Frequently Asked Questions
What is MOVote.org?
Absentee ballot requests are handled at the local level. With the current process, it can be difficult for voters and election officials alike to get every detail just right. MOVote.org makes it easy for you to send an absentee mail-in ballot request to your Local Election Authority (LEA) with all of the correct details, which also makes it easier for elections officials to process your request.
After you receive your ballot in the mail, you’ll then be able to fill it out in your own space on your own time, get it notarized (see details below), and mail it back in before Election Day. In addition to making it easy for you to request your ballot, we’ll also follow up to remind you to fill out and mail your ballot, and support you with any other needs you have around voting.
What are the deadlines?
The next Missouri election is a Primary election on Tuesday, August 4, 2026. Missouri has “semi-open” partisan primaries, meaning that you’ll need to decide which one party’s election you want to vote in, or that you only want to vote directly on issues, called “ballot measures”. This election cycle, three parties are holding primaries: the Republican Party, the Democrat Party, and the Libertarian Party. In Missouri, you don’t need to have any affiliation with a party to vote in its primary.
You need to be registered to vote by Wednesday, July 8, 2026. If you intend to vote by mail, you need to send in your absentee mail-in ballot request by Wednesday, July 22, 2026 at 5pm. MOVote.org makes it easy for you to send in your request.
You can also vote in person before Election Day through no-excuse in-person absentee voting. In-person early voting runs from Tuesday, July 21, 2026 through Monday, August 3, 2026.
Do I need to include my photo ID with my request?
You’re required to submit a copy of your government photo ID with your absentee mail-in ballot request UNLESS any of the following apply:
Since you last successfully voted IN PERSON in Missouri, nothing has changed on your voter registration AND you still have the same ID you used AND that ID is still nonexpired
You included your government photo ID when you registered to vote in Missouri AND nothing has changed on your voter registration since then AND you still have the same ID you used AND that ID is still nonexpired
You’re an overseas voter
You’re on active military duty
You’re an immediate family member of someone on active military duty AND you’re living with them
You’re permanently disabled
You’re a caregiver of someone who is permanently disabled
Examples of acceptable forms of government photo ID:
A nonexpired Missouri driver or non-driver license;
A nonexpired military ID, including a veteran’s ID card;
A nonexpired United States passport; or
Another photo ID issued by the United States or the state of Missouri which is either not expired or expired after the date of the most recent general election.
Will I need to get my ballot notarized?
You will need to get your ballot notarized before mailing it in UNLESS any of the following apply:
You select reason 2: "I'm incapacitated or confined due to illness or physical disability, or I'm caring for a person who is incapacitated or confined due to illness or disability and reside at the same address"
You’re on active military duty
You’re an immediate family member of someone on active military duty AND you’re living with them
You’re permanently disabled
You’re a caregiver of someone who is permanently disabled
Most libraries and banks provide free notary services, but if you need help finding a notary, email us at absenteerequests@showmeintegrity.org and tell us where you are; we’ll have someone from our network of notaries reach out to you.
How do I know if I’m registered to vote or what information is on my voter registration?
The best ways to register to vote or to check your registration are to use the Missouri Secretary of State’s online voter registration tools or to call your Local Election Authority (LEA) and ask for help.
Is MOVote.org related to things that changed about voting during COVID-19?
While MOVote.org first launched in 2020, Missouri was the first Union state to implement absentee voting, back in 1862, so mail-in voting has always been an important part of the history of the Show Me State. As part of the COVID-19 response in the 2020 election cycle, a temporary seventh absentee voting excuse was implemented. That seventh excuse is no longer available, but MOVote.org continues to help Missouri citizens vote.
What are my options for voting in Missouri?
In addition to voting in person on Election Day or with an absentee mail-in ballot, Missouri has “no-excuse in-person absentee” voting, often called early voting. In-person early voting runs from Tuesday, July 21, 2026 through Monday, August 3, 2026. Your Local Election Authority (LEA) provides the most recent and accurate information about where to vote both early and on Election Day.
For more information about other ways to vote, including curbside, overseas, and permanent disability accommodations, review the Missouri Secretary of State’s site on “How To Vote”. But remember, for requesting an absentee mail-in ballot, MOVote.org makes it easy to do it right!
I have other questions about voting in Missouri.
We encourage you to learn more on the Missouri Secretary of State’s website.