Missouri voter registration deadline approaches
FOX23 News at 9 p.m.
JACKSON, Mo. (KBSI) — Missouri residents who need to register to vote in the Nov. 3 general election have until 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7, to complete an application.
The Cape Girardeau County clerk’s office is reminding first-time voters to register and encouraging those already registered to check that their names and addresses are current.
Sydney Southard, election supervisor with the clerk’s office, said residents can register through the Missouri secretary of state’s website or in person at the county clerk’s offices in Jackson or Cape Girardeau.
Residents who are unsure whether they are registered can check online or contact the office.
“They can go online through the Secretary of State’s website, and you can check your registration on there,” Southard said. “Or you’re more than welcome to call our office and verify that you are registered. And we do have the correct address on file for you.”
Missourians can register at age 17½ but must be 18 by Election Day to vote, Southard said. That allows eligible young voters to complete registration before their 18th birthday.
For first-time voters, Southard said the online application offers a convenient way to get started.
“I would say it is a very, very simple process,” she said. “The easiest way, the most convenient way is for you just to go online, fill it out.”
Southard said online applications are sent to the clerk’s office overnight, processed the next day and followed by a registration card mailed to the voter. She said online applications must also be completed by 5 p.m. Wednesday.
Voters who have changed their name or address can update that information online or visit the clerk’s office. Staff can print a registration card showing where they will vote.
Southard said already-registered voters can update their address after the registration deadline, but checking it before Election Day can help prevent delays at the polls.
“Please check your registration and ensure that your address is updated,” she said.
For new voters, missing the deadline means they will not be eligible to vote in the November election, Southard said. She encourages those who miss it to register anyway so they are prepared for a future election.
“But we encourage you still to go ahead and register,” she said. “That way you don’t miss the next election.”
Residents can visit the Missouri secretary of state’s website at sos.mo.gov to register, check their registration or update their information.
Voters can also call the Cape Girardeau County Clerk’s Office at 573-243-3547 or visit the office at 100 Court St., Suite 301, in Jackson.
