Whether you’re taking classes from home, St. Louis, or somewhere else this semester, welcome back to a new school year! This semester features an important national elec­tion, and we want to ensure that you are familiar with the voting process so you can successfully vote this fall.

Step 1: Register to vote

If you have never registered to vote before or if you have moved since the last election, you can check your registration to ensure your current address is your registered address. You can register to vote using the TurboVote tool. If you have any questions, send an email to the Gephardt Institute's Voter Engagement Coordinator, Louis, at j.louis@wustl.edu. 

If you are living in St. Louis this semester, you are eligible to register to vote in either Missouri or your home state. If you are taking classes from outside of St. Louis this se­mester, you are only eligible to vote at your current address. 

The deadline to register to vote in Missouri is October 12. Check registration deadlines for other states here.

Step 2: Check your voter registration

All voters should check to make sure their voter registration file is active before the upcoming election. You can check your voter registration in any state here. If you just registered, it may take 1-2 weeks before your file shows up in the system.

Step 3: Figure out how you will vote

There are three options for voting: voting in person, using an absentee ballot, or using a mail-in ballot (not available in all states). You should consider how you plan to vote now so you do not miss any deadlines, especially for mail-in and absentee voting. You can check voting options for your state here. You can also sign up for reminders for important deadlines here.

In-person, Election Day voting is for individuals who would like to vote in person at the polls on Election Day (November 8th). If you are in St. Louis, there will be a polling place on campus that St. Louis County residents can use. For voters outside of St. Louis County, you can use this polling place locator to find your assigned polling place.

Absentee voting is for individuals who will be “absent” on Elec­tion Day. In Missouri, an excuse is necessary to vote absentee by mail. Valid excuses can be found here. Beginning on October 25^th, no-excuse, in-person absentee voting will be available at local election authorities and their designated satellite locations. St. Louis City voters can find their polling places here and St. Louis County can find their locations here.  It is important that you request an absentee ballot before your state’s deadline.

For more information about events and resources related to voter engagement, visit washuvotes.wustl.edu or connect with us on Facebook or Instagram.