How to vote via absentee ballot in 2020 election on Nov. 3
Due to COVID-19, some states have expanded voting by mail as an option.
The 2020 presidential election on Tuesday, Nov. 3 is poised to be unlike any other with the country in the midst of a global pandemic. Due to COVID-19, states have been reviewing their election plans and some have expanded voting by mail as an option for those who are concerned about possible exposure.
There are only five states still requiring an excuse beyond COVID-19 concerns to request an absentee/mail ballot: Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas.
Before you can register to vote by mail, first make sure you're registered to vote in your state. (See state-by-state voter registration deadlines here.)
Next, for those interested in voting by mail, check the full guide below for information on your state's rules and the deadlines to apply for a mail-in ballot either in person or by mail.
Alabama
Deadline to apply:
Citizens must provide a reason for voting absentee.
COVID-19 Voting Guidelines: Any Alabama resident concerned about COVID-19 may apply for an absentee ballot for the upcoming municipal elections, according to guidance issued by the Alabama secretary of state.
Other Excuses: You will be absent from the county on Election Day. You are ill or have a physical disability that prevents a trip to the polling place. You are a registered Alabama voter who is temporarily living outside the county (such as a member of the armed forces, a voter employed outside of the United States, a college student, or a spouse or child of such a person). You are an appointed election officer or poll watcher at a polling place other than your regular polling place. You work a required shift -- 10 hours or more -- that coincides with polling hours. You are a caregiver for a family member who is confined to the home. You are incarcerated but otherwise eligible to vote.
Alaska
Deadline to apply:
Citizens do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Arizona
Deadline to apply:
Citizens do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Arkansas
Deadline to apply:
Citizens must provide a reason for voting absentee.
COVID-19 Voting Guidelines: All voters in Arkansas may vote by mail using an absentee ballot if they have health concerns due to COVID-19, according to a statement by the governor. Check your state's website for latest guidance.
Other Excuses:
You will be unavoidably absent from your polling site on Election Day. You will be unable to attend your polling site on Election Day due to illness or physical disability. You are a member of the U.S. armed forces, merchant marines or the spouse of a dependent family member. You are a U.S. citizen whose permanent residence is in Arkansas, but who is temporarily living outside the United States.
California
Deadline to apply:
Citizens do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
COVID-19 Voting Guidelines: For the Nov. 3 general election, every registered voter will receive a ballot in the mail by executive order.
Colorado
Deadline to apply:
Citizens vote by mail in all elections.
Connecticut
Deadline to apply:
Citizens must provide a reason for voting absentee.
Excuses:
You will be absent from town during all the hours of voting
You have an illness that prevents you from voting in person
You have a physical disability that prevents you from voting in person
You are on active duty within the U.S. military
Your religious tenets forbid secular (non-religious) activity on Election Day
You are required to perform duties as a primary, referendum or election official at a polling place other than your own during all the hours of voting on Election Day
Delaware
Deadline to apply:
Citizens must provide a reason for voting absentee.
Excuses:
You are in the public service of the United States or the state of Delaware and are unable to come to the polls
Your business or occupation prevents you from coming to the polls, including if your occupation is the care of a family member who is at home due to illness, disability or injury
You are a student who is away at college or university
You are incarcerated but otherwise eligible to vote
You are on vacation
The tenets or teachings of your religion prevent you from coming to the polls
You are experiencing a temporary or permanent illness or physical disability
District of Columbia
Deadline to apply:
Due to the pandemic, Washington, D.C., is automatically mailing ballots to all voters. Ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 3 and received by Nov. 13. You can also drop off your ballot in person at a vote center or ballot drop box by Nov. 3.
Florida
Deadline to apply:
Citizens do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
COVID-19 Voting Guidelines:As a reminder, voters may designate someone else to pick up their ballot for them. Refer to the Florida Department of Elections website for instructions on how to complete this process.
Georgia
Deadline to apply:
Citizens do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Hawaii
Deadline to apply:
Citizens vote by mail in all elections.
COVID-19 Voting Guidelines:Starting with the primary election on Aug. 8: All properly registered voters will automatically receive a mail ballot packet approximately 18 days prior to the election.
Idaho
Deadline to apply:
Citizens do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Illinois
Deadline to apply:
Citizens do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Indiana
Deadline to apply:
Citizens must provide a reason for voting absentee.
