Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft (file photo courtesy of the Secretary of State’s office)
Missouri voters can begin casting an absentee ballot for the April 4 municipal elections across the state.
Absentee voting is an option for registered voters who will be absent from their election authority jurisdiction on Election Day; confined due to illness or physical disability; taking care of someone who is confined due to illness or physical disability; have religious reasons; an election worker or in jail, are a domestic violence victim participating in Missouri’s address confidentiality program.
Some of the items voters could see on their April ballot include school board elections, bond issues, water and fire district board races, as well as a 3% local sales tax on adult-use marijuana purchases.
Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft said if you vote absentee in-person, a valid photo ID is required.
“If you go to vote early and you don’t have your ID, you’ll have to come back,” said Ashcroft.
Valid forms of ID include a driver’s license, non-driver’s license, a U.S. passport, and military ID.
To avoid any snail mail snafus, Ashcroft encourages voters to cast an absentee ballot in-person, if possible.
“You’re not counting on the U.S. Mail to make sure your ballot gets returned. You’re actually there to run your ballot to the tabulator, to make sure that it can read all the votes you put down, you didn’t put too many votes on one race. If you did, it’ll beep and give you a second chance,” he said.
To vote absentee by mail, contact your local election office to get a ballot.
To vote absentee without an excuse, that option is available two weeks leading up to Election Day.
If you vote on Election Day without a valid photo ID, voters will be allowed to cast a ballot with a provisional envelope. Election workers will attempt to verify the identity of the voter.
To register to vote in the April election, go on the Secretary of State’s website. March 8 is the deadline to get registered.
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