Cole County, Missouri
Your guide to voting in Cole County, Missouri: registration, sample ballots, ID requirements and where to get local help. Home to about 77,600 people, Cole County ranks 16th in population among Missouri's 115 counties. In Missouri, elections are run by local election authorities: the county clerk in most counties, or a board of election commissioners in several cities and counties.
Next Election
August 8, 2028
Voter Portal
Register Online
What's On My Ballot?
ID Requirements
Absentee / Early Voting
Registration Deadline
Register by the fourth Wednesday before an election.
Why Voting Matters
Every eligible adult in Cole County, Missouri holds the same power on Election Day: one vote that counts exactly as much as anyone else's. The next election for Cole County voters is Missouri's state primary on August 8, 2028; local elections can come sooner, so check your local election office. With health care and retail among the county's biggest employers, issues like health care costs are decided by the officials voters choose.
Cole County voters cast about 40,100 ballots for president in 2024, up about 2% from 39,500 in 2020. Compared with the county's roughly 61,500 adult residents, that works out to about 65%, above the statewide rate of about 61%.
Around 21,300 adults here did not vote for president. Some aren't eligible, yet the rest are untapped power: one more voter in every 20 of them would mean about 1,070 extra Cole County ballots, enough to change the result in many close contests.
Cole County covers about 392 square miles, with roughly 198 residents per square mile. The county is home to about 1.2% of Missouri's population.
ZIP codes in or partly in Cole County include 65023, 65032, 65040, 65046, 65053, 65058, 65074 and 65076, plus 8 more. Check that your registration is current, look up your sample ballot, and make a plan to vote. Then ask a friend or family member in Cole County to do the same.
Voter Assistance Resources
Questions about voting in Cole County? In Missouri, elections are run by local election authorities: the county clerk in most counties, or a board of election commissioners in several cities and counties. For registration, polling places, early voting and absentee ballots, contact the Cole County local election authority (county clerk or board of election commissioners).
Statewide directory, Missouri Secretary of State elections division:
https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/
See your sample ballot. Missouri Secretary of State elections division (voter lookup shows sample ballots):
https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/
You can also preview a personalized ballot at Vote411.org.
To ask a question or report a problem at the polls, call or text Election Protection at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683), a free nonpartisan hotline. For help in Spanish call 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682); for Asian languages call 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683).
Voters with disabilities in Cole County can ask for an accessible voting machine, curbside voting where offered, and help from a person of their choice. If you run into barriers, contact Missouri Protection & Advocacy, Missouri's Protection and Advocacy agency, at (573) 893-3333. VoteRiders (844-338-8743) offers free help with voter ID.
Need a ride? Many local transit agencies and ride services offer free or discounted rides to the polls on Election Day, so check what is available before the next election. See our Missouri voter page for statewide options. Details can change, so confirm with the official election office.
Military and overseas voters can get help from the Federal Voting Assistance Program at 1-800-438-VOTE (8683) or fvap.gov.
Sign up to be an election worker
Election workers (often called poll workers) keep voting running smoothly in Cole County. Most are paid for their time, get free training, and help their neighbors cast their ballots. You can work a full day, a shorter shift, or help before Election Day. County and municipal election offices recruit and train their own workers, and the EAC's Help America Vote page links to yours. Find out how to sign up:
https://www.eac.gov/help-america-vote
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