Know Your Voting Rights: Vote at Home
Any Missouri voter who is not able to vote at the polls because of an illness or physical disability can vote at home through an absentee ballot.
Missouri voters with permanent disabilities can join the “Permanently Disabled Voting List,” which allows them to vote at home for every election.
Any Missouri voter who is not able to vote at the polls because of an illness or physical disability can vote at home through an absentee ballot.
Missouri voters with permanent disabilities can join the “Permanently Disabled Voting List,” which allows them to vote at home for every election.
What is the “Permanently Disabled Voting List”?
Missouri law mandates that registered voters with a permanent disability must be allowed to join the “Permanently Disabled Voting List” so they can vote at home.
The law defines a permanent disability as “incapacity or confinement due to illness or physical disability.”
To join the list, you must contact your local election authority and ask to be placed on the “Permanently Disabled Voting List.” Once you are placed of the list, you will stay on the list unless you:
Ask to be removed from the list,
Become ineligible to vote,
Are not living at the address on your voter registration, or
Pass away
How do I join the “Permanently Disabled Voting List”?
If you want to vote at home for every election, you must first join the “Permanently Disabled Voting List.”
To join the list, you must notify your local election authority of your permanent disability status. You can call the election authority, or you can download and print the “Permanently Disabled” Absentee Ballot Application form below. Mail the completed form to your local election authority.
Please note that this form will open as a PDF in a new window. If you need help using this form or notifying your local election authority of your permanent disability status, contact the Mo P&A Application Unit.
This form was developed by Mo P&A to help make sure Election Authorities:
Process requests to be placed on the “Permanently Disabled Voting List,” and
Send applications for Absentee Ballots to individuals on that list.
The Election Authority must receive this form no later than six weeks before election day. If the Election Authority receives this form later than this, you may not be placed on the “Permanently Disabled Voting List” for that upcoming election. This means you may not be able to vote at home for that election, but you would be able to vote at home for future elections.
How do I vote at home once I am on the “Permanently Disabled Voting List”?
You still need to request an Absentee Ballot for every election even after you are on the “Permanently Disabled Voting List.” However, this process will be easier as a “permanently disabled” voter on this list.
Requesting the Absentee Ballot
As a “permanently disabled” voter, you will receive a Request for Absentee Ballot form in the mail for every election.
You must fill out and return the Request for Absentee Ballot form to the local Election Authority. They must receive this form by 5:00 p.m. on the Wednesday before election day.
Completing the Absentee Ballot
Once your local Election Authority receives your Request for Absentee Ballot form, they will mail you the Absentee Ballot.
You must fill out and turn in your Absentee Ballot before the polls close on election day. You can turn in your Absentee Ballot by mailing it or bringing it to your local Election Authority.
You do not need to notarize your Absentee Ballot or provide a copy of personal identification (such as a Missouri driver license) if you are a “permanently disabled” voter or a primary caregiver of a person with a disability. The Voter ID and notary requirements do not apply to voters who are “permanently disabled” or their caregivers.
What are my options if I am not on the “Permanently Disabled Voting List”?
Even if you are not on the “Permanently Disabled Voting List,” you can request an Absentee Ballot for a specific election if you have a “permanent disability.”
People with a “Safe at Home” address and primary caregivers of a person with a disability can also request to vote by Absentee Ballot for a specific election.
To request an Absentee Ballot for an upcoming election, you can download and print the Request for Missouri Absentee Ballot form below.
You may be required submit a copy of your personal identification with your absentee ballot application if:
You registered to vote by mail or online,
You requested an absentee ballot by mail, and
You have not voted in-person in a previous election.
Acceptable forms of personal identification are:
A non-expired Missouri driver license, or non-drive 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 the State of Missouri, which either expired after the date of the most recent general election or is not expired.
The Voter ID requirements do not apply to voters who are “permanently disabled” or their caregivers.
Return the completed form to your local Election Authority by email, mail, or fax. You can also fill out a request for an Absentee Ballot in-person at your local Election Authority.
The Election Authority must receive your completed form by 5:00 p.m. on the second Wednesday before the election.