Excuses:
You have a specific, reasonable expectation that you will be absent from the county on Election Day during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open (6 a.m. until 6 p.m.)
You have a disability
You are at least 65 years of age
You will have official election duties outside of your voting precinct
You are scheduled to work at your regular place of employment during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open
You will be confined due to illness or injury or you will be caring for an individual confined due to illness or injury during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open
You are prevented from voting because of a religious discipline or religious holiday during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open
You are a participant in the state's address confidentiality program
You are a serious sex offender as defined in Indiana Code 35-42-4-14(a)
You are a member of the military or a public safety officer
You are prevented from voting due to the unavailability of transportation to the polls
You are eligible under the relevant provisions of state law to vote at your place of previous registration
Deadline to apply:
Citizens do not need to prove a reason for voting absentee.
Kansas
Deadline to apply:
Citizens do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Kentucky
Deadline to apply:
Citizens must provide a reason for voting absentee.
Excuses:
You are advanced in age, disabled or ill
You are military personnel or their dependent, or an overseas citizen
You are a student who temporarily resides outside the county
You are a voter who temporarily resides outside of Kentucky and who maintains eligibility to vote in Kentucky, such as a "snowbird"
You are incarcerated, but not yet convicted of a crime
You are employed outside of the county all hours the polling place is open
You are a program participant in the Department of State's Address Confidentiality Program
You can vote by absentee ballot in-person in Kentucky if:
You will be out of the county on Election Day
You are advanced in age, disabled or ill
You are a military personnel, their dependent or an overseas citizen
You are a military personnel confined to base and learn of your confinement within seven days or less of an election
You are a student or resident who temporarily resides outside of the county
You are a voter or the spouse of a voter who has surgery scheduled that will require hospitalization on Election Day
You are a pregnant woman in third trimester
You are a precinct election officer appointed to serve in precinct other than his own, an alternate precinct election officer, County Board of Elections’ members or staff, deputy county clerk or State Board of Elections’ staff
Louisiana
Deadline to apply:
Citizens must provide a reason for voting absentee.
Excuses:
You are a student or teacher located and living outside of your parish of registration or the spouse/dependent thereof
You are 65 years of age or older
You are a minister, priest, rabbi or other member of the clergy assigned outside of your parish of registration, or the spouse/dependent thereof
You are or expect to be temporarily outside the territorial limits of the state or absent from your parish of registration during the early voting period and on Election Day
You moved your residence to another parish more than 100 miles from the parish seat of your former residence after the voter registration books closed (the books close 30 days prior to Election Day)
You are involuntarily confined in an institution for mental treatment outside your parish of registration and you are not interdicted and not judicially declared incompetent
You expect to be hospitalized on Election Day and did not have knowledge until after the time for early voting had expired; you were hospitalized during the time for early voting and you expect to be hospitalized on Election Day; or you were either hospitalized or restricted to bed by your physician during early voting and on Election Day
You work or expect to be offshore working and expect to be out of your precinct of registration both during the early voting period and on Election Day because of your employment or occupation
You are incarcerated in an institution inside or outside of your parish of registration and you are not serving time for a felony conviction
You are a program participant in the Department of State's Address Confidentiality Program
You will be sequestered on the day of Election Day
You are the secretary of state, an employee of the secretary of state or an employee of the registrar of voters
Maine
Deadline to apply:
Citizens do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Maryland
Deadline to apply:
Citizens do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Massachusetts
Deadline to apply:
Citizens must provide a reason for voting absentee.
In addition to absentee voting, Massachusetts has early voting by mail available with the following deadlines:
COVID-19 Voting Guidelines:A recent bill has clarified that voters taking precautions related to COVID-19 are qualified to vote by absentee ballot. Multiple special elections have been postponed: voters should check the Secretary of State's COVID-19 page for details. Local elections may be postponed by towns: voters should check with their town clerk for details.
Michigan
Deadline to apply:
Citizens do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Minnesota
Deadline to apply:
Citizens do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Mississippi
Deadline to apply:
Citizens must provide a reason for voting absentee.
