2024 is a big election year, not only with the presidential election but the general municipal and primary elections.
Election dates are determined by the state you live in, except the federal one. In Missouri, the General Municipal Election is April 2, the Primary Election is Aug. 6, and the General Election is Nov. 5.
“You can register online for free,” junior Missouri residential student Dylan Hampel said. “I voted in the 2022 midterm election in person on paper, and then I’ll do the same for this upcoming presidential election in November. I took care of that at my local polling station, which varies based on which area you live in.”
In states like Illinois, there won’t be a General Municipal Election, but the Primary and General Election will still occur. With the Primary Election being Mar. 19, and the General Election, like everywhere else across the nation, being Nov. 5.
“I think the way it works for me is I can either drive back home or I could sign up for an absentee ballot,” sophomore Illinois residential student Judah Davis said. “They would just send me the ballot and I would mail it in, but usually I’d just drive home because [for me] it’s only a 40 minute drive, and I would vote in-person.”
You can register or check if you are registered to vote through websites such as the Official Missouri State website, the Illinois State Board of Elections, or general state or board of elections websites based on your state and county of residence.
Acceptable forms of voter ID include a non-expired driver or non-driver license; a non-expired military ID, including a veteran’s ID card; a non-expired United States passport; or another photo ID issued by the United States or your state, which is either not expired or expired after the date of the most recent general election. So much of that is true in Missouri, but it all varies depending on which state you’re from.
If you choose to do absentee voting, then prior to the second Tuesday before an election, or at any time when requesting an absentee ballot to return by mail, you must provide one of the following reasons for voting absentee:
- Absence on Election Day from the jurisdiction of the election authority in which such voter is registered to vote.
- Incapacity or confinement due to illness or physical disability on election day, including a person who is primarily responsible for the physical care of you being incapacitated or confined due to illness or disability and resides at the same address.
- Religious belief or practice.
- Employment as an election authority or by an election authority at a location other than such voter’s polling place, a first responder, a health care worker, or a member of law enforcement.
- Incarceration, provided all qualifications for voting are retained.
Regardless of who you are voting for, voting is a major privilege in the United States of America, and should not be taken for granted. Make sure you are registered to vote, and be ready to do so once those days come.