Know Your Voting Rights: Registering to Vote
Before you can vote, you have to be registered to vote. If you aren’t already registered, make sure you submit your voter registration by the deadline for the next election. You have several options to register to vote. You can register online, by mailing a paper application, or in-person.
You are not eligible to vote in Missouri if you have been convicted of a felony and you are currently under the supervision of the Department of Corrections (DOC), or you have been assigned a full guardianship by the court.
If you are under full guardianship but you want to vote, contact our Application Unit.
Before you can vote, you have to be registered to vote.
If you aren’t already registered, make sure you submit your voter registration by the deadline for the next election.
If you submit your registration after the deadline for an election, you won’t be able to vote in that election but you will be registered to vote in future elections.
How do I find my voter registration status?
If you don’t know whether your are currently registered to vote, you can check your voter registration status on the Missouri Secretary of State website.
Am I eligible to vote in Missouri?
You are likely eligible to vote in Missouri if you are:
A United States citizen,
A resident of Missouri, and
At least 17.5 years old.
You are not eligible to vote in Missouri if:
You have been convicted of a felony and you are currently under the supervision of the Department of Corrections (DOC), or
You have a been assigned a full guardianship by the court, and that guardianship does not specifically grant you voting rights.
What are my options for registering to vote?
You have several options to register to vote. You can register online, by mailing a paper application, or in-person.
Regardless of how you register, your local election authority should provide confirmation when they receive and process your registration.
Register Online
Submit an online Voter Registration Application using a computer, tablet or mobile device.
Register by Mail
Fill out a paper application and mail it to your local election authority.
To get a paper application, you can call the Missouri Secretary of State office at 1-800-669-8683, or print it yourself from their website.
Register In-Person
Fill out a paper application at your County Clerk’s office, a state agency that provides services to the public, or other organization. This can include:
Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
Family Support Division (FSD)
Center for Independent Living
Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Office
Libraries
What if I have a guardian?
You may have the right to vote, even if you have a guardian. If you don’t know whether you have the right to vote, contact your guardian or local probate court to find out.
If you are under full guardianship but you want to vote, contact our Application Unit.
Know Your Voting Rights: Polling Place Accessibility
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires state and local governments to make sure that people with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote in all elections.
If you are not able to access your polling place, call or text the Election Protection Hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683).
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires state and local governments to make sure that people with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote in all elections. This includes making sure polling places are accessible to people with disabilities.
Major accessibility issues can include:
Limited accessible parking spaces at the polling place
Lack of “Curbside Voting” signs that explain how to cast a ballot in-person outside of the polling place
Lack of ramps along the path to the polling place entrance
Narrow paths or doorways that aren’t wide enough for mobility devices
Doors that are difficult to open
Lack of accessible voting machines
Poll workers turning away voters
What should I do if my polling place is not accessible?
If you are not able to access your polling place, call or text the Election Protection Hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683).
You can also call the Hotline or visit the Election Protection website if you have other questions about voting in Missouri. This can include questions on registration deadlines, how to request an absentee ballot, etc.
Alternatives to Guardianship
When a court decides whether a person needs a Guardianship, the court has to decide whether that person can make decisions for themselves.
But the court has to consider alternatives before placing that person in a Guardianship. This includes Power of Attorney, Supported Decision Making, and Limited Guardianship.
When a court decides whether a person needs a Guardianship, the court has to decide whether that person can make decisions for themselves.
But the court has to consider alternatives before placing that person in a Guardianship. This includes Power of Attorney, Supported Decision Making, and Limited Guardianship.
Power of Attorney
A Power of Attorney (POA) is a legal document that a person writes. This document allows other people to make decisions for that person in specific cases.
There are many kinds of Powers of Attorney. Some allow other people to make decisions for a person right away. Others only take effect when a person gets sick. And some end when a person gets sick. It is important to make sure you have the right kind of Power of Attorney for what you want.
A Power of Attorney can sometimes be used as an alternative to Guardianship. A court must consider Powers of Attorney before placing someone in a Guardianship.
