Recently turn 18? Maybe you want to change your party or your voter registration address? Make sure you are eligible to vote in this next election. Take a few minutes and complete the voter registration form so you can Rock the Vote!
17.5 year-olds and up can pre-register to vote. On your 18th birthday, your voter registration application will be fully processed.
Missouri does not offer the opportunity to register to vote on Election Day.
Missouri does not automatically register eligible citizens to vote when they go to a government agency, like the DMV.
Missouri does not require registrants to live in the state for a specific amount of time before registering to vote.
When submitting a voter registration application, no additional documents are required for your registration to be processed. The state confirms your citizenship and eligibility through the information provided on your registration form, such as your state-issued license/ID number or the last 4 digits of your SSN.
In Missouri, voting rights of convicted persons are restored upon completion of one's sentence. Returning citizens must re-register after their rights are restored.
Missouri is a member-state of the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) and participates in the Interstate Crosscheck program to compare voter rolls with other states for maintenance purposes.
Photo ID is required to vote in Missouri. If the voter does not have a valid photo ID, they may use a secondary form of identification and sign a statement confirming their identity. If the voter has no form of ID, but is a registered voter, they can vote a provisional ballot. If you do not have government-issued photo ID, you may contact the Secretary of State's office by email at showit2vote@sos.mo.gov to acquire one for free. Valid forms of photo ID include:
- Missouri Driver License
- Missouri Nondriver License
- U.S. Passport
- U.S. Military ID
If you do not have a photo ID, you may show one of the following along with a signed statement:
- Voter Registration Card
- ID from a Missouri university, college, vocational or technical school
- Utility Bill
- Bank Statement
- Government Check
- Paycheck
- Other government document showing your name and address
If you are having problems getting an approved form of voter ID, you can contact Spread the Vote for assistance at www.spreadthevote.org.
https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/howtovote#Forms
Absentee ballot applications must be received by the Wednesday before Election Day. To vote absentee in Missouri, voters must meet one of the following requirements:
- Person is absent on Election Day from their respective county
- Illness or disability prevents them from going to the polls
- Religious belief or practice prevents them from the polling place
- Incarceration, provided all qualifications for voting are retained
- If you are an election authority
https://s1.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/howtovote
Missouri does not offer in-person early voting. However, voters with an approved excuse can cast an absentee ballot in person.
Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. eastern time on Election Day.
https://voteroutreach.sos.mo.gov//PRD/VoterOutreach/VOSearch.aspx
Missouri has open primaries. Any registered voter can participate in primary elections, regardless of political party.
17-year-olds cannot vote in primary elections. You must be 18 to vote in any election in Missouri.
Voters with a physical disability have access to curbside voting.
"Voters with disabilities, like all Americans, have the right to cast a private and independent ballot. Federal laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Help America Vote Act require polling places, and the voting process from start to finish, to be accessible for people with all types of disabilities, and we've come a long way. In 2000, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that 84% of America's polling places were inaccessible. By 2008, that number had dropped by over 10 percentage points. Yet, almost three in four polling places remain inaccessible according to GAO, and no state has a perfectly and fully implemented accessibility requirements. Therefore, there is still room for improvement across the country." - Michelle Bishop, Voting Rights Specialist, Disability Rights Network
http://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/howtovote.aspx#Accessible
This is the office that is in charge of elections and can give you the most up to date information. A lot of the websites have clear tools to help you find your polling place, but some hide it a bit, so dig around and don’t be afraid to call their office to ask where you need to go to vote!
Recently turn 18? Maybe you want to change your party or your voter registration address? Make sure you are eligible to vote in this next election. Take a few minutes and complete the voter registration form so you can Rock the Vote!
17.5 year-olds and up can pre-register to vote. On your 18th birthday, your voter registration application will be fully processed.
Missouri does not offer the opportunity to register to vote on Election Day.
Missouri does not automatically register eligible citizens to vote when they go to a government agency, like the DMV.
Missouri does not require registrants to live in the state for a specific amount of time before registering to vote.
When submitting a voter registration application, no additional documents are required for your registration to be processed. The state confirms your citizenship and eligibility through the information provided on your registration form, such as your state-issued license/ID number or the last 4 digits of your SSN.
