Absentee In Person

 

You can vote absentee in person at the office of your local county election authority from Wednesday, September 23 until 5 pm on Monday, November 2.  Larger election jurisdictions may also open additional satellite absentee voting locations in late October. 

 

You do not have to apply beforehand or get anything notarized if you vote absentee in person; you will simply need to give one of the seven reasons for voting absentee and then cast a ballot just like you normally would at a polling place.

 

Two Vote By Mail Options (Absentee by Mail Ballot or No-Excuse Mail-In Ballot)

 

All Missouri residents can now vote by mail utilizing one of two methods: Absentee by Mail Ballots or No-Excuse Mail-In Ballots.  

 

Voters must apply for either of these ballots from their local election authority using this application

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

or using a form from their local election authority’s website.  

 

You can see examples of how to fill out the ballot request form for any situation by clicking here

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You can find your local election authority by clicking here

 

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  1. Absentee by Mail

 

Any voter may apply for an absentee ballot based on one of the seven reasons for voting absentee (see sidebar).  Absentee applications may be submitted by email, fax, in person, or by mail.  Close relatives may request an absentee ballot on a voter’s behalf. 

 

Absentee ballots will need a notary seal on the ballot envelope unless the voter requested the ballot using a health related excuse (excuse #2 or #7). You determine whether or not you are elegible for any excuse. You do not need permission from a doctor or any other authority, nor are you required to show proof. 

 

Absentee ballots can be returned to the election authority office by mail or in person.  A close relative may also return the ballot on behalf of the voter.  

 

The flexibility to request and return Absentee by Mail Ballots by means other than the US Mail make them the far better option for voting by mail, given the current issues with the US Postal Service.

 

   2. No-Excuse Mail-In Ballot

 

In 2020, any voter can request a Mail-In Ballot, but these ballots can only be requested in person or by mail, and the ballots can only be submitted by US mail. All Mail-In Ballot envelopes must be notarized. 

 

 

Completing and Returning Your Absentee by Mail or Mail-In Ballot

 

Please be sure that you have completed the statement on the outside of your ballot envelope, verified your address where indicated, and signed it on the signature line, in the presence of a notary public if required.  Do not cover up or mark out your return address or any of the bar codes on the ballot envelope  Your ballot can be rejected if the required information on the ballot envelope is not completed correctly or the ballot cannot be otherwise verified.

 

An Absentee by Mail Ballot  can be returned by mail or in person (including by an immediate family member) to the election authority, but Mail-In Ballots must be returned by mail only.  Mailing can now take two to three WEEKS. .

 

ALL BALLOTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY YOUR LOCAL ELECTION AUTHORITY BY 7pm ON ELECTION DAY IN ORDER TO COUNT.

 

Questions or problems?

Call the Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE

Voting In Person On Election Day 

 

Voters can also vote in person on Election Day.  Polling places may have changed, so know before you go!  In ST LOUIS COUNTY ONLY, voters may vote at any County polling place thanks to new print-on-demand-ballot technology.  In all other jurisdictions, voters must vote at their assigned polling place.

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The seven reasons for voting absentee:

 

Absentee voters must provide one of the following reasons for voting absentee:

 

  1. Absence on Election Day from the jurisdiction of the election authority in which such voter is registered to vote;

  2. 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;

  3. Religious belief or practice;

  4. Employment as an election authority, as a member of an election authority, or by an election authority at a location other than such voter's polling place;

  5. Incarceration, provided all qualifications for voting are retained.

  6. Certified participation in the address confidentiality program established under sections 589.660 to 589.681 because of safety concerns.

  7. Voters who are considered at-risk for contracting or transmitting COVID-19 due to one of the following specific factors:

 

  • Are 65 years of age or older;

  • Live in a long-term care facility licensed under Chapter 198, RSMo.;

  • Have chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma;

  • Have serious heart conditions;

  • Are immunocompromised;

  • Have diabetes;

  • Have chronic kidney disease and are undergoing dialysis; or

  • Have liver disease.] 

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