Mo P&A can help a person with a disability draft or review Powers of Attorney.
Supported Decision Making
Supported Decision Making is a way for a person to make decisions with help from others. It is a set of supports that helps a person make their own decisions by using people they trust to:
Help understand issues and choices
Ask questions
Receive explanations in understandable language
Communicate their own decisions to others
Blanck & Martinis 2015; Dinerstein 2012; Salzman 2011
A person using Supported Decision Making has more opportunities for making choices, called self-determination. Studies have shown significant positive outcomes for people with more self-determination. People are more likely to:
Be employed
Live indepdently
Be active in their communities
Have a higher quality of life
Supported Decision Making: Theory, Research, and Practice to Enhance Self-Determination and Quality of Life, by Shogren et al.
Informal Supported Decision Making
Supported Decision Making can be something as simple as asking for advice from a friend, supporter, or family member.
If you have a group of people you trust to help you with tough decisions, you are already using informal Supported Decision Making.
Formal Supported Decision Making
Supported Decision Making can be written down to make it more “formal.” This written plan can state who you trust to help you make decisions, and what decisions they can help you with. The plan can also state which people should not try to help you, or which decisions you don’t want help with.
Having this written down is a more formal way of practicing the same Supported Decision Making. If you write this down in a very formal way, it may be a Supported Decision Making Agreement.
Mo P&A can help both informal and formal Supported Decision Making. See below for some sample Supported Decision Making Agreements.
Limited Guardianship
With Limited Guardianship, a Guardian still makes certain decisions for a person. But the person retains some of their rights, such as the right to vote, drive, or get married.
Mo P&A can provide direct legal services to help restore a person’s rights by ending a Guardianship, or changing it to a Limited Guardianship.
Guardianship in Missouri
In a guardianship, the ward loses the right to make their own decisions. This includes decisions about their medical care, where they live, who they spend time with, and more. In Missouri, Wards can also lose the right to vote.
Mo P&A can provide direct legal services to a person with a disability to help end or change their Guardianship.
What is Guardianship?
Guardianship is a legal status. A person in a guardianship is called a Ward. A person called the Guardian makes certain decisions instead of the ward.
In a guardianship, the ward loses the right to make their own decisions. This includes decisions about their medical care, where they live, who they spend time with, and more. In Missouri, Wards can also lose the right to vote.
Wards still have some rights. They have the right to live in an appropriate place. Wards can also ask the court to have other rights restored.
Is Conservatorship the same as Guardianship?
Conservatorship is also a legal status. But in a Conservatorship, a person loses the right to make their own decisions about money. A Conservator will make decisions about that person’s money instead.
Conservatorships can begin, end, or change just like Guardianships. A person can be in both a Guardianship and a Conservatorship, or just one.
A person can also have a Representative Payee that makes decisions about how to spend Social Security benefits. A person can have both a Representative Payee and a Conservator. But the process for beginning, ending, or changing a Representative Payee is different.
Learn more about Representative Payees.
How does a Guardianship begin?
In Missouri, Guardianship begins with a Petition to the probate court. This Petition states that a person needs a guardianship. Anyone can file the Petition.
The court will then have to decide whether that person can make decisions for themselves. The court has to consider alternatives before placing someone in a Guardianship. These alternatives include:
Power of Attorney
Supported Decision Making
Limited Guardianship
If the court decides that the person can’t make their own decisions even with the help of these alternatives, the court will place the person in a Guardianship.
Mo P&A does not provide services to place a person with a disability in a Guardianship. However, Mo P&A can help a person find alternatives to guardianship.
Learn more about alternatives to guardianship.
Can a Guardianship end or change?
In Missouri, guardianship can be ended. The most common way to end a guardianship is when a judge finds that the Ward is able to make decisions again. This can happen if the Ward’s medical condition has improved, they have learned decision-making skills, or for many other reasons.
How can a Guardianship be changed?
The person who is the Guardian can be changed. The Guardian can change for many reasons. This can include a Guardian that makes bad decisions for a Ward, or a Guardian that is not able to make decisions for a Ward.
