ST. LOUIS — Wednesday is the last day to register for an absentee or mail-in ballot for Missouri's Aug. 4 primary election.
Missouri is allowing all voters to cast ballots by mail during both the August and November elections. To be valid, absentee ballot applications for the August election must be sent to voters' local election authority by the 5 p.m. deadline.
Absentee voters must give one of the following reasons for voting absentee:
- Will not be in town on election day
- Incapacity or confinement due to illness or physical disability, including primary caretakers
- Religious belief or practice
- 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
- Incarceration, provided all qualifications for voting are retained
- Certified participation in the address confidentiality program because of safety concerns
- Has contracted or is in an at-risk category for contracting or transmitting COVID-19
Anyone can request mail-in voting without a reason, but the ballot must be notarized. Election authorities must receive mail-in voting applications in person or by mail.
Voters in the city of St. Louis can download an absentee or mail-in ballot request from stlouis-mo.gov, fill it out and email it to stlcityabsentee@stlouis-mo.gov.
St. Louis County also has an absentee voting guide on its website. To request absentee voting, email the filled-out application to BOECAbsentee@stlouisco.com, fax it to 314-615-1998 or deliver it in person. However, St. Louis County is only accepting mail-in applications by mail.
Notarization is not required for those in a high-risk category for contracting or transmitting COVID-19, voters who are overseas or on active military duty, or those with permanent disabilities and their caregivers.
St. Louis County Library is offering free notary services at several locations over the next week; bring a ballot along with a photo ID. For more information, visit the library's website. The Office of the Secretary of State also has a list of volunteer notaries.
For more information, read the Secretary of State's voting guide.
