Voting Info & Links

As institutions that provide access to information, resources, programs, and public spaces for all members of a community, libraries are cornerstones for civic engagement.  Libraries have an important role to play in ensuring that voters are prepared to participate in local, state, and national elections.

next election day:  november 5, 2024

Election Type: Local, State, and National

Voter Registration

You can register to vote when you get a library card at any of our branches in Andrew and Buchanan Counties.  We will submit the form you fill out to the county election authority to get you registered at no cost to you.  You can also register to vote online in Missouri with a smart phone or tablet that will allow you to enter a signature on a touchscreen.  See the list of QUICKLINKS on this page to connect.  You will need the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number, your residential address, and some other identifying information to register online.

Deadline to Register:  october 9, 2024

Where Do I Vote?

You will vote at a polling place called a precinct, which is a location determined by your county to be in or around where you live.  Many of these locations are at churches or other community buildings.  Your voter registration card (which you get in the mail after you register) will tell you the location of your polling place.

You can also vote in person at the county courthouse as either Excused Absentee up to six weeks before an election or No-Excuse Absentee up to two weeks before an election.  If you will be unavailable to vote on Election Day and you cannot vote early in-person, you can apply for an absentee ballot to be mailed to you from your county clerk's office and that most voters will need to get notarized and mail back to the election authority.  A notary is a person who verifies the identity of a person when they sign a document or swear an oath.  Rolling Hills Library offers free notary services, or you can also get this service usually at a bank or check cashing location sometimes for a fee.

How Do I Vote?

You will need a valid ID to vote.  Current law in Missouri requires:

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

Every election will have different candidates or issues you will be asked to vote on.  Some elections are local, with school board candidates or city council positions to be filled.  Every two years we have elections for the Missouri and U.S. House of Representatives and/or Senate and every four years we elect a President and Vice-President as well as all of our other Missouri elected officials like Governor, Secretary of State, and Attorney General.  As it gets closer to an election, you can get a sample ballot from your county so you can see every race and candidate.  Many people, even long-time, experienced voters, print a sample ballot and bring it to the polling place with them to mark their official ballot when they vote.

If you are not familiar with the candidates or the issues on the ballot, you will have to do some research.  It is important that you take some time to learn the information you need to be an informed voter.  You can bring printouts and notes with you to vote, including your mobile device.  Every voting location in Missouri uses a paper ballot, and you will mark your votes by filling in circles next to your choices with a black ink pen.  Then you will put your ballot into a machine that counts the votes and secures your ballot (or you will return it by mail if voting absentee).  These machines are not connected to the internet and cannot be tampered with.  Voting is safe and private.  Your name is never connected to the choices you make on your ballot.

FOR VOTERS WITH DISABILITIES

The non-profit group Missouri Protection & Advocacy Services has very detailed information about registering, voting from home, and voting in person for people with disabilities.  Other sites also have great information, including how much help another person can give you in filling out your ballot and accompanying you to the polls.

Vote From Home/Permanent Absentee List https://www.moadvocacy.org/resources/know-your-voting-rights-vote-at-home 

Registering to Vote/Guardianship https://www.moadvocacy.org/resources/know-your-voting-rights-registering-to-vote 

Polling Place Accessibility https://www.moadvocacy.org/resources/know-your-voting-rights-polling-place-accessibility 

Missouri Resources for Voters with Disabilities https://www.usvotefoundation.org/disabled-voter-guide/missouri 

If you have any additional questions, send us an email at help@rhcl.org and we will find you the answers!