No-excuse absentee voting opens in Missouri

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

At 8 a.m. Tuesday, voters started lining up at the Boone County Clerk’s Office

For the next two weeks, any registered voter can vote early in person before the upcoming election with a no-excuse absentee ballot.

State lawmakers passed this change in May.

The state will now open a two-week window for voters to cast absentee ballots in person without needing to cite a reason for why they aren’t able to vote on Election Day. Officials said 259 residents came out to vote on Tuesday.

“The demographic of voters that we hear from the most that were frustrated by not being able to vote,” Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon said. “Absentees tended to be health care workers that weren't technically out of town for the election, but would have 12-hour shifts that would prevent them from being able to go to the polls.”

Any voter registered in Boone County can now vote in person at the clerk’s office Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. until Nov. 7. 

when going to vote at any of these locations, be sure to bring a government-issued id too. if the license has expired in any part of 2021 or 2022, it can still be used to vote.

The office will be open for weekend hours Oct. 29-30 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. On Nov. 5, it will be open from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and on Nov. 6 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Satellite locations will also be available:

• 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. Oct. 29 at Centralia City Square Park
• 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. Oct. 30 at Douglass High School in Columbia
• 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. Nov. 5 at Southern Boone Public Library in Ashland
• 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. Nov. 6 at the Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services.

Residents should be expected to bring proper identification, including:

• 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.