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Voting By Mail? Double-Check Your State's Deadlines Right Now

The U.S. Postal Service warned that, if you’re voting by mail, waiting until the deadline to apply for or return a ballot may cut it too close.

Published Aug. 27, 2020

Updated Sept. 28, 2020
Official ballot mailed to voter in their mailbox. (Getty Images)
Official ballot mailed to voter in their mailbox. (Image Via Getty Images)

Jump to see your state’s absentee or mail-in voting deadlines:

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Why We Made This Guide

In the months before the 2020 U.S. elections -- amid widespread shutdowns and myriad challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic -- confusion, rumors, and misinformation about mail-in voting flooded the internet and the Snopes inbox.

There was little reassurance from the news cycle: U.S. President Donald Trump made several questionable or controversial remarks about mail-in voting, the U.S. Postal Service sparked outcry with confusing operational changes, and an investigation by The Washington Post found that millions of voters in as many as 46 states could be disenfranchised by delayed mail-in ballots. Snopes contacted the Postal Service for further clarification but did not hear back at the time of publication.

Despite ongoing debate about the Postal Service’s ability to reliably deliver mail-in ballots in 2020, it did appear at the time of this writing that current absentee or mail-in voting deadlines in some states may not allow enough time for votes to be counted in the general election.

A batch of letters written by Thomas Marshall, general counsel and executive vice president of the Postal Service, was sent to state election officials on July 29 and released to the public more than two weeks later. The letters confirmed that state voting deadlines are incompatible with the timeline of standard post office delivery — a “mismatch” that posed a risk of requested ballots not being “returned by mail in time to be counted.”

The letters included the following recommendations for voters:

Ballot requests: Where voters will both receive and send a ballot by mail, voters should submit their ballot request early enough so that it is received by their election officials at least 15 days before Election Day at a minimum, and preferably long before that time.
[..]
Mailing completed ballots to election officials: To allow enough time for ballots to be returned to election officials, domestic voters should generally mail their completed ballots at least one week before the state’s due date.

John Fortier, a political scientist with expertise in mail-in voting at the MIT Election Data and Science Lab, told Snopes that voters must thoroughly understand their state regulations to ensure that their ballot is counted. “If I gave some advice to voters, first, of course, is that they should know their own state’s institution,” Fortier said. “Check your voter registration, which is going to differ from state to state.”

The trouble is, state rules are surprisingly varied, and many states present voter information on difficult-to-navigate and decentralized websites. It’s easy to see where confusion may result.

So, we thought we’d harness the power of Snopes research skills and try to make it easier for voters using mail-in ballots for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic. What follows is the basics of absentee or mail-in voting requirements for every state.

If you have questions, contact your local election officials as soon as possible for more detailed information.

Jump to your state: AL | AK | AZ | AR | CA | CO | CT | DE | DC | FL | GA | HI | ID | IL | IN | IA | KS | KY | LA | ME | MD | MA | MI | MN | MS | MO | MT | NE | NV | NH | NJ | NM | NY | NC | ND | OH | OK | OR | PA | RI | SC | SD | TN | TX | UT | VT | VA | WA | WV | WI | WY

A State-by-State Guide to Absentee or Mail-in Ballot Regulations

Advice on Using This Guide

  • Don’t wait until the deadline. Election officials advise giving yourself as much time as possible to submit any mail-in ballot applications and ballots.
  • No, seriously. Give yourself plenty of time. The Postal Service typically requires between three and five business days to deliver most local mail, though it may take longer given the coronavirus pandemic and other potential issues impacting mail delivery.

Alabama

  • Must Apply for a Mail-in Ballot?: Yes, applications are available online and specific to each county. Alabama extended no-excuse absentee voting through November 2020, which means any registered voter can apply.
  • Application Deadline: Application for a mail-in ballot must be received by Election Commission by Oct. 30.
  • Ballot Delivery Guidelines: Mailed ballots must be postmarked no later than the day before the election, Nov. 2, and received by the election manager by noon on Election Day if sent by mail. If hand-delivered, the absentee ballot must be received by 5 p.m. the day before the election. Find the delivery addresses here.
  • Early Voting Options: Alabama does not allow for early voting.
  • Other Resources:

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Alaska

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Arizona

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Arkansas

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California

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Colorado

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Connecticut

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Delaware

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District of Columbia (D.C.)

