Bill > HB972

This bill modifies Missouri's absentee voting regulations by expanding the timeframe for no-excuse absentee voting from the second Tuesday before an election to the third Tuesday prior to an election. Under the proposed legislation, registered voters can cast absentee ballots in person at designated locations without needing to provide a specific reason for voting early, starting three weeks before Election Day. The bill maintains the existing six qualifying reasons for absentee voting, which include being absent from the jurisdiction, incapacity or disability, religious beliefs, employment constraints, incarceration, and participation in an address confidentiality program. The bill requires voters casting absentee ballots not in person to have their ballot envelope notarized, with exceptions for certain categories like those who are incapacitated or employed as first responders, healthcare workers, or law enforcement. Additionally, the bill preserves special voting provisions for covered voters (such as military personnel), interstate former residents, and new residents voting for presidential electors. Importantly, the bill includes a nonseverability clause linking these provisions to photo identification requirements, meaning that if the photo ID section is invalidated, this entire absentee voting provision would also be struck down.

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB972&year=2025&code=R