2026 election

Voting in Missouri

Primary

Held

Tuesday, August 4

Early voting

July 21st – August 3rd

General

Tuesday, November 3

Early voting

October 20 – November 2

Register online by: October 7
Register by mail by: October 7
Register in person by: October 7, 5pm
Request a mail ballot by: October 21, 5pm
Mailed ballot must arrive by: November 3, 7pm

See every race and candidate on your Missouri ballot, and where each one stands, before you vote.

Plan your ballot →

How to cast your ballot

By mail

During the two weeks prior to the election, you may vote a no-excuse absentee ballot in person at a location designated by your local election authority.

You need one of these reasons:

Absence on Election Day from the jurisdiction of the election authority in which I am registered.
Incapacity or confinement due to illness or physical disability on election day, including a person who is primarily responsible for the physical care of someone who is incapacitated or confined due to illness or disability and resides at the same address.
Religious belief or practice.
Employment as an election authority or by an election authority at a location other than my polling place; a first responder, a health care worker; or a member of law enforcement.
Incarceration, although I have retained all the necessary qualifications for voting.
Certified participation in the address confidentiality program established under sections 589.660 to 589.681 because of safety concerns.

Request a ballot The rules Where to drop it off

In person

Polls open on election day: 7am – 7pm
Or vote early: In the windows shown above

What counts as ID

You will be asked to show photo ID to vote in Missouri.

Acceptable forms include:

nonexpired Missouri driver’s license
nonexpired or nonexpiring Missouri nondriver’s license
nonexpired United States passport
any photo identification issued by the United States government or the state of Missouri that is not expired or has expired after the date of the most recent general election.

Any document that meets all of the following requirements will also be accepted:

contains your name, which must match the most recent signature in your voter registration record
shows your photo
includes an expiration date
is unexpired or expired after the last general election date
is issued by the United States or the State of Missouri

Voters without an ID: Voters without ID may cast a provisional ballot after completing a provisional ballot affidavit, and must return to the polling place by 7 p.m. to provide an acceptable form of identification.

If you do not return to your polling place with an acceptable ID, election officials will compare the signatures on your provisional ballot envelope and in the voter registry. If the signatures match, your vote will be counted.

Find your polling place Early voting

Before you can vote

Registering

Ways to register:

Missouri lets you pre-register from age 17, so you are on the roll the moment you turn 18.

Who can register, and what you need

To register in Missouri you must:

be a United States citizen
be a resident of Missouri
be at least 17-1/2 years of age (you must be 18 to vote)
not be on probation or parole after conviction of a felony, until finally discharged from such probation or parole
not be convicted of a felony or misdemeanor connected with the right of suffrage
not be adjudged incapacitated by any court of law
not be confined under a sentence of imprisonment

Check if you are registered Register

Which primary can you vote in?

You are NOT required to register with a party to participate in Missouri partisan primary elections.

Also on the calendar

Local elections in parts of Missouri. Only voters in the place named take part.

September 1 Independence, city council district 1

Also voted on August 4: Kansas, Michigan, Virginia, Washington.

Dates, deadlines and rules come from DemocracyWorks, last refreshed August 27, 2026; poll hours from our own election guide. Rules change — check with your election office before you rely on a date.