  • Must Apply for Mail-in Ballot?: No, in response to COVID-19, all registered voters will receive a ballot at their registered address beginning the first week of October. Voters may request a ballot only if they wish to receive it at a different address. In other election years, Washington, D.C., is a no-excuse absentee voting district. Anyone may apply.
  • Application Deadline: Requests for mail-in ballots must be received no later than Oct. 27.
  • Ballot Delivery Guidelines: Mailed ballots must be postmarked or otherwise demonstrated to have been sent on or before Election Day, and must arrive no later than a week after. Beginning in October, the status of mailed ballots can be tracked here.
  • Early Voting Options: Early voting begins Oct. 27 and runs through Nov. 2, but dates and hours may vary based on the area a voter lives. A list of voting centers can be found here.
  • Other Resources:

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Florida

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Georgia

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Hawaii

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Idaho

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Illinois

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Indiana

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Iowa

  • Must Apply for Mail-in Ballot?: Yes, applications are available online. Iowa is a no-excuse absentee voting state. Anyone may apply. Applications must be received by the voter's county auditor no later than 5 p.m. on Oct. 23.
  • Application Deadline: Read the instructions sent with each ballot. Absentee ballots must be received in the county auditor's office by the time the polls close on Election Day. Ballots received after must be postmarked by the Monday before Election Day or earlier and received in the county auditor's office no later than noon on the Monday following the election.
  • Early Voting Options: In-person early voting is available from Oct. 5 to Nov. 2, but dates and hours may vary based on where a voter lives. Check with the local county auditor for available times.
  • Other Resources:

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Kansas

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Kentucky

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Louisiana

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Maine

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Maryland

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Massachusetts

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Michigan

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Minnesota

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Mississippi

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Missouri

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Montana

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Nebraska

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Nevada

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New Hampshire

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New Jersey

  • Must Apply for Mail-in Ballot?: No, New Jersey will mail a ballot to all active, registered voters under a vote-by-mail initiative in response to COVID-19. In other election years, New Jersey is a no-excuse absentee voting state. Anyone may apply.
  • Application Deadline: A new online system is expected to launch by Sept. 4 in order to register new voters. The deadline to register to vote is 21 days prior to the election.
  • Ballot Delivery Guidelines: Ballots must be returned through the mail with a postmark on or before Nov. 3 to be counted as a valid ballot by the county clerk, and received by 8 p.m. on Nov. 10. Ballots without a postmark that are received by the county boards of elections within 48 hours of the closing of polls on Nov. 3 will be considered valid. Ballots may also be hand-delivered to select secure drop boxes. Find a list of locations here.
  • Early Voting Options: Early voting is only available by mail.
  • Other Resources:

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New Mexico

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New York

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North Carolina

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North Dakota

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Ohio

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Oklahoma

  • Must Apply for Mail-in Ballot?: Yes, applications are available online or through the OK Voter Portal. Oklahoma is a no-excuse absentee voting state. Anyone may apply.
  • Application Deadline: All applications for absentee ballots must be received by the county election board no later than 5 p.m. on the Tuesday before an election. A postmark on that date will not suffice. Applications can be submitted by mail, email, fax, or in person.
  • Ballot Delivery Guidelines: Voters must return voted absentee ballots to the county election board by mail that has delivery documentation. An absentee ballot must be received by the county election board by 7 p.m. on Nov. 3 to be counted. Hand-delivered ballots must be returned no later than the end of business hours on the day before the election, and the voter must show the same identification required for in-person voting.
  • Early Voting Options: Voters may cast an absentee ballot in person at the county election board office from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday and Friday before the election and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. In-person absentee voters must fill out and sign an application form when they arrive to vote. Contact the local county election board for more information.
  • Other Resources:

