With less than one week until election day, Missouri voters are filling in their ballots and gearing up for the polls. For first-time voters, however, casting a ballot can be a daunting or uncertain task. It’s important to remember that valuable resources are available to help with the voting process. The most important ways to prepare for election day include double-checking state-specific voting rules in advance, verifying your polling location, checking to see what form of ID is needed for voting and knowing what is on your ballot.
Each state has a unique set of rules for polling places to protect the election process. In this election, Missouri voters are prohibited from bringing Democrat or Republican voting guides to the polls. However, Missouri law allows sample ballots and notes on paper or your phone at polling places under Missouri law. Voters in Missouri are also prohibited from taking selfies or pictures with their ballots inside polling locations. Make sure to bring a valid Missouri driver’s license, Missouri nondriver ID, U.S. passport or military ID to your polling place. If you are registered to vote but don’t have a valid photo ID, you may cast a provisional ballot, which won’t be counted until your identity is verified through signature analysis and prior records after election day.
Thousands of St. Louis County residents have gotten a head start in the voting process, as Missouri offers in-person, no-excuse absentee voting starting the second Tuesday before Election Day until Nov. 4. Throughout St. Louis County, no excuse absentee voting locations are located in public libraries and election offices. Visit the websites for the St. Louis County Board of Elections and the Board of Election Commissioners for the City of St. Louis for more information on locations and hours. You can also check wait times at polling locations in the city and county before going to cast your ballot.
On Election Day, 72 city-wide polling locations will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. across the city of St. Louis, and over 200 in the county. For SLU students, professors, faculty and staff who are registered in St. Louis County, the closest polling location is on SLU’s north campus, located in the Busch Student Center’s St. Louis Room on the third floor.
Other nearby locations include:
- IL Monastero – 3050 Olive
- St.Deaconess Foundation – 1000 N. Vandeventer Ave.
- West Pine Terrace Apartments – 4490 W. Pine Blvd.
- Metro Academic High School – 4015 McPherson Ave.
- Carr Lane VPA Middle School – 1004 N. Jefferson Ave.
If you are unsure what candidates or measures you want to vote for, visit VOTE411.org for information on who and what is on your ballot. You can find a sample ballot on the Missouri Secretary of State’s website through their voter information lookup, at your polling place, or at your local election authority’s office.