No excuse voting is now underway

(AP) — Missouri voters for the first time Tuesday began casting ballots before Election Day without having to provide a reason why they couldn’t wait to vote in-person at their assigned polling places.

The two-week early voting period is part of a new law that also requires people to show a government-issued photo identification when voting in person. Those without photo ID can cast provisional ballots, which would count if voters later return with an ID or if their signature matches what’s on file with election authorities.

No-excuse early voting is an additional option to the regular absentee voting period, which began six weeks before the Nov. 8 election. Absentee voting still requires people to provide a reason for doing so, such as incapacitation due to illness or disability or plans to be gone on Election Day, among other things.