Missouri Secretary of State, Jason Kander

Absentee Voting

Registered Missourians who will not be able to go to their polling place on Election Day may vote absentee beginning six weeks prior to an election.

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.

Voters can request absentee ballots from their local election authority in person or by fax. 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. ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATIONS MUST BE SENT TO THE APPROPRIATE LOCAL ELECTION AUTHORITY BY THE DEADLINE IN ORDER TO BE VALID. Contact information for local election authorities and an absentee ballot application form may be found at the links below.

• Local Election Authority Contact Information
• Request for Missouri Absentee Ballot Form

Mail in or faxed absentee ballot requests must be received by the election authority no later than the 5:00 p.m. on the Wednesday prior to any election. Voters can vote by absentee in the office of the local election authority until 5:00 p.m. the night before the election.

Voters requesting an absentee ballot by mail who have registered by mail and have not voted in person are required to submit a copy of their personal identification unless they provided a copy with their registration application.  Examples of acceptable identification are:

1. Identification issued by the state of Missouri, an agency of the state, or a local election authority of the state; 

2. Identification issued by the United States government or agency thereof;

3. Identification issued by an institution of higher education, including a university, college, vocational and technical school, located within the state of Missouri;  

4. A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that contains the name and address of the voter;

5. Driver’s license or state identification card issued by another state; or

6. Other identification approved by the secretary of state under rules promulgated pursuant to subsection 3 of this section other identification approved by federal law. 

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.

Additional information for military and overseas voters may be found at the section entitled Military and Overseas Voters.