Vote By Mail States

By Maddy Teka, Esq. | Reviewed by Bridget Molitor, JD | Last updated June 05, 2020

Some states are moving to vote-by-mail or increasing absentee voting options for voters. Is yours? The chart below outlines the options by state.

What Is Voting by Mail?

States usually have ways where citizens can vote without actually going to the polling station. These methods include absentee voting and voting by mail.

Voting by mail allows eligible voters to mail in their ballots if they can't go to the polls to vote on Election Day.

States have the following two systems in place that allow citizens to vote by mail:

1) Automatic Mail-In Ballot

States that follow this system will automatically send a ballot or an application to get a ballot to all registered voters. The number of polling sites varies from state to state. But generally, in states that send a ballot to voters, in-person voting is limited.

2) Request Required Mail-In Ballots

Here, eligible voters must initiate the process for receiving the ballots. That means they must request a ballot for the state to send them one. Some states require valid excuses before they send ballots, while others follow no-excuse ballot systems.

Absentee Voting vs. Voting by Mail-In Ballot

Absentee voting is another way that people can vote by mail. In fact, states often use "vote by mail" and "absentee voting" interchangeably.

Many states allow no-excuse absentee voting, which means a person can request an absentee ballot without needing to provide a reason (similar to states that have citizens request mail-in ballots). Other states require people to have a reason to receive an absentee ballot (such as age, oversees military duty, etc.).

A big difference between absentee voting and voting-by-mail is that in states with automatic mail-in ballots, all citizens receive ballots without needing to request them. In those states, fewer polling places are open on Election Day, and the ballots typically come a few weeks in advance of an election.

Requirements to Vote by Mail

The specific requirements to vote by mail depends on the state and the system it follows. Accordingly, the requirements to vote by mail are as follows:

Automatic mail-in ballots: If you live in a state where this system is followed, being eligible to vote is the only thing you need to receive a ballot or an application to get a ballot from your state.

Request mail-in ballots (no-excuse required): If your state follows this system, you must be eligible to vote and take steps to request a ballot be mailed to you.

Request mail-in ballots (excuse required): In addition to the requirements listed above, some states require you to have a valid excuse before they allow you to mail in your ballot. These excuses generally include:

Being outside the country at the time of voting
Being above a certain age or disabled
Being incarcerated
Religious reasons
Working during voting day

Voting During COVID-19: Mail-In Ballot and Absentee Voting States

The coronavirus pandemic is disrupting all ways of life, including how states administer elections. This includes changing how the primaries are being conducted, and expanding options for the November general election.

The majority of states have either postponed their primary or have switched entirely to voting by mail to prevent the spread of COVID-19. States have also taken measures to allow citizens to vote absentee and by mail. The table below outlines the actions taken by each state. It includes links you can use to access your state's absentee voting or mail-in-voting registration.

Note that in this table, no-excuse absentee voting is often called "mail-in voting" by states. The difference is that, in absentee voting states, you must request a ballot and can then mail it back to have your vote counted. Many states with absentee voting also allow in-person voting prior to Election Day for people who will not be able to vote on Election Day.

