Student Voter Guide for Missouri’s 2020 Presidential Primary Election

This guide will help you participate in Missouri’s March 10 presidential primary, in which you can help choose America’s presidential nominees. Voter registration in Missouri is nonpartisan; you do not select a political party. You select the ballot for a specific political party when you vote in the Missouri presidential primary. The Democratic Party and the Republican Party have agreed to participate.

Dates and Deadlines

  • Primary election date: Tuesday, March 10, 2020, 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM
  • Last day to register to vote: February 12
  • First date to vote absentee: January 29
  • Deadline for requesting an absentee ballot by mail or fax: February 26, 5:00 PM
  • Last day to vote absentee in the office of your local election authority: March 9, at 5:00 PM
  • Deadline for an absentee ballot to be received by your local election authority: March 10, at 7:00 PM

Why this primary matters

You have a chance to determine the presidential nominees for one of the two major political parties, a week after Super Tuesday. Democratic Party delegates (68 pledged; 10 super) are allotted proportionately to all candidates who surpass a 15% minimum. The 54 Republican Party delegates are allotted Winner Take All by congressional district, and WTA across the board when a candidate exceeds 50% statewide.

Candidate information

For Republican and Democratic presidential candidate websites, CNN has a complete list. Politico also has a quick guide to Democratic candidate positions.

Eligibility

To register to vote, you must be:

  • A U.S. citizen
  • At least 17.5 years of age to register, and 18 years of age to vote
  • A Missouri resident

How to register to vote

To register, you can either print and mail the completed application form to your county clerk’s office, request that an application be mailed to you, or submit fully online from any touch screen device, signing with your finger. You can register in person at your county clerk’s office, a local DMV office, a library, or a designated state office. Mailed applications must be postmarked by February 12. If you register in person, you must present personal ID.

ID Requirements for registering

To register, you will need:

  • Your driver’s license number
  • The last four digits of your Social Security number

If you don’t have these, you can leave the spaces on the form blank. 

ID Requirements for voting

To vote, you’ll need either a non-expired Option 1 photo ID shown here, or an Option 2 ID, including from a Missouri university, college, or vocational or technical school. If you don’t have ID and need to cast a provisional ballot, your signature must either match that on your voter record or you must return with an Option 1 ID.

Absentee voting

You may vote absentee beginning January 29. You must provide one of the following reasons:

  • Absence on Election Day from your registered jurisdiction
  • Incapacity or confinement from illness or physical disability (or care for someone similarly incapacitated or confined)
  • Religious believe or practice
  • Employment as an election authority, not at your own polling place
  • Incarceration (but still eligible to vote)
  • Participation in an address confidentiality program

Send your request for an absentee ballot to your local election authority. Requests by mail or fax must be received by 5:00 PM on February 26. You can vote absentee in the office of your local election authority until 5:00 PM on March 9 (the day before the election).

If you request an absentee ballot by mail and have registered by mail without ID, and not yet voted in person, you must submit a copy of an ID (see Absentee Voting for details).

Address to use for registering & voting

Per federal election law, college students can register and vote at either their campus address or their permanent home address, which may be out of state. However, voters can only be registered at one address. If you are not going to physically be in the state where you plan to vote, you will need to request an absentee ballot.

It’s your choice where to register. Registering at your campus address will not:

  • Affect your federal financial aid
  • Prevent your parents from claiming you as a dependent on their taxes
  • Cost you any scholarships, unless they’re tied to specific residency requirements
  • Affect your tuition status as an in-state or out-of-state student.

Key Resources