Voting Rights

The ACLU of Missouri works in the courts, legislature, and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties under the Constitution, including your right to vote. That includes making sure you have access to information about how to exercise your right to vote and where to get help if you experience a barrier or threat to this tool of democracy.

voting rights collage

The ACLU of Missouri works in the courts, legislature, and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties under the Constitution, including your right to vote. That includes making sure you have access to information about how to exercise your right to vote and where to get help if you experience a barrier or threat to this tool of democracy.

Your vote is your voice. Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy and the fundamental right upon which all our civil liberties rest.

Your vote will determine what laws and which lawmakers will impact taxes, health care, safety, education, justice, infrastructure and more.

  1. Check your Missouri voter registration status.
  2. Register to vote here.
  3. Request your absentee or mail-in ballot here and mail it to your local election board.
  4. Make a plan and Vote! Find your polling place.

Absentee Voting by Mail

You may request to vote absentee by mail by sending an application for a ballot up to 10 weeks in advance of the election but no later than the second Wednesday prior to the election. Ballots will be mailed to voters 6 weeks prior to any election.

No-Excuse Absentee Voting (in-person)

Missourians now have two weeks of no-excuse in-person absentee voting. Voters will need to provide a non-expired state or federally issued photo identification when voting no- excuse in-person absentee. Contact your local election authority to learn how you can cast your no-excuse in-person ballot.

Voter Registration Dates

Voter Registration

August 4, 2026 - Primary Election 
Voter registration deadline July 8, 2025
Absentee Voting* 
Mail request period ends July 22, 2026
Absentee ballot return deadline Received by August 4, 2026, 7:00 pm
Early Voting period July 21 - August 3 (check with Local Election Authority)
In-Person Voting** 
Polls are Open August 4, 2026 (6 a.m. - 7 p.m.)

 

*Your Election Authority must receive the Request for Absentee Ballot no later than 5:00 p.m. on the Wednesday prior to Election Day.

**Individuals arriving after the polling place has closed will not be allowed to vote. However, those individuals in line at 7:00 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

Acceptable forms of Identification for Voting

Voters requesting an absentee ballot by mail who have registered by mail and have not voted in person are required to submit a copy of their personal identification unless they provided a copy with their registration application. Examples of acceptable identification are:

  • A nonexpired Missouri driver or non-driver license
  • A nonexpired military ID, including a veteran’s ID card
  • A nonexpired United States passport
  • 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

Show one of the forms of acceptable identification and sign the poll book to ensure your vote is counted:

  • A nonexpired Missouri driver or non-driver license
  • A nonexpired military ID, including a veteran’s ID card
  • A nonexpired United States passport
  • 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
The following identification cards are acceptable for voting. A valid driver license, a valid non-driver license, a valid passport and a valid military identification card.

Protection & Advocacy for Voter Accessibility

Protection & Advocacy for Voter Accessibility (PAVA) is part of the federally mandated system to protect the legal rights of persons with disabilities through legal-based advocacy. PAVA services are available to individuals in Missouri who have a disability and need help to fully participate in the voting process, including:

  • Registering to vote
  • Casting a ballot
  • Accessing your polling place

Questions or problems voting? Please call 866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683) or visit 866ourvote.org. You may also report the issue to the ACLU of Missouri.

File a Complaint

The Latest

News & Commentary
State Supreme Court Splits on Voting Rights Lawsuits; Strikes Criminalization of Voter Engagement Efforts, Allows Voter ID Restrictions

State Supreme Court Splits on Voting Rights Lawsuits; Strikes Criminalization of Voter Engagement Efforts, Allows Voter ID Restrictions

“The court rightfully rejected the portion of House Bill 1878 which imposed criminal penalties for political speech, voter registration, and civic engagement efforts by organizations like the League of Women Voters and the NAACP. Third-party voter registration activities blocked by the challenged legislation are critical, constitute core political speech, and are necessary to ensure that voters can get on the rolls and participate in elections. Legislation like HB 1878 was designed to block access for Missouri voters and halt the ability of civic engagement organizations to engage their fellow citizens."
News & Commentary
An image of a gavel striking a sound block

Non-Compact, Gerrymandered Congressional Districts Upheld by Missouri Court

“We respectfully disagree with the trial court’s ruling, which misapplied the law and overlooked overwhelming evidence that the state’s unprecedented mid-decade congressional map violates the Missouri Constitution’s compactness requirement."
News & Commentary
An image of a neighborhood and a clipboard that represents someone gathering census data

Civil Rights Groups Defend Constitutional Census in Missouri Challenge

“We are intervening in this case to defend a bedrock constitutional principle: everyone counts. Past attempts to rig the census at the expense of immigrants and communities of color have been struck down, and the court should do the same here.”
News & Commentary
A hand placing a "I Voted" sticker on shirt

Missouri Voters Sue to Suspend Implementation of New Congressional Map Until Referendum Process is Complete

“By attempting to enact the new maps despite receiving more than 305,000 signatures from Missouri voters demanding a referendum, the Secretary of State is denying a longstanding tradition, judicial precedent, and our constitutional rights. For more than a century, the courts have upheld Missourians’ constitutional right to referendum, and we ask the courts to do the same with House Bill 1.”
Court Case
Apr 20, 2020

NAACP MO, League of Women Voters vs State of Missouri: John Jay Ashcroft