ST. LOUIS — Absentee voting is underway in the city of St. Louis, and the city's board of election commissioners is opening four absentee voting locations to help with increased demand.
On Monday, the board will open four locations across the city where voters can cast their ballot by touch screen. The locations are as follows:
- Buder Library – 4401 Hampton Avenue.
- Central Library – 1301 Olive Street.
- Julia Davis Library – 4415 Natural Bridge Avenue.
- Schlafly Library – 225 N. Euclid Avenue.
Each location will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Schlafly, Julia Davis, Barr and Carpenter are the libraries offering notary services.
The last day voters can request an absentee ballot by mail is Oct. 21. The last day to request an absentee ballot in person is Nov. 2.
Voters can vote by paper ballot or touch screen at the Board of Election Commissioners' Office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday until. The office is also offering voting hours on Oct. 24 and 31 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
What you need to know about absentee voting in Missouri
In Missouri, one of these excuses must apply:
- Absence on Election Day from the jurisdiction of the election authority in which such voter is registered to vote;
- Incapacity or confinement due to illness or physical disability, including a person who is primarily responsible for the physical care of a person who is incapacitated or confined due to illness or disability;
- Religious belief or practice;
- Employment as an election authority, as a member of an election authority, or by an election authority at a location other than such voter's polling place;
- Incarceration, provided all qualifications for voting are retained.
- Certified participation in the address confidentiality program established under sections 589.660 to 589.681 because of safety concerns.
- For an election that occurs during the year 2020, the voter has contracted or is in an at-risk category for contracting or transmitting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID-19.)
According to the Missouri Secretary of State, Missouri law defines voters who are considered at-risk for contracting or transmitting COVID-19 as those who:
- Are 65 years of age or older;
- Live in a long-term care facility licensed under Chapter 198, RSMo.;
- Have chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma;
- Have serious heart conditions;
- Are immunocompromised;
- Have diabetes;
- Have chronic kidney disease and are undergoing dialysis; or
- Have liver disease.
You can get online and request an absentee ballot get sent to you in the mail; act fast if that's your plan, since they need to be received by election day in Missouri or returned by election day in Illinois to count. Remember, most Missouri absentee ballots will have to be notarized—so plan time for that.
In Missouri, you can also vote absentee in person at your election authority office or any satellite locations they may have open: you'll fill out an excuse form right there, and you don't have to get the ballot notarized.