A Guardianship can also be changed to give more rights to a Ward. This can mean a Ward gets the right to vote, drive, get married, or more.
In some cases, many rights are restored at once. A Guardianship can be changed to a Limited Guardianship.
How can a Guardianship end?
To end a Guardianship, a Ward submits a Petition to the court. The court often requires medical evidence that the Ward can make their own decisions. Sometimes other people will also give evidence that the Ward can make their own decisions. This can come from the Guardian, family members, or other people that support the Ward.
Mo P&A can provide direct legal services to a person with a disability to help end or change their Guardianship.
If you have a Guardian and need help restoring your rights, contact our Application Unit or fill out our Online Request for Help form.
Is Working The Right Choice For You?
If you get benefits from Social Security or other agencies, you’re probably worried about how working will affect your benefits.
There are resources that can help you decide whether working is the right choice for you.
If you get benefits from Social Security or other agencies, you’re probably worried about how working will affect your benefits. A lot of people have questions like:
Will working change my benefit amount?
Will my benefit stop as soon as I start working?
Will I lose the Medicare or Medicaid coverage I need?
There are resources that can help you decide whether working is the right choice for you. Some of these resources are from Social Security and other agencies, but Mo P&A has developed some resources too.
Benefits counselors can also help you make this decision, especially if you are already working or getting ready to work.
Myths About Benefits and Work
There are several common myths about how working affects benefits. If you’ve heard some of these myths, you might think working is a bad idea.
One of the most common myths is “If I try to go to work, I will automatically lose my Medicare or Medicaid.” But this is not true. Use the links below to learn more about these myths and what actually happens to benefits when working.
Ticket to Work: Debunking the Three BIGGEST Myths about Disability Benefits and Work
Ticket to Work: Work Incentives
Social Security: Keeping Your Medical Benefits after SSI Cash Benefits Have Stopped
Benefits Counseling
Benefits counselors explain how working will affect your benefits, and which “work incentives” or safety nets you can use to help you transition to work. Your benefits counselor can also refer you to other programs or agencies that can help you.
If you aren’t ready to work with a benefits counselor, you can also use the MO Disability Benefits 101: Benefits and Work Estimator. This estimator can help you learn how a job might affect your health care, benefits, and overall income.
How do I Find a Benefits Counselor?
A lot of providers have benefits counselors. The right provider for you may depend on:
The type of benefits you get
Your age, since some programs have age limits
Your goals and support needs
Ticket to Work: Employment Networks
Social Security’s Ticket program helps people with disabilities move toward financial independence. The Ticket program is free and voluntary.
If you are age 18 through 64 and receive Social Security disability benefits, you can participate in the Ticket program.
“Employment Networks” or ENs are organizations that contract with Social Security. An EN can be a private or public organization. Employment Networks provide free employment support services under the Ticket program. These services can include Benefits Counseling.
Ticket to Work: Meet Your Employment Team - Employment Networks
Ticket to Work: Find Help Tool - Employment Networks with Benefits Counselors
WIPA Projects
Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) projects are funded by Social Security. WIPA provides free benefits counseling to all Social Security disability beneficiaries.
If you are between age 14 through your Full Retirement Age and receive Social Security disability benefits, you can get help from WIPA. Benefits counseling services from a WIPA are available if you are already working or getting ready to work. These services can also be available if you are a veteran, or are age 14 - 25.
You do not need to participate in the Ticket program to get help from WIPA. But WIPA can be part of your “Employment Team,” which are the providers that will support you on your journey to financial independence.
Mo P&A: Work Incentives Planning and Assistance
Ticket to Work: Meet Your Employment Team - Work Incentives Planning & Assistance (WIPA) Projects
Ticket to Work: Find Help Tool - Benefits Counseling (WIPA)
MO Department of Mental Health: Employment Services
The Missouri Department of Mental Health (DMH) can provide employment services to the individuals they support. These services can include benefits planning. DMH can provide employment services under the Division of Developmental Disabilities and the Division of Behavioral Health.
If you get help from DMH and are interested in working how it will affect your benefits, ask your provider if employment services are available to you.