JEFFERSON CITY, MO – Oct. 7, 2026 (STL.News) Wednesday is the final day for eligible Missouri residents to register to vote in the Nov. 3 general election, according to the Missouri Secretary of State‘s official 2026 election calendar.
The state lists Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, as the last day to register for the general election scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 3.
That makes Wednesday an important deadline for Missourians who have not yet registered, including first-time voters and eligible residents who recently moved to the state.
Missourians who believe they are already registered can also use the state’s online system to check their registration information before Election Day.
Missouri registration deadline arrives Wednesday
Missouri requires voters to register by the fourth Wednesday before an election.
According to the Secretary of State, a voter must be registered by the registration deadline, or by the normal close of business at a public building where voter registration is permitted if that building remains open later.
For mailed applications, the Secretary of State says a voter-registration form must be postmarked by the fourth Wednesday before the election.
For the Nov. 3 general election, that date is Oct. 7.
Anyone who still needs to register should therefore act Wednesday rather than waiting until closer to Election Day.
How to register to vote in Missouri
The Missouri Secretary of State provides several registration options.
Eligible residents can submit an online voter-registration application, print and mail an application, or register in person. The state’s registration website can also be used to update your name and address.
Missourians can register in person through their local election authority. Registration is also available at driver’s licensing offices while applying for or renewing a driver’s license, at designated state agencies while receiving services and at libraries, according to the Secretary of State.
Because Wednesday is the deadline, voters should pay particular attention to the requirements for whichever registration method they use.
The Secretary of State warns that people requesting a blank registration application through the mail should normally expect it to take three to five business days to arrive, making that option impractical for someone starting the process on the deadline itself.
The state’s online voter-registration application is available through the Secretary of State’s website.
Who is eligible to register?
Missouri’s basic voter-registration qualifications are straightforward.
To register, a person must be a U.S. citizen, a Missouri resident, and at least 17½ years old. To vote, a person must be 18 by Election Day.
The state’s registration application also requires applicants to certify that they meet Missouri’s other legal registration qualifications. For questions about individual eligibility, contact the appropriate local election authority or the Missouri Secretary of State’s Elections Division.
Already registered? Check your status
Missourians who have previously registered do not need to submit another application simply because a new election is approaching.
However, voters can check their registration through Missouri’s online voter-registration lookup.
The system asks voters for identifying information including their name, date of birth, the last four digits of their Social Security number, and county. The Secretary of State notes that the lookup uses the information exactly as it appears on a person’s registration record.
Voters who recently moved or changed their name should pay particular attention to whether their registration information is current.
Local election authorities register voters and maintain voter-registration records. Missouri has 116 local election jurisdictions administered by county clerks or boards of election commissioners.
That distinction is particularly relevant in the St. Louis region, where voters may live in the City of St. Louis, St. Louis County or one of the surrounding counties and therefore have different local election authorities.
Election Day is Nov. 3
Missouri’s general election will be held Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Once registered, voters should also confirm their polling location and understand Missouri’s voter-identification requirements before Election Day.
Missouri currently lists several acceptable forms of photo identification, including a nonexpired Missouri driver’s or nondriver license, a nonexpired military ID, a nonexpired U.S. passport, and certain other photo identification issued by Missouri or the federal government. A Missouri driver’s or nondriver license that expired after the most recent general election can also qualify.
A registered voter without one of the state’s acceptable forms of photo identification may cast a provisional ballot. The Secretary of State says the ballot can count if the voter returns with acceptable photo identification under state rules or if election officials determine that the signature on the provisional-ballot envelope matches the signature in the voter’s registration record.
No-excuse absentee voting comes later
Missouri voters will also have an in-person voting option before Election Day.
State guidance says no-excuse absentee voting is available in person beginning on the second Tuesday before an election and continuing through the day before the election at locations designated by the voter’s local election authority.
That is separate from Wednesday’s voter-registration deadline.
Missouri also allows absentee voting before that period for voters who meet one of the reasons established under state law.
Wednesday is the deadline to act
For Missourians who want to participate in the Nov. 3 general election but have not registered, the most important date right now is Wednesday.
The Missouri Secretary of State’s official calendar is clear: Oct. 7 is the last day to register to vote for the Nov. 3, 2026 general election.
Eligible residents can register through the Missouri Secretary of State’s voter-registration system, while voters who believe they are already registered can use the state’s online lookup to confirm their status.
With Election Day less than four weeks away, Wednesday marks the first major deadline Missouri voters need to meet before ballots are cast across the state.
Three sites to use to check or register to vote:
- https://voteroutreach.sos.mo.gov/portal/
- https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri
- https://s1.sos.mo.gov/elections/voterregistration/
Election Day: Tuesday, November. 3, 2026
Registration deadline: Wednesday, October 7, 2026 – TODAY
Official voter information: Missouri Secretary of State’s GoVoteMissouri (link above)
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