ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – Friday marked another record for early voting numbers in St. Louis County. Election officials reported 23,316 no-excuse in-person absentee ballots were cast Friday. 

“I’m glad I did it,” said St. Louis County voter Shernay Mohamed. She got in line at the St. Louis County Election Board in St. Ann around 3:30 pm and completed the voting process nearly an hour and a half later.

“We’ve had a massive turnout for this early voting,” said Rick Stream, Republican director for the St. Louis County Election Board.

The number of no-excuse in-person voters has steadily increased for each full day of voting since beginning on October 22. Stream estimates there will be a total of 250,000 early votes cast this election cycle. 

This is the first presidential election with no-excuse in-person absentee voting in Missouri.  Stream expects the interest to reduce lines on election day. He estimated 300,000 votes will be cast on Tuesday.

The rise in early voting numbers, however, might not equate to higher voter turnout for this year’s presidential election.

“I think it’s just people taking advantage of the opportunity,” said Ben Borgmeyer, Democratic Elections director for the St. Louis City Board of Elections.

He encourages voters to be prepared by filling out their sample ballot and bringing it with them to their polling place.

Voters can still cast early votes on Saturday and Monday. You can learn more about local election authority through the Missouri Secretary of State’s website. 

Voters can also track voting lines in both St. Louis City and St. Louis County.