/login/welcome.html and mail it to their local election authority https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/localelectionauthority.

Verifying Voter Registration:

If Missouri voters are unsure if they are registered to vote, they may use the voter registration look up tool to verify if they are registered to vote https://s1.sos.mo.gov/elections/voterlookup/.

Requesting an Absentee Ballot:

Absentee ballots are available 46 days before Election Day. For the November 5, 2024 general election, absentee ballots become available beginning September 20, 2024.

IN PERSON REQUESTS: A voter, or a voter’s guardian or spouse, parent, child, grandparent, sibling, grandchild, mother-in-law, father-in-law, daughter-in-law, or son-in-law may complete an absentee ballot application in person at the office of the voter’s local election authority (https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/localelectionauthority) for the eligible voter wishing to vote absentee.

REMOTE REQUESTS: Missouri military and overseas voters who wish to vote absentee can request absentee ballots by:

Accessing the Military and Overseas Voting Access Portal at https://movotesportal.sos.mo.gov/movotes/voter/login.aspx., or
Completing a Federal Post Card Application at https://www.fvap.gov/portal/login/welcome.html and mailing it to their local election authority https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/localelectionauthority.

Returning an Absentee Ballot:

DEADLINE. Absentee ballots must be postmarked by election day and received by the voter’s local election authority no later than 12:00 p.m. CST on the Friday following Election Day. For the November 5, 2024 general election, absentee ballots must be received by 12:00 p.m. November 8, 2024.

MOST VOTERS are required to return their ballot and accompanying absentee affidavit by mail. Postage is not required if the voter mails their ballot from an APO/FPO mail facility, U.S. Embassy or consulate, or U.S. post office. Voters must use the prepaid return envelope template to receive free postage. Access the template at https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/ElectionGoVoteMissouri/returnenvelope.pdf.

VOTERS SERVING OR LIVING OVERSEAS IN A COMBAT ZONE, HOSTILE FIRE, OR IMMINENT DANGER AREA may return their voted ballot and accompanying absentee affidavit by mail, fax, email, or through the Military and Overseas Voting Access Portal. A list of qualifying combat zones, hostile fire, or imminent danger areas is available at https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/ElectionGoVoteMissouri/HostileFirezones.pdf.

VIEWING AN ABSENTEE BALLOT. Voters may view their absentee ballot through Missouri’s Military and Overseas Voting Access Portal. Voters using the Federal Post Card Application should mark their method of receiving their ballot on the application.

Tracking a Ballot:

Voters may track their ballots online using the Military and Overseas Access Portal.

If the voter mailed, faxed, or emailed their ballot, they can confirm their ballot was received by their local election authority by contacting the Missouri Secretary of State at elections@sos.mo.gov or (866) 868-3245.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Uniformed Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act:

Absentee uniformed service members and their eligible dependents, and U.S. citizens living outside of the United states may request an absentee ballot under the Uniformed Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA). Military and permanent overseas voters do not need to provide a photo ID with their request. Military and Overseas voters can request an absentee ballot online at https://movotesportal.sos.mo.gov/movotes/voter/login.aspx, by completing a Federal Post Card Application https://www.fvap.gov/portal/login/welcome.html, or by contacting their local election authority in Missouri https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/localelectionauthority. Additional information is available at https://www.fvap.gov and https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/govotemissouri/registeroverseas.

Registering and Requesting an Absentee Ballot

UOCAVA voters can use the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) to register to vote and to request an absentee ballot. Visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s (FVAP) Missouri page. UOCAVA voters may also register to vote and request an absentee ballot through the Military and Overseas Voting Access portal at https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/govotemissouri/registeroverseas.

Submit a back-up Ballot: Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot

The Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB) is a back-up ballot that can be used by UOCAVA voters. Voters can use this FWAB whether they are located inside or outside the United States (including APO and FPO addresses), provided that they are away from their voting residence for service-related activities. Voters must apply for a regular ballot early enough for the voter’s local election officials to receive the request at least 5 days before the election. If the voter does not receive their regular ballot in time, they may use the FWAB. The FWAB must be received by the voter’s local voting officials in Missouri no later than noon on Election Day. For specific instructions, visit https://www.fvap.gov/fwab-privacy-notice.

People who are incarcerated, and those on probation or parole for a felony conviction are not eligible to vote in Missouri. Individuals who have been convicted of a felony (or misdemeanor related to voting), are serving a sentence of imprisonment, or are under state supervision for a felony conviction including probation or parole (also known as being “on paper”) are not eligible to vote. Those with a Suspended Imposition of Sentence (SIS) for a felony are eligible to vote; those with an SES are not.

Once an individual successfully completes their sentence and are no longer under the supervision of the Department of Corrections (“off paper”), their voting rights are automatically restored and they regain eligibility to vote. They must re-register to vote. However, individuals convicted of a misdemeanor or felony crime related to voting will not regain eligibility to vote unless pardoned by the Governor.
If you are in jail awaiting trial for a misdemeanor or a felony you are still eligible to vote by absentee ballot. More information is available on the Voting Rights Frequently Asked Questions page at https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/votingrights. Once convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor related to voting, an individual is not eligible to vote even if they have not yet been sentenced.

Contact 866-OUR-VOTE

Upcoming Elections

Voting in Missouri