ST. LOUIS - No-excuse absentee voting starts Tuesday across Missouri, and election officials are encouraging Missourians to vote before election day.

The St. Louis County Board of Elections Headquarters is one of the places where people can come and cast votes starting Tuesday morning under the no-excuse absentee voting umbrella. This is basically Missouri's version of early voting, and it's the first time it's being used in a presidential election year.

Election officials from St. Louis City and County are pointing out just how long the ballot is for this election. In fact, authorities say it's one of the longest ballots in recent state history.

Election officials are urging people to study the ballot before coming to vote so you can shorten your time in the polling booth. Traditional absentee voting has been ongoing for some time. But the no-excuse absentee voting starting Tuesday means anyone who is eligible can now vote early in Missouri.

Election officials want people to do just that because they are concerned about the potential of very long lines on election day. They say traditional absentee voting numbers are way down compared with 2020, in part because COVID isn't keeping people away from the polls on election day. That, combined with the length of the ballot, could make for some long waits on Nov. 5.

No-excuse absentee voting runs through Nov. 4. You have to bring a valid photo ID to vote early. There are no provisional ballots like on election day. There are 14 early voting sites in the county and 8 in the city.