In Missouri, voting rights of convicted persons are restored upon completion of one's sentence. Returning citizens must re-register after their rights are restored.
Missouri is a member-state of the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) and participates in the Interstate Crosscheck program to compare voter rolls with other states for maintenance purposes.
Photo ID is required to vote in Missouri. If the voter does not have a valid photo ID, they may use a secondary form of identification and sign a statement confirming their identity. If the voter has no form of ID, but is a registered voter, they can vote a provisional ballot. If you do not have government-issued photo ID, you may contact the Secretary of State's office by email at showit2vote@sos.mo.gov to acquire one for free. Valid forms of photo ID include:
- Missouri Driver License
- Missouri Nondriver License
- U.S. Passport
- U.S. Military ID
If you do not have a photo ID, you may show one of the following along with a signed statement:
- Voter Registration Card
- ID from a Missouri university, college, vocational or technical school
- Utility Bill
- Bank Statement
- Government Check
- Paycheck
- Other government document showing your name and address
If you are having problems getting an approved form of voter ID, you can contact Spread the Vote for assistance at www.spreadthevote.org.
https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/howtovote#Forms
Absentee ballot applications must be received by the Wednesday before Election Day. To vote absentee in Missouri, voters must meet one of the following requirements:
- Person is absent on Election Day from their respective county
- Illness or disability prevents them from going to the polls
- Religious belief or practice prevents them from the polling place
- Incarceration, provided all qualifications for voting are retained
- If you are an election authority
https://s1.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/howtovote
Missouri does not offer in-person early voting. However, voters with an approved excuse can cast an absentee ballot in person.
Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. eastern time on Election Day.
https://voteroutreach.sos.mo.gov//PRD/VoterOutreach/VOSearch.aspx
Missouri has open primaries. Any registered voter can participate in primary elections, regardless of political party.
17-year-olds cannot vote in primary elections. You must be 18 to vote in any election in Missouri.
Voters with a physical disability have access to curbside voting.
"Voters with disabilities, like all Americans, have the right to cast a private and independent ballot. Federal laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Help America Vote Act require polling places, and the voting process from start to finish, to be accessible for people with all types of disabilities, and we've come a long way. In 2000, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that 84% of America's polling places were inaccessible. By 2008, that number had dropped by over 10 percentage points. Yet, almost three in four polling places remain inaccessible according to GAO, and no state has a perfectly and fully implemented accessibility requirements. Therefore, there is still room for improvement across the country." - Michelle Bishop, Voting Rights Specialist, Disability Rights Network
http://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/howtovote.aspx#Accessible
Your state is a blocker, meaning the majority of its policies restrict your right to vote. Fight back by taking action now!
When eligible citizens interact with a government agency, like the DMV, they are automatically registered to vote unless they opt-out
Leader: Oregon offers AVR.
On-the-Fence: California has signed AVR into law, but it has not been implemented yet.
Lagger: North Carolina does not offer AVR.
Allows a voter to both register and cast a ballot at the same time
Leader: Wisconsin offers voter registration at the polls on Election Day.
Slacker: Maryland only offers voter registration during the early voting period.
Blocker: Kentucky does not offer any type of EDR.
Enables 16 and 17-year-olds to submit voter registration applications and get registered when they become eligible on their 18th birthday
Leader: Louisiana offers pre-registration starting at 16 years old.
Slacker: South Dakota allows 17-year-olds who will be 18 by the next general election to pre-register to vote.
Blocker: Texas only allows voters to submit a voter registration form if they are within two months of their 18th birthday, providing a very small window for “pre-registration.”
Voters can fill out a registration application online from their computer or smartphone
Leader: Minnesota offers OVR to all eligible voters, regardless of whether they have a state-issued ID.
Slacker: Nebraska offers OVR, but a state-issued ID is required to use the system.
Blocker: New Hampshire does not offer OVR.
Allows voters to cast an in-person ballot before a scheduled Election Day
Leader: Illinois offers early voting.
Slacker: Rhode Island allows voters to cast “emergency mail ballot” in-person within 20 days of an election
Blocker: Mississippi does not offer any opportunities to vote in person before Election Day.
Not Scored: States that conduct all-mail elections, such as Colorado, were not scored in this category.
