2010 Missouri Voter Empowerment Card
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a nationwide, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with more than 500,000 members dedicated to defending the principles of liberty and equality embodied in the Constitution and our nation's civil rights laws. The ACLU does not endorse or oppose any candidate or party, but we believe that no civil right is more important in our democracy than the right to vote.
WHO CAN VOTE
Can I vote in Missouri?
• You can vote in the November 2 election if you're registered to vote by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, October 6, 2010 .
• You can register if you meet all of the following qualifications:
(1) you're a U.S. citizen;
(2) you're a resident of Missouri;
(3) you're at least 17 ½ and will be at least 18 years old on Election Day;
(4) you haven't been declared by a court to be mentally incapacitated;
(5) you're not currently in prison, or on probation or parole for a felony conviction; and
(6) you've never been convicted of any crime related to election laws.
What if I'm a student?
• You can register to vote at whatever address you regard as your primary legal residence. This can be your school address or your home address.
What if I've been convicted of a crime?
• If you were convicted of an election-related felony or misdemeanor, you are forever barred from voting unless you get a pardon from the governor.
• You can not vote while serving a prison sentence.
• If you were convicted of any other felony in a state or federal court, you can vote if you're not currently incarcerated or on probation or parole. Your right to vote is automatically restored when you complete your sentence.
What if I miss the registration deadline?
• Unless you have moved after the registration deadline, you won't be able to vote in the November 2 election, but you can register to vote in other future elections.
What if I've moved or changed my name?
• You have to update your registration every time you move or change your name.
• If you move within your county or city, you can file a change of address form on Election Day and vote at your new polling place.
• If you've changed your name since you registered, you have the right to vote in one election under your former name. RSMo 115.167. You can update your registration with your new name at the polls.
• If you don't re-register before the deadline, or if you move after the deadline, call your local election authority before Election Day to find out where to vote.
How do I know if I'm registered?
• You can check your registration status online at https://mcvr.mo.gov/voterlookup/ or by calling your local election authority.
VOTING EARLY
Can I vote before Election Day?
• Maybe. You can vote by absentee ballot before Election Day if you're registered to vote and you meet any of the following conditions:
(1) you'll be away from your county on Election Day;
(2) you can't get to the polls because of an illness or physical disability, or you're the primary caregiver of a person with an illness or physical disability;
(3) religious belief or practice prevents you from voting on Election Day;
(4) you're employed as an election authority at a location other than your polling place; or
(5) you're incarcerated but haven't lost your voting rights.
How do I get an absentee ballot?
• Submit an application to your local election authority. You can get an application at your local election authority or at http://www.sos.mo.gov/forms/elections/absentee.pdf.
• If you apply by mail, the deadline is 5 p.m. on Wednesday, October 27.
• If you apply in person, the deadline is 5 p.m. on Monday, November 1.
What's the deadline for returning my absentee ballot?
• You can vote by absentee ballot in person at the office of your local election authority until 5 p.m. on Monday, November 1.
• If you return your absentee ballot by mail, it must be received by your local election authority by 7 p.m. on Election Day.
VOTING ON ELECTION DAY
When is Election Day?
• Tuesday, November 2
When are the polls open?
• Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. You have the right to vote if you're in line or inside your polling place when the polls close. RSMo 115.407.
Can I get time off from work to vote?
• Maybe. If your work schedule would prevent you from voting in person while the polls are open, you have the right to take time off from work (up to three hours of which must be paid time off) in order to vote. RSMo 115.639.
• You have to request the time off before Election Day and your employer has the right to specify which hours you get to take off.
Where do I vote?
• On Election Day, you have to vote at the polling place to which you're assigned or at the centralized voting place.
• Your assigned polling place will be listed on the voter registration card that you should receive in the mail when you register, and on the voter notification card you should receive several days before Election Day.
• If you don't have your card, you can call your local election authority or look up your polling place online at https://mcvr.mo.gov/voterlookup/.
Can I bring voting literature to the polls?
• Yes. You can take written or printed election materials with you as long as they're for your own use in casting your ballot. But you're not allowed to show or distribute these materials to anyone else (within 25 feet of your polling place), and you may not be allowed to wear campaign clothing, stickers, or buttons in your polling place unless you cover them up. RSMo 115.637(18).
What if my polling place is not accessible?
• Call your local election authority right away and ask for an accommodation or reassignment to an accessible polling place. You have the right to an accessible polling place and an accessible voting machine. Or, if you prefer, you can vote by absentee ballot or with curbside voting. RSMo 115.436
• On Election Day, you can send someone into the polling place to request curbside voting on your behalf. Poll workers will bring a ballot or voting machine outside so you can vote.
