Vote by Mail States and Law: What You Need to Know
By Maddy Teka, Esq. | Legally reviewed by Steven J. Ellison, Esq. | Last reviewed September 29, 2022
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Some states are moving to vote by mail, while others are increasing absentee voting options for voters. Is yours? See the comprehensive list of all vote-by-mail states below, and learn whether voting by mail is an option for you.
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 at their mailing addresses identified in their contact information in their voter registration. 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, and some of these elections are all-mail elections. States with all-mail elections generally don’t use provisional ballots.
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 one way that people can vote by mail in the United States. 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. Other states require people to have a reason to receive an absentee ballot (such as age, overseas military duty, etc.).
A 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 a primary election or a general election.
If you are voting absentee or by mail, your voted ballot needs to bear a postmark on or before election day and must be returned by the U.S. postal service. If you are voting absentee, you may be able to drop off your voted ballot at the county elections office or in an authorized ballot drop box.
A Comprehensive List of All Vote-By-Mail States
The list below shows which states will mail ballots to all registered voters during the 2020 election, which states allow absentee voting for everyone, and which states require a reason to vote absentee. It includes links you can use to access your state's absentee voting or mail-in-voting registration.
Note that in the following list, 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.
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
Typically, no-excuse absentee voting
Colorado
Voting is primarily conducted by mail
Connecticut
Typically, need to show a valid excuse to vote absentee in Connecticut
Delaware
Typically, need to show a valid excuse to vote absentee in Delaware
District of Columbia
Typically, 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
No-excuse absentee voting
Request a Georgia absentee ballot
Hawaii
Voting is primarily conducted through the mail
Idaho
No-excuse absentee voting
Request an Idaho absentee ballot
Illinois
No-excuse absentee voting
Request an Illinois absentee ballot
Indiana
Need to show a valid excuse to vote absentee in Indiana
Iowa
No-excuse absentee voting
Request an Iowa absentee ballot
Kansas
No-excuse absentee voting
Fill out an application for an 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
Maryland
No-excuse absentee voting
Request a Maryland absentee ballot
Massachusetts
- No-excuse absentee voting
Request a Massachusetts absentee ballot
Michigan
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
No-excuse absentee voting
Request a Montana absentee ballot
Nebraska
No-excuse absentee voting
Complete a Nebraska early voting application
Nevada
Typically, no-excuse absentee voting
Request a Nevada absentee ballot
New Hampshire
Need to show a valid excuse to vote absentee
New Jersey
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
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
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
No-excuse absentee voting
Apply for a Rhode Island absentee ballot
South Carolina
Need to show a valid excuse to vote absentee
South Dakota
No-excuse absentee voting
Download or request a South Dakota absentee ballot
Tennessee
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
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
*For the most up-to-date information, visit your state's Secretary of State's website.
Voting by Mail During COVID-19
The coronavirus pandemic disrupted all ways of life, including how states administer elections. Many states either postponed their primary or switched entirely to voting by mail to prevent the spread of COVID-19. States also took measures to allow citizens to vote absentee and by mail in the general election. Some states have retained their COVID-19 measures and allow liberal absentee voting and voting by mail.
Requirements to Vote by Mail
The specific requirements to vote by mail depend 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 on Election Day
Early Voting by Mail-in Ballot
Many states allow people to vote by mail if they will not be able to go to the polls on Election Day, such as because they are overseas voters. If you would like to vote early but do not want to submit a mail-in ballot, there are government offices where you can go to fill out your ballot. The National Conference of State Legislatures has a helpful guide that shows when early voting begins and ends.
Are Mail-In Ballots Counted? Is There Fraud?
There has been a lot of discussion about whether mail-in ballots are a potential source of fraud.
In states where voting is primarily conducted by mail — and has been for years — little fraud has been found. But ballots have been rejected, often because someone forgot to sign their ballot or their signature on the ballot did not match their signature on their voting file.
There is also some concern about whether the post office can handle the influx of mail. Will ballots make it to voters, and then election offices, on time? The United States Postmaster General has committed to ensuring all ballots will arrive on time. That leaves it up to voters to ensure they get their ballots in the mail on time.
How Do You Make Sure Your Mail-In Vote Counts?
Don't delay in requesting your ballot from your Secretary of State's website
Read all ballot instructions and note whether you need a witness and/or a notary
Fill in all ovals completely (no checkmarks)
If your signature has changed recently, change your signature on your voting file (usually by re-registering)
Sign your ballot
Mail your ballot in ASAP using the return envelope, at least two weeks before Election Day
Then sit back and await the election results
If your ballot is rejected, you will get a notification that you need to fix it. Respond immediately to that notification to ensure your vote is counted.
Federal Mail-In Voting Laws
Currently, the states determine who can vote by mail/vote absentee in statewide and federal elections. Federally, the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act requires states to allow members of the military and their spouses to vote absentee. The Act also covers U.S. citizens who live overseas.
If You Have Voting Questions, Consult a Lawyer
Because states’ laws vary, voting questions can get complicated. If you have questions about whether election officials at your board of elections are going to accept your absentee or regular ballot, consider speaking to an experienced civil rights attorney.
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