BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. (KCTV) – Many Missourians are eager to cast their ballot before Election Day, but they’ll be sent packing if they have an out-of-state ID.

Missouri’s stricter voter ID law went into effect in August 2022, so this is not the first election since then, but it is the first presidential election with stricter restrictions.

If you are registered to vote in Missouri but have not yet obtained a Missouri driver’s or non-driver’s license, you have a few options.

• throw a provisional ballot: You will have to wait until Election Day to do so. Provisional ballots are not available during early voting, officially known in Missouri as no-excuse absentee voting.
• Bring a valid US passport, military or veteran identification card.
• Go to the DMV to get your license now. It’s not too late.

“The paper copy they give you when you go to renew works,” said Jackson County Board of Elections Republican Director Tammy Brown. “That’s an official ID for voting.”

You can find a more detailed list of what is accepted in the Missouri Secretary of State Website. If you have the correct ID but it is expired, there is a grace period.

“If it expired after the November 8, 2022 election, they can use it,” Brown clarified. “Out of state, absolutely not.”

Those rules apply to all cities and counties.

LONG LINES TO VOTE EARLY

No-excuse absentee voting is also fairly new. It was initially created to accommodate voters during the COVID pandemic.

At the Fleming Meeting Hall polling place in Blue Springs on Tuesday, people formed a line that snaked around the corner. There were two portable toilets to accommodate the wait.

Cedric Lyles, who came from Raytown, said it took him about two and a half hours to get in to cast his vote.

“It was either that or wait until another day and make it longer,” Lyles said. “So it seemed like it was the lesser of two evils.”

Most people seemed cheerful as the wind blew dust into their eyes from the makeshift parking area next to the small Parks Department building. Some read books. Others chatted with their fellow election enthusiasts. Dan Wasson came from Lee’s Summit.

“We passed through the Ranger Rec (building in Lee’s Summit) Fridayand the line was twice as long,” Wasson said. “We came here and this is not really bad.”

Wasson stayed comfortable in a camp chair, snacks in hand, then got up to move it forward every five minutes or so, joking with the couple behind him in camp rocking chairs.

Brown said he had never seen anything like it.

“This is amazing. It’s just amazing. The involvement, the passion and how kind people have been to each other,” Brown said. “We’ve had people order pizza and line it up. “We’ve had people bring water and drop boxes of water along the line.”

He said voters have done their homework. Many of them show up with sample ballots in hand, marked with their choices so they can cast their vote quickly.

SHOULD YOU WAIT?

It’s a gamble on Election Day, especially for those who have jobs to get to. However, the lines that appear at early voting locations don’t always translate to Election Day.

The Jackson County Board of Elections oversees voting in parts of the county other than Kansas City. they only have two locations open before Election Day and a third available Saturday. They will have more than 100 voting locations on election day. Brown predicts a big turnout, but says the wait will likely vary by location.

The Kansas City Board of Election Commissioners manages voter lists only in the Jackson County portion of Kansas City proper. They have seven places to vote absentee without excuse.

The Clay County Board of Elections has three places open for early voting in Gladstone, Liberty and Kearney.

Platte County Board of Elections has early voting available at his office in Platte City.

Cass County Deals early voting at the county clerk’s office in Harrisonville from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and will be open on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

KANSAS VOTER IDENTIFICATION LAW

He Voter ID Law in Kansas It is less strict and many more photo identification options are allowed. Out-of-state driver’s licenses are accepted, as well as a college student ID card and a government-issued public assistance card, to name just a few.

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