Voting is an essential form of civic engagement. The Gephardt Institute facilitates this process by actively encouraging voter registration and participation in local, state, and national elections. Equally important to the voting process is the cultivation of informed citizens who know what they are voting about, and why. Learn about our goals and how we will achieve them in our Engage Democracy plan.
Register to Vote in any state!
We partner with TurboVote to make voter registration as simple as possible. Not sure if you’re registered yet? It’s also fast and easy to check your voter registration status or sign up for emailed election reminders.
WashU Votes student volunteers pose with Chancellor Andrew Martin at the 2022 Party at the Polls. 
Student Caleb Saffold votes in the 2020 general election. Caleb was one of about 2,600 WashU students who registered to vote and more than 1,100 St. Louis County residents who cast their votes in the WashU Field House. (Photo: Whitney Curtis/Washington University) 
WashU Votes mascot, the Poll-er Bear, visits the on-campus polling location. 
WashU Votes volunteers spread the word during the 2022 Primaries. 
Students, faculty, staff and St. Louis County residents cast their ballots in the 2020 general election.
Upcoming Local Elections
If you are not registered to vote in Missouri, check here (or with your local board of elections) for information about upcoming elections in your home state.
Missouri Voter ID Updates
If you are registered or planning to register to vote in Missouri, you will need a federal ID or Missouri-issued ID to vote. According to current MO state law, students IDs and out-of-state driver’s licenses will not be acceptable forms of ID.
General Voting Information and Resources
Beyond the presidential election, ongoing participation in local elections is essential for making sure your voice counts.
- Students voting absentee in other states can check Vote411.org for nonpartisan information about local elections and learn what will be on the ballot based on their address.
- Show one form of identification, eligible under Missouri’s voter ID law
- WashU students can get free postage and envelopes to send election mail from the South 40, Village, and Lofts mail rooms, courtesy of the Gephardt Institute.
If you have any questions, please email the Associate Director for Civic Engagement, Alannah Glickman, at aglickman@wustl.edu
On-Campus Voting
Did you know that WashU students and St. Louis County community members can vote on campus during Presidential and Primary election years? The Gephardt Institute runs the campus polling place at the Athletic Complex every two years. Find us next in 2024!
Party at the Polls
Don’t love waiting in lines? Neither do we! When you vote on campus you’ll find games, live music, and free food to keep you busy until it’s your turn to cast a ballot.
General Voting FAQs
If a student has an active residence and mailing address in Missouri, they can vote in Missouri. Note that students taking classes from outside of Missouri must register to vote wherever they are staying.
So long as you have an address in Missouri, you can be considered a Missouri resident for voting purposes.
It’s up to you to decide. You can register to vote in Missouri or your home state. We encourage you to research the issues you care about and decide based on your civic values.
Some ballots will come with a QR code or other way to track the ballot. Simply keep that information after you mail your ballot in and follow the instructions to track your ballot.
USPS recommends sending your ballot in 10 days before it needs to be received.
Want to get involved and support voter engagement?
WashU Votes is a student organization that promotes voter engagement and education for undergraduates at WashU. By joining WashU Votes, students have the opportunity to expand civic engagement on campus while becoming more educated about issues facing our local, state, and federal communities.
To learn more, follow WashU Votes on Instagram (@washuvotes) or Facebook, join WashU Votes on WUGO, or join the WashU Votes Slack. You can also complete this interest form to connect via email.
Grad Students Vote!
For professional and graduate students, we are in the process of creating a new coalition called Grad Students Vote. Email Associate Director for Civic Engagement, Alannah Glickman, if you are interested in helping us develop this effort.