I voted… a week ago. I voted as a registered voter of Kansas City, MO via absentee ballot. The absentee ballot packet came with an “I Voted” sticker - the same as you would get at the polls, so I busted mine out this evening.
Missouri requires that all absentee ballot voters who are not (1) infirm and bedridden or (2) living out of the country to get their absentee ballot notarized. This surpised me as notaries usually charge a fee for their service. I feel strange about being required to pay a fee to exercise my right to vote. This must be a state requirement because I don’t believe I had to have my absentee ballot notarized in Texas when I voted in the 1996 election while at college. What about folks who want to vote but aren’t in town for any given reason and simply do not have the means to (1) get themselves to a notary and/or (2) pay the notary fee? Seems like the state of Missouri is disenfranchising a group of people - the fact that you have to request the ballot in advance and sign it should suffice.
Gord and I took our ballots to the First National Bank of Harveyville to get them notarized (I suppose we could have checked the “infirm” box and stuck it in the mail, but I thought it inappropriate to lie on an voting ballot). Fortunately for us, the “best little bank in Kansas”, did not charge a fee for the notarization - they did ask us to “stop back in and see them sometime” though. Small towns. 
I hope that everyone who had the opportunity and desire got out to the polls today. Even though our one individual vote may not make a difference, the act of exercising a right and a civic duty should make us feel good. And if things don’t go our way, we can at least say that we participated. Which is more than 50% of the country can say.
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