Montgomery County residents have casted their ballots ahead of Election Day, which is scheduled for Nov. 5.

The first day of no-excuse absentee voting began on Oct. 22. Anyone who is registered in Montgomery County can cast their votes at the Montgomery County Courthouse. Early voting ended on Nov. 4.

No-excuse absentee voting means any registered voter can cast a ballot in person before Election Day without needing a reason. For the first time this year, there is no-excuse absentee voting in Missouri during a presidential election.

Residents will choose either Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris or Republican candidate Donald Trump to take over the White House for the next four years.

In the local level, there are uncontested races for 1st District Commissioner (Dave Teeter), 2nd District Commissioner (Doug Lensing), County Clerk (Carole Weeks), Sheriff (Craig Allison), Public Administrator (Kaley Reagan), Coroner (Jason Luna), Assessor (Jeff Porter) and Surveyor (Larry Bade).

Also, Rhineland resident and Republican candidate Andrew Bailey is running against Democratic nominee Elad Gross and Libertarian candidate Ryan Munro for Missouri Attorney General. Bailey has been state attorney general since January 2023.

There are other contested races in the state level such as Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Treasurer and State Representative in the 42nd District.

Jeff Myers (Republican) and Shaun Sparks (Democrat) are the candidates for State Representative in the 42nd District. Myers is the current state representative.

Bruce Sassmann (State Representative of the 61st District) and Richard Scheibe (Circuit Judge of the 12th Circuit) are running uncontested.

Voters will also decide on various ballot questions, including the ones on abortion and legalizing sports betting.

Polls will be open from 6 a.m.-7 p.m. on Nov. 5 at the Wellsville United Methodist Church, Middletown Baptist Church, the Bellflower, Jonesburg and New Florence community buildings, the Big Spring and Rhineland fire houses and the Montgomery County Fairgrounds in Montgomery City.

“I think it’s going to be a large turnout,” Weeks said.

Weeks, who became county clerk in January, said the polling place for Montgomery City residents was switched from the Knights of Columbus Hall to the Merchants Building at the Fairgrounds for this year’s general election because the abortion issue is on the ballot.

“The reason that we can not use the Knights of Columbus Hall is because there is a sign out front, the one that has to do with the memory of the unborn, that is within 25 feet of the front door and can be considered electioneering,” Weeks said. “That is per my visit with John Ashcroft, Secretary of State.”

Weeks said residents were notified in August that the polling place was moved to the Fairgrounds.

“For those who went to the polling place in August, they were told when they got their ballot,” Weeks said. “We also had the signs up that we’ll be voting at the Merchants Building in November.”

Weeks said she encourages voters to go to the Secretary of State website and check their voting registration before going to the polls.

“That will be really good for people to go ahead and check to make sure their registration and everything else are what they believe they are so we don’t have any issues on Election Day at the polling places,” Weeks said.