Voters can be sent a ballot and then have the option to either mail it back or return it to a designated location
Leader: New Mexico allows any registered voter to vote by mail.
Slacker: Massachusetts allows any person to early vote by mail, without an excuse, in those elections which offer early voting: biennial state elections (even years). In Virginia, voters can only cast an in-person absentee ballot with an approved excuse.
Blocker: Michigan limits who can vote by mail by requiring an approved excuse. Additionally, first-time voters in Michigan who register by mail or at a registration drive are not allowed to vote by mail for any reason.
Voters who will be 18 on or by a general election can participate in the corresponding primary election
Leader: West Virginia allows 17-year-olds who will be 18 by a general election to participate in the corresponding primary election.
Slacker: Wyoming does not require this by state law, leaving it to the discretion of political parties.
Blocker: Arizona does not allow any primary voting for those under 18.
The process of returning the ability to vote to people with past criminal convictions who have paid their debt to society
Leader: Maine never revokes the right to vote from someone convicted of a felony.
Slacker: New Jersey restores the right to vote and allows a person to re-register after the completion of his or her sentence, including incarceration, parole, and probation.
Blocker: In Virginia, individuals convicted of a felony can only have their voting rights restored by the Governor.
Reduces participation in our elections by limiting eligible Americans who don’t have an approved form of ID
Leader: California has no voter ID requirement.
Slacker: Delaware requests a non-photo ID at the polls, but voters without an approved ID can sign an affidavit and still cast a ballot.
Blocker: In Indiana, voters without an approved ID must submit a copy of one within 6 days of voting—or have their provisional ballot be dismissed.
The process of maintaining up-to-date voter registration lists or rolls by comparing data across states and government agencies (such as the DMV) to accurately identify non-eligible voters, including those that have passed away or moved
Leader: The District of Columbia uses the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) to accurately compare and maintain voter rolls with other states.
Blocker: Hawaii does not make a coordinated effort to compare and maintain voter rolls with other states.
Blocker: Kansas only uses Interstate Crosscheck to compare voter records across states, which has been found to result in high percentage of false positives and the potential to purge legitimate voters from the rolls.
Taking concrete steps toward ensuring all voters, regardless of disability, can cast their ballot privately and independently
“Voters with disabilities, like all Americans, have the right to cast a private and independent ballot. Federals law like the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Help America Vote Act require polling places, and the voting process from start to finish, to be accessible for people with all types of disabilities, and we’ve come a long way. In 2000, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that 84% of America’s polling places were inaccessible. By 2008, that number had dropped by over 10 percentage points. Yet, almost three in four polling places remain in accessible according to GAO, and no state has a perfectly and fully implemented accessibility requirements. Therefore, there is still room for improvement across the country." - Michelle Bishop, Voting Rights Specialist, National Disability Rights Network (NDRN)
Accessible Policy Example: Connecticut offers curbside voting for voters with disabilities, and also allows them to move to the front of the line if needed.
Non-Accessible Policy Example: Indiana does not offer an exception to its strict voter ID law for voters with disabilities.
Some states have additional restrictive requirements that make it more complicated for voters to participate in elections
Leader: Pennsylvania does not have an additional “proof-of-citizenship” or “proof-of-residence” law to successfully submit a voter registration form.
Blocker: In Kansas, voters who do not submit “proof-of-citizenship” with a registration form (such as a copy of their birth certificate) cannot register to vote—even if they provide a Social Security number/state-issued ID number and their citizenship can be confirmed in another manner.
When eligible citizens interact with a government agency, like the DMV, they are automatically registered to vote unless they opt-out
Leader: Oregon offers AVR.
On-the-Fence: California has signed AVR into law, but it has not been implemented yet.
Lagger: North Carolina does not offer AVR.
Allows a voter to both register and cast a ballot at the same time
Leader: Wisconsin offers voter registration at the polls on Election Day.
Slacker: Maryland only offers voter registration during the early voting period.
Blocker: Kentucky does not offer any type of EDR.
Enables 16 and 17-year-olds to submit voter registration applications and get registered when they become eligible on their 18th birthday
Leader: Louisiana offers pre-registration starting at 16 years old.
Slacker: South Dakota allows 17-year-olds who will be 18 by the next general election to pre-register to vote.
