Mail-in process varies by county

Just less than a week away, you are down to the wire of mailing in your ballot if you have selected that option.

And depending on what county you live in -- and what ballot you have -- it might almost already be too late..

Kq2's madeline mcclain spoke to the postal service, the county clerk and the secretary of state's office to cut through the confusion on voting deadlines.

<<kq2's madeline mcclain reporting:"clear as mud" maybe the best way to describe the difference between absentee and mail-in voting process in missouri.mary baack-garvey, buch.

Co.

Clerk: "a lot of people got mail-in confused with absentee as we all know."

Let's start with absentee voting -- which stops the night before election day.you can vote absentee by mail or in person -- as long as you fit one of the pre-defined reasons for voting that way -- including if you are at-risk for covid or you won't be in town on election day.mary baack-garvey, buch.

Co.

Clerk: "if you have an absentee ballot in your possession and you have not mailed it in, and you are leary of mailing it in, bring it to our office."

The usps says it's not too late to mail-in your ballot and get it counted by your local clerk's office risk it doesn't make it ticks up as the clock ticks down.

Mary baack-garvey, buch.

Co.

Clerk: "think about how many days you have before tuesday when the mail comes."ballots must be received by the county clerk by 7 p.m.

Election day to count.mary baack-garvey, buch.

Co.

Clerk: "when you get your ballot and you know what you are voting on, vote it and get it in the mail."that's all crystal clear -- mail-ins -- however -- are messier.

Missourians could request a mail-in ballot this year -- no excuse needed.so if mail-in voters are equally worried about dropping their ballot in the mail -- can they surrender their vote at the ballot box?

Mary baack-garvey, buch.

Co.

Clerk: "see that's the tricky part with mail-in.

If you literally requested a mail-in ballot that's what you wanted because you were obviously nervous and leary of covid, as the secretary of state would say, and every election official you got to mail it in so mail-in ballots have to be mailed in."not every county is going this route.some are letting voters surrender mail- in ballots state's tweet wednesday showing that between sunday and tuesday -- more than 150 people surrendered their mail-in ballot.after confirming that was the case with the secretary of state's office -- the spokesperson explained because the new state laws didn't layout a specific process -- the local election authority's decision is the final say.mary baack-garvey, buch.

Co.

Clerk: "i'm not trying to suppress the mail-in voters that requested the actual mail-in ballot but that's what you up for that.

You have to mail it in and that's why i'm saying the sooner the better to get it here."in buchanan county -- if you chose the mail-in route -- you better drop it in the mail -- and asap....mary baack-garvey, buch.

Co.

Clerk: they chose mail-in.

That's what they have to do, they have to mail it in."because you don't have another option.

Mary baack-garvey, buch.

Co.

Clerk: it's crunch time now, get it in the mail asap.

Reporting in st.

Joseph, madeline mcclain kq2 news.>> a federal appeals court ruled last week that according to missouri law, mail-in ballots must be delivered by u.s. mail to the election offices by 7pm election day to count.

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