Mail-in voting is one of the greatest modern conveniences offered to US voters, but with Election Day less than a week away, it may be too late in some states to request a mail-in ballot if you haven’t already.
Mail-in ballots — sometimes known as “absentee ballots” — are a common way to vote, as the COVID-19 pandemic forces more people than ever to consider the option. Mail-in voting has been on the rise for years, but according to the Election Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, it jumped from 23 million in 2018 to 43 million in the 2020 presidential race and then dropped to 32 million in 2022. . midterms.
So with millions of American citizens already casting their ballots during early voting, read on for an explanation of which states will still allow you to request a mail-in ballot. To find out more about voting, see if there is still time to register in your state and if early voting has started there as well.
When is it too late to ask for a vote?
Not surprisingly, with just over a week to go until Election Day — Nov. 5 — the deadline to request a postal vote has passed in many states. The following list contains counties where, as of Thursday, Oct. 31, all deadlines for requesting ballots have passed, according to Vote.org:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- In Arizona
- Arkansas
- In Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- In Indiana
- Kansas
- in Kentucky
- in Louisiana
- Massachusetts
- Nebraska
- In New Mexico
- North Carolina
- In Ohio
- In Oklahoma
- in Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- West Virginia
One important thing to note Rhode Island: while Vote.org notes that its deadline for requesting mail-in ballots passed three weeks before Election Day, the state allows citizens to request an “emergency ballot.” This can be done at the local election office, but only if they find that they will not be able to go to the polls on Election Day.
Which states still allow you to request a vote?
With the general election a week away, a surprisingly large number of states still have options available to request mail-in ballots, according to Vote.org. Be aware, however, that with only a few days to go, the last days for these remaining options are coming soon.
Connecticut: Both mail and in-person requests can be made if received the day before Election Day.
Delaware: In-person applications must be made by 12 pm the day before Election Day.
Illinois: In-person applications can be made up to the day before Election Day.
Iowa: In-person applications can be made up until the day before Election Day.
Maine: In-person, email and online applications must be received by November 2.
Maryland: In-person applications can be made as late as Election Day itself.
Michigan: In-person applications can be made by 4 p.m. the day before Election Day.
In Minnesota: In-person, email and online applications can be made any time before Election Day.
Mississippi: There are no set deadlines for email and in-person applications, but the state strongly recommends before Oct. 29 by mail. Mail-in voting here, however, is limited to people who have a valid excuse for not voting on Election Day.
Missouri: Applications can be made in person until 5pm the day before Election Day.
Montana: In-person and mail applications can be made until noon before Election Day.
New Hampshire: This state has no specific deadline for in-person and mail-in applications, although only people with valid excuses can get an absentee ballot.
New Jersey: In-person applications can be made by 3 p.m. the day before Election Day.
New York: In-person applications can be made up until the day before Election Day.
North Dakota: This state has no specific deadline for in-person or mail-in applications, but the latter must be postmarked the day before Election Day.
South Dakota: In-person and mail applications can be made up until the day before Election Day.
Virginia: In-person applications can be made until Nov. 2.
Wisconsin: In-person applications can be made until Nov. 3.
Wyoming: In-person and mail-in applications must be received by election day.
What about mail-in voting districts?
Some states — California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Vermont and Washington — and the District of Columbia, have switched their elections to an all-mail system. This means that all registered voters are mailed ballots at a certain time, which they can choose to fill out and return or choose to ignore and vote in person. Therefore, deadlines for requesting ballots in these states are generally not required.
If at this stage of the election season you find that you have not received a ballot, perhaps due to a change of address, it would be a good idea to call your polling station to see what options you have.
To find out more about voting by mail, find out how to track your ballot once it’s been sent.
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