Excuses:
You will be away from your county on Election Day for any reason
You are a student, teacher or administrator at a school whose studies or employment there necessitates your absence from your county on Election Day; or you are the spouse or dependent thereof
You have a temporary or permanent physical disability that renders you unable to vote in person without substantial hardship
You are the parent, spouse or dependent of a person with a temporary or permanent physical disability who is hospitalized outside of their county of residence or more than 50 miles away, and you (the parent, spouse or dependent) will be with that person on Election Day
You are 65 years of age or older
You will be unable to vote in person because you are required to be at work on Election Day during the times at which the polls will be open
You are a member, spouse or dependent of the congressional delegation
You are a disabled war veteran (or spouse or dependent of such a person) in a hospital
You are a member (or spouse or dependent of such a person) of the Merchant Marine or American Red Cross
Missouri
Deadline to apply:
Editor’s Note: This story has been corrected to clarify that there can be differences between absentee voting and "mail-in voting" and "by-mail voting" in some states. We regret the error. Please check for the latest information on how to vote in your state in FiveThirtyEight's updated map here.
Citizens must provide a reason for voting absentee.
COVID-19 Voting Guidelines:For all 2020 elections, any registered Missouri voter can apply for a mail-in ballot and vote by mail because of a bill the governor signed which only applies to elections this year. Note: Generally Missouri mail-in ballot voters will be required to submit a notarized statement with their ballot, however, in limited instances, including for voters who have contracted or are at-risk of contracting COVID-19 because of specific health concerns, a voter may cast a mail-in ballot without notarization. For mail-in ballot applications where the individual is a new resident, intrastate new resident or interstate former resident, the application must be signed in the presence of a notary.
Other Excuses for Absentee Ballot:
You will be absent from your voting jurisdiction on Election Day
You are incapacitated or confined due to illness or physical disability, or primarily responsible for caring for a person who is incapacitated or confined due to illness or disability
You are restricted by religious belief or practice
You are employed as or by an Election Day authority at a location other than your polling place
You are incarcerated, but have retained all your voting qualifications
You are a program participant in the Department of State's Address Confidentiality Program
Montana
Deadline to apply:
Citizens do not need to prove a reason for voting absentee.
Nebraska
Deadline to apply:
Citizens do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Nevada
Deadline to apply:
Citizens do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
New Hampshire
Deadline to apply:
Citizens must provide a reason for voting absentee.
COVID-19 Voting Guidelines:For the 2020 primary and general elections, any New Hampshire voter can apply for an absentee ballot and vote by mail.
Other Excuses:
You will be absent on the day of any state election from the county, city or town in which you are registered to vote
You are unable appear in public on Election Day because of your observance of a religious commitment
You are unable to vote in person by reason of physical disability
You are unable to vote in person by reason of military service
You are unable to appear at any time during polling hours at your polling place because an employment obligation (including the care of children or infirm adults, with or without compensation) requires you to remain physically at work or to be in transit to or from work from the time the polls open until after the time the polls close
New Jersey
Deadline to apply:
Citizens do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
New Mexico
Deadline to apply:
Citizens do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
New York
On August 21, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed sweeping election reforms that will make it easier for New Yorkers to vote in November.
Ballots with a postmark demonstrating that they were mailed on or before Election Day will be counted if received by November 10.This legislation gives voters the right to request an absentee ballot due to risk of illness to themselves or others.
Deadline to apply:
Citizens can request an absentee ballot due to risk of illness, including COVID-19.
Excuses:
Absent from your county or, if a resident of New York City, absent from New York City, on Election Day
Unable to appear at the polls due to illness or physical disability or because you are the primary caregiver of one or more individuals who are ill or physically disabled
A resident or patient of a Veterans Health Administration Hospital
Detained in jail awaiting grand jury action or confined in prison after conviction for an offense other than a felony
North Carolina
Deadline to apply:
Citizens do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
North Dakota
Deadline to apply:
Citizens do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Ohio
Deadline to apply:
Citizens do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Oklahoma
Deadline to apply:
Citizens do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Oregon
Deadline to apply:
Citizens vote by mail in all elections.
Pennsylvania
Deadline to apply:
Citizens do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Rhode Island
Deadline to apply:
Citizens do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
South Carolina
Deadline to apply:
Citizens must provide a reason for voting absentee.
