Every Voice, Every Vote 2024
The Voting Rights Committee at Congregation Shaare Emeth wants to help you prepare to vote and make informed decisions in the 2024 General Election in November. Each week, our committee is providing resources and action steps to get you closer to fulfilling your important, impactful civic duty on (or before) November 5th.
If you have any questions, please contact one of our committee members: Holly Bernstein, Wendy Flusser, or Ashley and Ann Loiterstein.
Your Vote Matters! Make a Plan to Vote!
Week of October 29
No-Excuse Absentee In Person Voting Is Now Open!
If you are voting No Excuse Absentee in Person, and you haven’t already voted, this is the week to take action! Monday, November 4 is the last day this option is available.
You can check the number of people in line using these links:
- St. Louis County Polling Place and Line lookup for no-excuse absentee voting
- St. Louis City Polling Place Map with Line Counts
No-excuse absentee in-person voting is our #1 recommended way to vote if it will work for you!
- Available now through November 4.
- You must have an accepted government-issued photo ID to vote with this method.
- Check your local Board of Elections for dates, times, and locations. (St. Louis City BOE, St. Louis County BOE, St. Charles County BOE)
Do you need a ride to the polls either before or on November 5th? Please email Debbie Bram and one of our volunteers will be in contact with you.
To research your ballot, see this explainer if you need help getting started. Shaare Emeth recommends voting YES on Amendment 3 (ends the abortion ban) and YES on Prop A (raises the minimum wage and mandates paid sick leave).
Bonus task: Share the nonpartisan Election Protection hotline number with friends and family! 866-OUR-VOTE. Anyone who has questions or problems voting should call the hotline! Want to volunteer as a nonpartisan election protection volunteer on Election Day? You can sign up at protectthevote.net to volunteer at the polls in conjunction with the hotline.
Week of October 9
WE’RE LESS THAN ONE MONTH AWAY FROM ELECTION DAY!
- This Wednesday, October 9 by 5 p.m. is the last day to register to vote in November.
- Help any college students you know who are coming home for Yom Kippur to investigate if they can vote Absentee in Person with an Excuse while they are in town.
- If you need to vote Absentee by Mail with an Excuse, detailed instructions can be found here, including information about who needs to have the ballot notarized and how to accomplish that. If you requested your mail-in absentee ballot several weeks ago and it hasn’t arrived, contact your local board of elections to inquire. (St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County)
- Continue to research your ballot. Shaare Emeth’s Board of Trustees voted to become sponsoring organizations to the YES on Amendment 3 campaign (securing the rights for reproductive freedom in the MO constitution) and the YES on Missouri Prop A (raises the minimum wage and mandates paid sick leave).
Week of October 2
ARE YOU REGISTERED TO VOTE?
Next Wednesday, October 9 by 5 p.m. is the last day to register to vote in November. Have you requested your mail-in absentee ballot if you need one? Have you voted Absentee in Person with an Excuse if this is how you are voting? Continue to research your ballot (see last week’s explainer).
Shaare Emeth recommends voting YES on Amendment 3 (ends the abortion ban) and YES on Missouri Prop A (raises the minimum wage and mandates paid sick leave).
Help any college students you know who are home for Rosh Hashanah to investigate if they can vote Absentee in Person with an Excuse while they are home.
Week of September 25
KNOW HOW YOU’RE GOING TO VOTE
Your vote matters! Here are the tasks we recommend this week:
- EVERYONE: Look up your sample ballot (see below for links) and start researching how you want to vote on each item. For information and helpful links about how to research your ballot, check out this explainer from Rock the Vote.
- INITIATIVES WE SUPPORT: Shaare Emeth’s Board of Trustees voted to become a sponsoring organization to the YES on Amendment 3 campaign (securing the rights for reproductive freedom in the Missouri constitution) and the YES on Missouri Prop A (raises the minimum wage and mandates paid sick leave).
- If you are voting Absentee in Person with an Excuse, it’s go time! Check your local Board of Elections for dates, times, and locations. (St. Louis City BOE, St. Louis County BOE, St. Charles County BOE). Plan a day and time to go, put it on your calendar, and implement it! If your college students are home for the High Holy Days – remember that voting is a sacred act!
- If you are voting Absentee by Mail with an Excuse, has your ballot arrived? If so, work on completing the process! Here are detailed instructions.
- Illinois Voters – Early voting is open! The process is (comparatively) simple. Details here.
Bonus task: Check in with your college students to make sure they have requested their absentee ballots (if applicable). While we encourage voters who need them to request their own mail-in absentee ballots, remember that parents can request an absentee ballot on behalf of their child (and vice versa) if needed.
Week of September 18
KNOW HOW YOU’RE GOING TO VOTE – The Options:
- No Excuse Absentee in Person:
- Our #1 recommended way to vote if it will work for you!
- Available October 22 through November 4 at select times and locations
- You must have an accepted government-issued photo ID to vote with this method
- Check your local Board of Elections for dates, times, and locations. (St. Louis City BOE, St. Louis County BOE, St. Charles County BOE)
- On Election Day in Person:
- We recommend No Excuse Absentee in Person voting just in case you get sick or have car trouble or anything else that could prevent you from getting to the polls on Election Day, but of course you can cast your vote in person on Election Day, November 5th! Polls are open from 6am-7pm. Bring your accepted government issued photo ID to vote a regular ballot, but if you don’t have one, you can still vote a provisional ballot on Election Day.
- Absentee in Person with an Excuse:
- Available September 24 through October 21 only if you meet one of the criteria here.
- You must have an accepted government issued photo ID to vote with this method
- Check your local Board of Elections for dates, times, and locations (typically during business hours at the Board of Elections): St. Louis City BOE, St. Louis County BOE, St. Charles County BOE
- Absentee by Mail with an Excuse:
- Only use this option if you have to!
- Available September 24 through November 4 only if you meet one of the criteria here.
- If you need to use this method, apply for your mail-in ballot now! If voting in the USA, check your local Board of Elections for the application (St. Louis City Absentee Voting Application, St. Louis County Absentee Voting Application, St. Charles County Absentee Voting Application). If voting outside the USA, request your ballot at the Military and Overseas Voting Access Portal. If you are a first time voter and you registered online or by mail, you will need to include a copy of an accepted photo ID with your application. Detailed instructions on absentee by mail voting can be found here.