• You can also bring one or more people to assist you. You have the right to have anyone you choose assist you as long as the person is not your employer, an agent of your employer, or an officer or agent of your labor union. RSMo 115.445
Can I get a ballot in my native language?
• Election materials in Missouri are available in English only, but you have the right to bring a translator with you to the polls or to get assistance in your language from anyone you choose, including a poll worker, as long as the person is not your employer, an agent of your employer, or an officer or agent of your labor union. RSMo 115.445. This person does not need to be a registered voter or over 18.
What if I need help in the voting booth?
• If you need help because of a physical disability or because you can't read the ballot, tell a poll worker when you get to your polling place. You have the right to vote on an accessible voting machine. You also have the right to have anyone you choose assist you in the voting booth, including a poll worker, as long as the person is not your employer, an agent of your employer, or an officer or agent of your labor union. RSMo 115.436, 115.445
• If you need instructions on how to use the voting equipment, ask a poll worker for help. Poll workers are required to help you at any time you ask — even after you've entered the voting booth. RSMo 115.445
VOTER ID
Do I have to show ID?
• Yes. Missouri law requires all voters to show some form of identification before receiving a ballot.
What are the accepted forms of ID?
• The accepted forms of identification are:
(1) any ID issued by the federal government, state of Missouri, or a local election authority;
(2) any ID issued by an institution of higher education, including a university, college, vocational or technical school, located within Missouri;
(3) a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check or other government document that contains your name and address; and
(4) a driver's license or state ID card issued by another state.
What if I don't have any ID?
• If you don't have any of these forms of identification, you can still cast a regular ballot if two supervising election judges, one from each major political party, are willing to swear that they know you. RSMo 115.427.
PROBLEMS AT THE POLLS
What if I'm not on the voter list?
• First, ask a poll worker to check the list again and to confirm that you're at the right polling place. The poll worker must direct you to your correct polling place.
• If you're at the right polling place but your name isn't on the voter list, ask for a provisional ballot. You have the right to cast a provisional ballot, even if your name is not on the voter list, as long as you're willing to swear that you believe you registered to vote. RSMo 115.430. But note - your provisional ballot will not count unless it is cast at your correct polling place or central polling place.
What if I go to the wrong polling place?
• Go to the right polling place. A poll worker must help you find the polling place where you're registered. You can also call your local election authority or look up your polling place online at https://mcvr.mo.gov/voterlookup/.
• If you can't figure out where you're registered, you can cast a provisional ballot at the central polling place. You have the right to cast a provisional ballot anytime your eligibility cannot be established, though it will not count unless you cast it at your correct polling place or central polling place.
What if someone challenges my right to vote?
• If anyone challenges your eligibility to vote even though you're on the list of registered voters, ask for an affidavit of qualification. Once you fill out this form, two election judges at your polling place will rule on the challenge. If they rule against you, you still have the right to cast a provisional ballot and you can appeal that decision to your local election authority and then to the circuit court. RSMo 115.429.
What if someone tries to intimidate or harass me?
• Report the incident. Tell a poll worker right away. You can also tell a poll watcher, call your local election authority, or call one of the election hotline numbers listed below.
What if I make a mistake on my ballot or the voting machine malfunctions?
• If you make a mistake on your paper ballot, ask for a new ballot immediately. You have the right to as many replacement ballots as you need as long as you catch your mistake before you cast your ballot. If your voting machine malfunctions, you can request a different machine or a paper ballot. RSMo 115.439.
How do I make a complaint?
• First, ask for an election judge at your polling place. Candidates, political parties, and nonprofit groups may also have pollwatchers at your polling place who might be able to assist you.
• You can also call one of the election hotline numbers listed below.
TIPS FOR AVOIDING PROBLEMS
• Check your voter registration status at least 30 days before the election.
• Vote before Election Day, using absentee voting, if you're eligible to do so.
• Vote early in the day to avoid the last-minute rush.
• Bring some form of identification.
• Ask for help if you need it.
• Take your time. There is no time limit.
MORE INFORMATION
Missouri Secretary of State: (800) NOW-VOTE
U.S. Department of Justice: (800) 253-3931
Election Protection Hotline: (866) OUR-VOTE
ACLU Voting Rights Project: (877) 523-2792
ACLU of Eastern Missouri: (314) 652-3111
ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri: (816) 756-3113