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Oregon

  • Must Apply for Mail-in Ballot?: No, Oregon is an all-mail voting state. All registered voters will receive a ballot by mail in addition to having in-person voting options. Voters may check online to ensure their registration and address are current.
  • Application Deadline: The deadline for online voter registration is Oct. 13.
  • Ballot Delivery Guidelines: Mail or drop off completed ballot at any official drop box​ in the state. If a voter casts a ballot after the Wednesday before an election, the ballot should be left at a drop box site to ensure it's counted. Ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on Nov. 3. Postmarks are not enough.
  • Early Voting Options: Oregon does not offer in-person early voting.
  • Other Resources:

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Pennsylvania

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Rhode Island

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South Carolina

  • Must Apply for Mail-in Ballot?: Yes, applications are available online. Only individuals with a valid excuse for why they are unable to be present at the polls on Election Day are able to vote by mail.
  • Application Deadline: Applications should be returned at least two weeks before Election Day to provide time for receiving and returning a ballot by mail. The deadline to return an application is 5 p.m. on the fourth day prior to the election. Ballots can be submitted by email, mail, fax or personal delivery to the county voter registration office.
  • Ballot Delivery Guidelines: Voted ballots must be returned to the county voter registration office either by mail or personal delivery by 7 p.m. Nov. 3. Ballots returned by mail should be mailed no later than one week prior to Election Day to help ensure timely delivery.
  • Early Voting Options: South Carolina does not allow for early in-person voting, but registered voters are able to cast their absentee ballot in-person beginning Oct. 5 until Nov. 2 at 5 p.m. In-person absentee voting requires that a voter be absent on Election Day. In order to vote early, they must go to their local county office, submit an absentee application in person, and then cast their ballot on a voting machine.
  • Other Resources:

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South Dakota

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Tennessee

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Texas

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Utah

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Vermont

  • Must Apply for Mail-in Ballot?: Yes, applications are available online or can be requested at the clerk's office. Ballots may also be requested through the My Voter Portal. Vermont is a no-excuse absentee voting state. Anyone may apply.
  • Application Deadline: Absentee ballot requests must be submitted by 5 p.m. or by the close of the town clerk’s office on the day before the election. Applications must be submitted to the respective town and city clerks.  
  • Ballot Delivery Guidelines: All ballots must be returned to the town clerk’s office before the close of the office on the day before the election, or to the polling place before 7 p.m. on the day of the election, in order to be counted.
  • Early Voting Options: Early voting begins Sept. 20. Early voter ballots must be mailed or returned in person to the town clerk’s office before the close of business on Nov. 2 or to the polling place by 7 p.m. on Nov. 3.
  • Other Resources:

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Virginia

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Washington

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West Virginia

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Wisconsin

  • Must Apply for Mail-in Ballot?: Yes, applications can be requested online. Additionally, the state will mail applications for mail-in ballots to most registered voters. Wisconsin is a no-excuse absentee voting state. Anyone may apply.
  • Application Deadline: The legal deadline to request an absentee ballot by mail is Oct. 29.
  • Ballot Delivery Guidelines: Officials recommend returning mailed absentee ballots to the municipal clerk by Oct. 27. Voters returning an absentee ballot to a polling place must submit it by 8 p.m. on Nov. 3.
  • Early Voting Options: In-person absentee voting begins Oct. 20 and runs to Nov. 1. Dates and hours may vary. Check with the municipal clerk for specifics.
  • Other Resources:

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Wyoming

  • Must Apply for Mail-in Ballot?: Yes, applications are available online. Ballots can be requested by mail, email, in person or online. Wyoming is a no-excuse absentee voting state. Anyone may apply.
  • Application Deadline: The deadline to request a mail-in ballot is Nov. 2.
  • Ballot Delivery Guidelines: Absentee ballots must be delivered to the county clerk's office in person or by mail no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day. Ballots arriving after the deadline will not be counted.
  • Early Voting Options: Early voting runs from Sept. 18 to Nov. 2.
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Updates

Update [Sept. 3, 2020]: This article was updated to reflect that all registered California voters will receive vote-by-mail ballots (not absentee ballots, as previously stated) for the 2020 general election.

Update [Sept. 28, 2020]: This article was updated to reflect South Carolina's early in-person absentee voting protocols.

Madison Dapcevich is a freelance contributor for Snopes.