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Springfield, MO
Change City

How to Vote in Missouri’s 2024 Elections

Posted on 10/08/24 by Maura Kelly Lannan

En español

Important dates and election information

  • Last day to register to vote: Wednesday, Oct. 9
  • Last day for absentee ballot applications to be received by mail: Wednesday, Oct. 23, by 5 p.m.
  • Deadline to request an absentee ballot in person: Monday, Nov. 4, by 5 p.m.
  • Deadline to return an absentee ballot: Tuesday, Nov. 5, by 7 p.m.
  • General election: Tuesday, Nov. 5
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Voting at a glance

  • Absentee voting: All voters can cast an absentee ballot two weeks before Election Day during early voting. However, during other times, only voters who meet certain criteria can cast an absentee ballot.
  • Early voting: Cast an absentee ballot in person from Tuesday, Oct. 22, through Monday, Nov. 4. 
  • Voting at the polls: Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Recent voting changes in Missouri

  • No-excuse absentee voting is available during the two weeks before Election Day.
  • The use of drop boxes is banned.

How to register to vote

Register online, by mail or in person. The deadline to register to vote is Wednesday, Oct. 9 (postmarked).

  • Online:  Use the state’s voter registration portal. You’ll be asked to include your Missouri driver’s license number if you have one and the last four digits of your Social Security number. 
  • In person: Register in person or drop off a completed registration form at your local election authority. Or register at a library, a driver’s license office or at other state agencies. If you register in person, you’ll need to present a valid government-issued photo ID, such as a current Missouri driver’s license or U.S. passport.

Registering to vote on Election Day

You cannot register to vote on Election Day in Missouri.

Check your voter registration status

Check your voter registration status through the state’s voter information portal.

Ferguson, Missouri Residents Vote On Election Day
A voter shows off an "I Voted" sticker in Ferguson, Mo.
Scott Olson/Getty Images

How to request an absentee ballot

All voters may vote by absentee ballot without a reason during the early voting period two weeks before an election. However, during other times, absentee ballots are only available to certain voters, including people with an illness or disability or those who will be out of town on Election Day. A list of criteria is on the secretary of state’s website.

  • By mail: Print an absentee ballot application form and mail it to your local election authority. The application must be received by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 23. Or contact your election authority to request an application. You can also email or fax completed forms to your elections authority.
  • In person: Fill out a ballot request or drop off your completed form at your local election authority. Requests made in person must be done by 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 4.

Returning an absentee ballot

  • By mail: Once you complete your ballot, you will need to place it in the envelope and get the envelope notarized unless you are voting absentee because of illness or disability or you are on active duty in the military.  Then mail your ballot to your election authority. It must be received by the close of polls on Election Day.
  • In person: After completing your ballot and getting it notarized, unless you are exempt from that requirement, return it in person to your election authority. It can be returned any time before polls close on Election Day. Your ballot does not need to be notarized if you fill it out at your election authority.

Check with your election authority to confirm the receipt of your ballot.

Voting in person before Election Day

Missouri does not have early, in-person voting but you can cast an absentee ballot in person from Tuesday, Oct. 22, until 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 4. It is the only time you can vote absentee without a reason. You do not have to have your absentee ballot notarized if you fill it out at your election authority. Check with your local election authority for locations.

Voting at the polls on Election Day

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, which is Tuesday, Nov. 5, but you can vote after 7 p.m. if you are in line before then. Find your polling place on the state elections website.

Sample ballots will be available at the secretary of state’s website.

Voter ID requirements on Election Day

You will need to show a valid Missouri driver’s license, state ID card, U.S. passport or other acceptable ID. If you forget your ID, you can cast a provisional ballot that will be counted as long as your signature matches the signature in the state’s voter registry or if you return to your polling place with proper ID.

Voting with a disability 

Polling places in Missouri offer curbside voting to people with limited mobility. You can ask someone to go inside your polling place to request that a ballot be brought out to you.

If you have physical disabilities and your polling place is not accessible, you can request a different polling place by contacting your local election authority.

Every polling place must have an accessible voting system for people with disabilities as well as equipment to help voters who are visually impaired.

If you have a permanent physical disability, you can ask to be placed on the state’s permanent absentee voting list and absentee ballot applications will be automatically mailed to you before every election. Contact your local election authority for more information.

Voters living in a nursing home or long-term care facility can vote using an absentee ballot.

Editor’s note: This guide was originally published Jan. 3, 2024, and has been updated with new information about voting in the 2024 elections.

Maura Kelly Lannan is a writer, editor and producer for AARP who covers federal and state policy. She has worked as a reporter for the Associated Press, the Chicago Tribune and the Waterbury, Connecticut, Republican-American. She also has written for Bloomberg Government, The Boston Globe and other publications. 

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