VOTER REGISTRATION

1. How do I register to vote?

In order to register to vote, Missourians must submit a completed voter registration application to their local election authority. This can be done in person or by mail.

A voter may register in person at one of the following locations:

• The office of their local election authority
• At a drivers licensing office while applying for or renewing a driver's license
• At a designated state agency while the applicant is obtaining services from the agency. Examples of state agencies providing registration applications to their clients include Division of Family Services, Military Recruitment, or WIC.
• A library

When registering in person, applicants are required to present a form of personal identification. A voter can also register to vote by mail by completing a post card voter registration application. You can request a voter registration application from our County Clerk's office.

Within 7 days of receiving your registration, the election authority should mail verification that your registration has been received and processed. If you do not receive this verification, you should contact your local election authority to ensure that you are indeed registered to vote. You will receive your identification card after voting for the first time.

2. What is the deadline for registering to vote in an election?

In order to be registered to vote in an election, you need to be registered by the Election Day deadline, or the normal close of business of any public building where registration is allowed, whichever is later, on the fourth Wednesday prior to the election. If registering by mail, your voter registration must be postmarked on the fourth Wednesday prior to the election. If you register after such time, you will be registered to vote in subsequent elections.

3. What should I do about my registration if I move, or change my name?

In order to change your name in the voter registration lists, you need to contact the election authority before the election or an election judge at your polling place and notify them of the change. The election authority will enter the change on the record and issue new voter identification cards. Voters are allowed to vote at one election under the old name without changing their voter registration after notifying the election judges of the name change.

If you have moved to a different address within the same county, you are permitted to change your registration address on Election Day at your new polling place or the central polling location. It is recommended that you contact your local election official with any address changes prior to Election Day in order to determine your assigned polling place.

If you moved before the deadline to register for an election, you must complete your new registration prior to the registration deadline in order to be eligible to vote a full ballot in your new jurisdiction. If you moved after the registration deadline, you will be entitled to vote a limited ballot, containing only federal and statewide candidates and issues once you submit a completed voter registration application in person with the local election authority. People moving from one election jurisdiction to another prior to the registration deadline who fail to register to vote by the registration deadline will not be able to vote in that particular election.

If you moved to Missouri after the deadline to register for a presidential election, you are entitled to register and vote only a presidential and vice presidential ballot in your new jurisdiction.

4. How do I find out if I’m registered to vote or if I am on the voter rolls in the county where I live?

You may look up whether or not you are currently registered to vote at the Voter Information Lookup online. You may also contact our county office.

5. If I registered to vote by mail, how do I know my registration has been received and processed?

If you have not received a verification notice within seven to ten days, you should contact our office to verify that your mail-in registration was received and processed.

6. I lost my voter identification card. How do I obtain a new one?

You may contact your local election authority to request a new one. Presenting a voter identification card is not required on election day. Voters must present a form of valid id. You may look up your polling place at the Voter Information Lookup.

7. What do I do if I will be absent on the day of election and need to vote absentee?

You may read about Absentee information here at the Missouri Secretary of State's site.

If you will not be here on Election Day, fill out this absentee request form here:

If you are Military Overseas, fill out this absentee request form here:

If you are a Poll Worker for the Election, fill out this absentee request form here: