Absentee voting begins six weeks before an election for registered voters. You may vote by absentee ballot if you fulfill one of the following criteria:
- Incapacity or confinement due to illness or physical disability.
- Expect to be absent on Election Day
- Election workers, first responders, healthcare workers and members of law enforcement
- Prevented by religious beliefs from going to the polls on election day
- Incarcerated but haven’t lost right to vote
- Active-duty military personnel and close family members living with them.
- Missouri citizens living outside the U.S
You can request absentee ballots from your local election authority in person or by mail or fax. Mailed in or faxed absentee ballot requests should be submitted to the appropriate local election authority. Relatives within the second degree (parents and children,) may complete an absentee ballot application, in person, on behalf of the voter who wishes to vote absentee. Do not send absentee ballot applications to the secretary of state’s office. They must be sent to the local election authority to be valid.
Mail-in or faxed absentee ballot requests must be received by the election authority no later than the 5:00 pm on the second Wednesday before any election. If you have registered to vote by mail and are voting absentee the first time you vote, you are required to provide a copy of your ID with your absentee ballot request unless you provided a copy with your voter registration application. Examples of acceptable ID are:
- Valid Missouri driver’s license
- Valid Missouri non-driver’s license
- Valid U.S. passport
- Valid military ID
This identification requirement, as well as the notary requirement for absentee ballots, does not apply to overseas voters, those on active military duty or members of their immediate family living with them or voters who are permanently disabled and their caregivers.
Voted absentee ballots must be received at the election authority’s office by 7:00 PM on Election Day. May be returned by mailing service, in person or close relative, curbside service available at all voting authorities.
For more information, or to request an absentee ballot, click here.
Those who requested an absentee ballot but end up voting in person, should contact their local election authority for further instructions.
Overseas citizens and U.S. military personnel can register to vote and request an absentee ballot at the Overseas Vote Foundation.