Excuses:
You may vote by absentee ballot in South Carolina if you will be away from the county of your residence on Election Day and one of the following:
You are a student away at college (or a spouse or dependent residing with the student)
You are serving with the American Red Cross or with the United Service Organization and are attached to and serving with the armed forces (or a spouse or dependent residing with such a person)
You are a government employee (or a spouse or dependent residing with such a person)
You are on vacation
You live overseas
You may vote by absentee ballot in South Carolina whether or not you will be away from the county of your residence if:
You are physically disabled
Your job prevents you from voting
You are a certified poll watcher, poll manager or county election official and you will be working on Election Day
You are attending to sick or physically disabled persons
You have been admitted to the hospital as an emergency patient on day of election or at least four days prior to Election Day
There has been a death or funeral in your family within three days before Election Day
You are on jury duty in state or federal court on Election Day
You are 65 or older
You are confined to a jail or pre-trial facility pending disposition of arrest or trial
You are a member of the armed forces or Merchant Marines (or a spouse or dependent residing with such a person)
South Dakota
Deadline to apply:
Citizens do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Tennessee
Deadline to apply:
Citizens must provide a reason for voting absentee.
COVID-19 Voting Guidelines:You must have an excuse to vote absentee by-mail in the general election. See valid excuses here, such as if you're age 60 or older, you're hospitalized, ill, physically disabled or have underlying medical or health conditions which make you more susceptible to contracting COVID-19 or at greater risk as proven by your physician, or you are the caretaker of a person who fits this criteria.
Other Excuses:
You will be outside the county of registration during the early voting period and all day on Election Day
You or your spouse are enrolled as a full-time student in an accredited college or university but outside the county of registration
You will be unable to vote in person due to service as a juror for a federal or state court
You are 60 years of age or older
You have a physical disability and an inaccessible polling place
You are hospitalized, ill or physically disabled and because of such condition, cannot vote in person
You are the caretaker of a person who is hospitalized, ill, or disabled
You are a candidate for office in the election
You serve as an Election Day official or as a member or employee of Election Day commission
You will be observing a religious holiday which prevents you from voting in person during the early voting period and on Election Day
You or your spouse possess a valid commercial drivers license or Transportation Worker Identification Credential and you certify that you will be working outside the state or county of registration during the early voting period and all day on Election Day
You are a member of the military or an overseas citizen
a licensed physician has filed a statement with the county election commission stating that, in the physician's judgment, you are medically unable to vote in person. The statement must be filed not less than five days before Election Day and signed under the penalty of perjury
You reside in a licensed facility providing relatively permanent domiciliary care, other than a penal institution, outside the voter's county of residence
If you are one of the last two, you can apply to be a permanent absentee voter
Texas
Deadline to apply:
Citizens must provide a reason for voting absentee.
COVID-19 Voting Guidelines:Early voting for the general election has been extended. It will begin on Oct. 13 and run through Oct. 30.
Excuses:
You are 65 years or older
You are disabled
You will be out of the county on Election Day and during the period for early voting by personal appearanceYou are confined in jail, but otherwise eligible, or certified for participation in the address confidentiality program
Utah
Deadline to apply:
Citizens vote by mail in all elections.
Vermont
Deadline to apply:
Citizens do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Virginia
Deadline to apply:
Citizens do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Washington
Deadline to apply:
Citizens vote by mail in all elections.
West Virginia
Deadline to apply:
Citizens must provide a reason for voting absentee.
COVID-19 Voting Guidelines:All West Virginia voters will be able to cite concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic as reason to request an absentee ballot for the November general election, according to Secretary of State Mac Warner.
Other Excuses:
All registered West Virginia voters may vote by absentee ballot in person during the period of early voting. You may vote by absentee ballot by mail in West Virginia if:
You will be absent from the county during both the early voting period and Election Day because of personal or business travel or attendance at a college, university or other place of education or training
employment that makes voting in person impossible because of the hours worked and distance from the county seat
You are confined to a specific location and prevented from voting in person due to an illness, injury, other medical reason, physical disability or advanced age
You are incarcerated or detained in jail or a home on Election Day, but not under conviction of any felony, of treason or of bribery (including any period of probation or parole)
You are a participant in the Address Confidentiality Program (ACP) with the Office of the Secretary of State
The county absentee voting office and your polling place are inaccessible to you due to your physical disability
Wisconsin
Deadline to apply:
Citizens do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Wyoming
Deadline to apply:
Citizens do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Visit iamavoter.com to check your voter registration status and to receive important election information.
Editor’s Note: This story has been corrected to clarify that there can be differences between absentee voting and "mail-in voting" and "by-mail voting" in some states. We regret the error. Please check for the latest information on how to vote in your state in FiveThirtyEight's updated map here.