With the COVID-19 pandemic raging on, Election Day may look a lot different this year. Voters wanting to avoid long lines and large crowds on Election Day may want to vote by mail or vote absentee, while other Missourians are still planning on voting in-person on Nov. 3. No matter what your voting plan is for Election Day 2020, this nonpartisan guide is here to help you navigate and understand the state’s voting process, protocols, and deadlines so that you can successfully cast your ballot on Nov. 3.

Registering to Vote

• Deadline to register to vote: Oct. 7

• How to register to vote:

  • Online

  • In-person at your local election office

  • Print and mail forms from the Secretary of State website — Applications must be postmarked by Oct. 7

• Check your voter registration online

• Accepted forms of identification to register

  • ID issued by the state of Missouri, an agency of the state or a local election authority of the state

  • Passport or other ID issued by the U.S. government or a federal agency

  • Higher education school ID

  • Copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document including your name and address

  • Other ID as approved by the secretary of state

  • If you don’t have one of the above forms of ID, you can also cast a provisional vote

    • For your provisional vote to count, you can return on Election Day with one of these forms of ID. If you don’t have ID, your vote will count if the signature on your ballot matches the signature on your voter registration.

General Information

• Election day is Nov. 3

• Polling places in Missouri will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

  • If you are still in line at 7 p.m., you will still be allowed to vote

• Find your polling place at voteroutreach.sos.mo.gov/

Absentee Voting

• You can vote with an absentee ballot for one of the following reasons:

  • You have to be away from the county you vote in on Election Day

  • You are confined due to illness or disability or you serve as a caretaker for someone with an illness or disability

  • You will be working as a poll worker

  • You have a religious belief or practice that doesn’t allow you to go,

  • You are incarcerated, provided all qualifications for voting are retained.

  • You are part of an address confidentiality program.

• This year, you can also vote absentee if you have COVID-19 or are in one of these at-risk categories:

  • Age 65 or older

  • Live in a long-term care facility

  • Chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma

  • Serious heart condition

  • Immunocompromised

  • Diabetes

  • Kidney disease or are undergoing dialysis

  • Liver disease

• Deadline to register for an absentee ballot: Oct. 21

  • Register by mail, fax or email. Forms can be found at here

  • Register in-person at your local election authority

• If you requested to vote by mail, make sure you submit a copy of your ID along with your ballot if:

  • You have never voted in person in Missouri

  • You didn’t submit a copy of your personal identification with your registration application.

• You must notarize your ballot envelope unless you are part of an at-risk category for COVID-19, confined or incapacitated by an illness or disability, or a caretaker for someone with an illness or disability. A list of notaries who will notarize your ballot free of charge can be found at sos.mo.gov/elections/MailinNotary

• Returning your absentee ballot

  • Absentee ballots must be received by the election authority by 7 p.m. on Nov. 3

  • The U.S. Postal Service recommends mailing your ballot one week before Election Day at the latest.

  • Missouri includes business reply envelopes with all absentee ballots so postage is free.

  • If you did not mail in your ballot, you can bring it to the polls to spoil it and vote in person on Election Day.

• You can also vote absentee advance, in person starting Sept. 22 until 5 p.m. on Nov. 2. If you go in person, you don’t need to get your ballot notarized.

Vote By Mail

This year, Missouri voters who don’t qualify to vote absentee can vote by a mail-in ballot. Here’s how:

• Requesting a mail-in ballot

  • By mail: Print out the mail-in ballot request form and mail it to your local election office by 5 p.m. on Oct. 21.

  • In person: Visit your local election office by Oct. 21

• Returning your mail-in ballot

  • Your ballot must be sent in by mail and must be received by 7 p.m. on Nov. 3. The U.S. Postal Service recommends mailing your ballot one week before the due date, which is Oct. 27.

  • Make sure you include a copy of your ID along with your ballot if you haven’t voted in person in Missouri before or you didn’t provide a copy when registering to vote.

  • For your ballot to count, the envelope needs to be notarized. A list of notaries who will notarize your ballot free of charge can be found here

  • Missouri includes business reply envelopes with all mail-in ballots so postage is free

  • You can call your local election authority to check on the status of your mail-in ballot.

  • If you don’t think you can mail your ballot in time, you can bring it to the polls on Election Day to spoil it and vote in person instead.

Important to Know

• Need to print your voter registration application, absentee ballot request or mail-in ballot request? The Kansas City Public Library currently offers free remote printing. You can email your document to the library and pick it up within 10 days.

  • If you need to use a computer to access these forms, you can reserve an hour of computer time at the library in person by calling 816-701-3400 or going online

Health and Safety

The Kansas City, Missouri Health Department says the best way to avoid large crowds and stay safe from COVID-19 is to vote in advance, either through mail-in or in-person options. If you still plan on voting at your local polling place on Election Day, here’s what you need to know:

• Did you check all of the options for advance and mail-in voting first? Reducing the amount of contact you have with other people is the best way to stay safe.

• Look at a sample ballot in advance so you can minimize your time at the polling location.

  • Missouri: You may be able to view a sample ballot online or you can view one at your local election authority office

• Try going during midmorning on Election Day, when the polls aren’t as crowded.

• If you have time, wait in your car until the line looks shorter.

• Make sure you wash your hands before going to vote and again when you get home after.

• Bring hand sanitizer with you and use it after touching any surfaces such as door handles and voting machines, or after exchanging materials with a poll worker.

• Wear a cloth face mask.

• Stay at least 6 feet away from others.

• Bring your own black pen or pencil.

• If you have your own stylus, bring it along for touchscreen voting machines.

Sign Up for The Beacon’s Election Tipline

The Beacon is launching a texting tipline for the 2020 election. By signing up for text alerts, you’ll hear directly from our journalists as we report on the election. Do you have a tip about something you think should be a story? Do you have a question about voting? Reach a Beacon journalist by replying to any message. We promise not to spam you.

Election Day Resources

• If you are facing problems at your polling location or you see something that you think breaks election law, this is what you can do:

  • Go online and fill out this form.

• Call the Election Protection Hotline: 1-866-687-8683

This nonpartisan voter guide was reported, edited and fact checked by The Beacon.

The Beacon compiled this information from the following sources: Missouri Secretary of State, Kansas Secretary of State, Kansas City, Kansas Public Library, Kansas City Public Library, Johnson County Public Library, Center for Disease Control, KCMO Health Department, National Conference of State Legislatures