State	Voting-By-Mail/Absentee Voting
Alabama	Need to show a valid excuse to vote absentee Fill out an Alabama absentee voting application
Alaska	No-excuse absentee voting/vote-by-mail Request an Alaska ballot by mail
Arizona	No-excuse absentee voting Request a ballot-by-mail through Arizona's voter portal
Arkansas	Need to show a valid excuse to vote absentee Request an Arkansas absentee ballot here
California	In response to COVID-19, mail-in ballots are automatically being sent to all voters for the general election. Typically, no-excuse absentee voting
Colorado	Voting is primarily conducted by mail
Connecticut	In response to COVID-19, mail-in ballots are automatically being sent to all voters for the August primary and the general election in November. Typically, need to show a valid excuse to vote absentee in Connecticut
Delaware	In response to COVID-19, mail-in ballots are automatically being sent to all voters for the July primary. Typically, need to show a valid excuse to vote absentee in Delaware
District of Columbia	No-excuse absentee voting Fill out the D.C. absentee ballot request form
Florida	No-excuse absentee voting Request a Florida vote-by-mail ballot
Georgia	In response to COVID-19, mail-in ballots are automatically being sent to all voters for the June primary. Typically, no-excuse absentee voting Request a Georgia absentee ballot
Hawaii	Voting is primarily conducted through mail
Idaho	In response to COVID-19, mail-in ballot applications are being sent to all registered voters who have not requested a ballot. The mail-in ballot return deadline for the primaries was also extended to June 2, 2020. Typically, no-excuse absentee voting Apply for absentee voting with your county clerk
Illinois	For the 2020 general election, Illinois citizens can download a vote-by-mail ballot, available on the Illinois elections website on 8/5/2020. No-excuse absentee voting
Indiana	Indiana will allow voters to cast a ballot by mail in the June primary election. Typically, need to show a valid excuse to vote absentee Get information about Indiana's absentee ballot program
Iowa	In response to COVID-19, mail-in ballots are automatically being sent to all voters for the June primary. Typically, no-excuse absentee voting Request an Iowa absentee ballot
Kansas	No-excuse absentee voting Fill out an application for advance ballot by mail in Kansas
Kentucky	Need to show a valid excuse to vote absentee in Kentucky
Louisiana	Need to show a valid excuse to vote absentee in Louisiana
Maine	No-excuse absentee voting Request a Maine absentee ballot three months before the election
Maryland	In response to COVID-19, mail-in ballots are automatically being sent to voters for the June primary. In each county, there will be at least one in-person voting center. Typically, no-excuse absentee voting Request a Maryland absentee ballot
Massachusetts	Need to show a valid excuse to vote absentee in Massachusetts
Michigan	In response to COVID-19, mail-in ballots were being sent to all voters for the May primary and absentee ballots will be sent to all eligible voters for the general elections. Typically, no-excuse absentee voting Download the Michigan absentee ballot application
Minnesota	No-excuse absentee voting Request a Minnesota absentee ballot
Mississippi	Need to show a valid excuse to vote absentee in Mississippi
Missouri	Need to show a valid excuse to vote absentee in Missouri
Montana	In response to COVID-19, mail-in ballots are automatically being sent to all voters for the June primary. Typically, no-excuse absentee voting Request a Montana absentee ballot
Nebraska	In response to COVID-19, mail-in ballots were automatically sent to all voters for the May Primary. Typically, no-excuse absentee voting Complete a Nebraska early voting application
Nevada	In response to COVID-19, mail-in ballots are automatically being sent to all voters for the June primary. Typically, no-excuse absentee voting Request a Nevada absentee ballot
New Hampshire	Anyone who has concerns about going to the polling station to vote in-person due to COVID-19 can request an absentee ballot for the general election. Typically, need to show a valid excuse to vote absentee
New Jersey	In response to COVID-19, mail-in ballots were automatically sent to all voters for the May primary. Typically, no-excuse absentee voting Access your absentee voting application in your New Jersey county
New Mexico	No-excuse absentee voting Fill out a New Mexico absentee voter application
New York	In response to COVID-19, all voters are allowed to vote by mail in the June primary. The state is automatically sending mail-in-ballot applications to all voters. Typically, need to show a valid excuse to vote absentee Get information about voting absentee in New York
North Carolina	No-excuse absentee voting Request a North Carolina absentee ballot
North Dakota	In response to COVID-19, mail-in ballots are automatically being sent to all voters for the June primary. Typically, no-excuse absentee voting Apply for an absentee ballot in North Dakota
Ohio	No-excuse absentee voting Apply to "vote by mail" in Ohio
Oklahoma	No-excuse absentee voting Request an Oklahoma absentee ballot
Oregon	Voting is primarily conducted by mail in Oregon
Pennsylvania	No-excuse absentee voting Apply for an absentee ballot in Pennsylvania
Rhode Island	In response to COVID-19, mail-in ballots are automatically being sent to all voters for the June primary. No-excuse absentee voting Apply for a Rhode Island absentee ballot
South Carolina	In response to COVID-19, all voters can vote absentee during the June primaries. Typically, need to show a valid excuse to vote absentee
South Dakota	In response to COVID-19, mail-in ballots are automatically being sent to all voters for the June primary. Typically, no-excuse absentee voting Download or request a South Dakota absentee ballot
Tennessee	In response to COVID-19, a judge ruled that all registered voters should have the option to cast ballots by mail for the general election. Typically, need to show a valid excuse to vote absentee
Texas	Need to show a valid excuse to vote absentee
Utah	Voting is primarily conducted by mail
Vermont	No-excuse absentee voting Request a Vermont absentee ballot
Virginia	No-excuse absentee voting Apply for absentee voting in Virginia
Washington	Voting is primarily conducted by mail
West Virginia	In response to COVID-19, mail-in ballots were automatically sent to all voters for the May primary. Typically, need to show a valid excuse to vote absentee
Wisconsin	No-excuse absentee voting Request a Wisconsin absentee ballot
Wyoming	No-excuse absentee voting Request a Wyoming absentee ballot

*This table will continue to be updated as more states begin taking steps towards moving to mail-in ballot systems.

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Vote By Mail States

What Is Voting by Mail?

1) Automatic Mail-In Ballot

2) Request Required Mail-In Ballots

Absentee Voting vs. Voting by Mail-In Ballot

Requirements to Vote by Mail

Voting During COVID-19: Mail-In Ballot and Absentee Voting States

Additional Resources

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Popular Directory Searches

More Options

Suggested Searches

Popular Directory Searches

More Options

Vote By Mail States

What Is Voting by Mail?

1) Automatic Mail-In Ballot

2) Request Required Mail-In Ballots

Absentee Voting vs. Voting by Mail-In Ballot

Requirements to Vote by Mail

Voting During COVID-19: Mail-In Ballot and Absentee Voting States

Additional Resources

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