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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The 2022 midterm election is here, which means it’s time to head to the polls.

So when can you actually go vote on Nov. 8? Residents in both Missouri and Kansas have at least 12 hours to cast their votes.

In Missouri, voters get even more than that. All polls open at 6 a.m. on Nov. 8 and close at 7 p.m.

In Kansas, polls have to be open by 7 a.m. and can close at 7 p.m., but state law allows counties to open as early as 6 a.m. and close as late as 8 p.m. if they want. If you need to vote early or late, check the website for your county’s election board.

In both states, as long as you are in line by the time your poll location closes — for example, 7 p.m. in Missouri — you are legally allowed to vote. Don’t get out of line. If you arrive after they close, you will not be allowed to cast your ballot.

Not sure where to go to vote?

Kansas residents can visit the Kansas Secretary of State’s VoterView website to search for their polling place. In Missouri, voters can also visit the Secretary of State’s website to find their polling location.

Advance and absentee voting

If you can’t make it to the polls on election day, Kansas and Missouri both have options for early voting.

Missouri offers in-person and by mail absentee voting. Starting in late September, residents are able to vote early if they meet one of six requirements, such as being absent from your voting jurisdiction on Election Day.

You don’t need to submit an application to vote absentee in person, but you do need to bring acceptable ID needed to vote to your local election office. Those who want to vote absentee by mail can request the application online or via their county election office.

But even if you don’t meet one of those excuses, there’s still a way you can vote early in Missouri now.

New this year, voters now have two weeks of no-excuse, in-person absentee voting. That means Missourians can vote in person with their local election office for two weeks before every election — no excuse needed.

Kansas advance voting began in mid-October, and voters don’t need an excuse to cast their vote early.

Kansas counties can open advance voting up to 20 days before Election Day, but they don’t have to start precisely on Oct. 19. Under state law, however, all Kansas counties must offer in-person advance voting no later than Oct. 25.

Locations where you can vote early in person vary depending on county. Find a breakdown of local counties’ advance voting sites here.

If you choose to vote by mail in Kansas, you’ll have to apply to have a ballot sent to you. For the November election, the deadline to apply for an advance ballot by mail is Nov. 1.

Many counties will also let voters return their advance ballot to a drop box, election office or voting location. This varies by county, so check with your local election office for more details.