Blocker: Texas only allows voters to submit a voter registration form if they are within two months of their 18th birthday, providing a very small window for “pre-registration.”
Voters can fill out a registration application online from their computer or smartphone
Leader: Minnesota offers OVR to all eligible voters, regardless of whether they have a state-issued ID.
Slacker: Nebraska offers OVR, but a state-issued ID is required to use the system.
Blocker: New Hampshire does not offer OVR.
Allows voters to cast an in-person ballot before a scheduled Election Day
Leader: Illinois offers early voting.
Slacker: Rhode Island allows voters to cast “emergency mail ballot” in-person within 20 days of an election
Blocker: Mississippi does not offer any opportunities to vote in person before Election Day.
Not Scored: States that conduct all-mail elections, such as Colorado, were not scored in this category.
Voters can be sent a ballot and then have the option to either mail it back or return it to a designated location
Leader: New Mexico allows any registered voter to vote by mail.
Slacker: Massachusetts allows any person to early vote by mail, without an excuse, in those elections which offer early voting: biennial state elections (even years). In Virginia, voters can only cast an in-person absentee ballot with an approved excuse.
Blocker: Michigan limits who can vote by mail by requiring an approved excuse. Additionally, first-time voters in Michigan who register by mail or at a registration drive are not allowed to vote by mail for any reason.
Voters who will be 18 on or by a general election can participate in the corresponding primary election
Leader: West Virginia allows 17-year-olds who will be 18 by a general election to participate in the corresponding primary election.
Slacker: Wyoming does not require this by state law, leaving it to the discretion of political parties.
Blocker: Arizona does not allow any primary voting for those under 18.
The process of returning voting rights to people with past criminal convictions
Leader: Maine never revokes the right to vote from someone convicted of a felony.
Slacker: New Jersey restores the right to vote and allows a person to re-register after the completion of his or her sentence, including incarceration, parole, and probation.
Blocker: In Virginia, individuals convicted of a felony can only have their voting rights restored by the Governor.
Reduces participation in our elections by limiting eligible Americans who don’t have an approved form of ID
Leader: California has no voter ID requirement.
Slacker: Delaware requests a non-photo ID at the polls, but voters without an approved ID can sign an affidavit and still cast a ballot.
Blocker: In Indiana, voters without an approved ID must submit a copy of one within 6 days of voting—or have their provisional ballot be dismissed.
The process of maintaining up-to-date voter registration lists or rolls by comparing data across states and government agencies (such as the DMV) to accurately identify non-eligible voters, including those that have passed away or moved
Leader: The District of Columbia uses the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) to accurately compare and maintain voter rolls with other states.
Blocker: Hawaii does not make a coordinated effort to compare and maintain voter rolls with other states.
Blocker: Kansas only uses Interstate Crosscheck to compare voter records across states, which has been found to result in high percentage of false positives and the potential to purge legitimate voters from the rolls.
Taking concrete steps toward ensuring all voters, regardless of disability, can cast their ballot privately and independently
“Voters with disabilities, like all Americans, have the right to cast a private and independent ballot. Federals law like the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Help America Vote Act require polling places, and the voting process from start to finish, to be accessible for people with all types of disabilities, and we’ve come a long way. In 2000, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that 84% of America’s polling places were inaccessible. By 2008, that number had dropped by over 10 percentage points. Yet, almost three in four polling places remain in accessible according to GAO, and no state has a perfectly and fully implemented accessibility requirements. Therefore, there is still room for improvement across the country." - Michelle Bishop, Voting Rights Specialist, National Disability Rights Network (NDRN)
Accessible Policy Example: Connecticut offers curbside voting for voters with disabilities, and also allows them to move to the front of the line if needed.
Non-Accessible Policy Example: Indiana does not offer an exception to its strict voter ID law for voters with disabilities.
Some states have additional restrictive requirements that make it more complicated for voters to participate in elections
Leader: Pennsylvania does not have an additional “proof-of-citizenship” or “proof-of-residence” law to successfully submit a voter registration form.
Blocker: In Kansas, voters who do not submit “proof-of-citizenship” with a registration form (such as a copy of their birth certificate) cannot register to vote—even if they provide a Social Security number/state-issued ID number and their citizenship can be confirmed in another manner.