1 | ALERT: While the Democracy Works team is doing its best to keep this page updated with COVID-19 changes, we recommend visiting your state's site for the most up-to-date information. You can also find useful links to check your registration status, vote by mail, and contact your local election official at alerts.howto.vote | ||||||||
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2 | State | Recent absentee voting changes and updates | More information about absentee voting | Is there excuse required to vote absentee? | Will all voters be proactively mailed absentee ballot applications? | Are voters eligible to vote absentee in upcoming primary and special elections because of the COVID-19 pandemic? | More information about voting absentee due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Guidelines for voting absentee due to COVID-19 | Direct absentee ballot application or vote by mail link |
3 | Alabama | Kallon’s ruling applies to the July 14 runoff and limits enforcement of certain voting restrictions on certain voters, including those at risk of serious illness from COVID-19 because of age or medical condition and those with disabilities | Yes | No | Yes | State law allows the Secretary of State to issue absentee voting guidance during declared states of emergency, allowing Secretary Merrill to encourage voters to check the box which reads as follows (in the case none of the boxes are appropriate): “I have a physical illness or infirmity which prevents my attendance at the polls. [ID REQUIRED]” | Any voter who does not wish to vote at their local polling place is eligible to apply for an absentee ballot under the box on the application that is most appropriate, and if none of the boxes are appropriate voters can check the box that reads: "I have a physical illness or infirmity which prevents my attendance at the polls." Please note that voters must submit a copy of valid ID with their application for an absentee ballot. | Form | |
4 | Alaska | State plans to mail absentee ballot applications to seniors | No | Only voters who are 65+ | No excuse required | Form | |||
5 | Arizona | https://azsos.gov/elections | No | Yes | No excuse required | Voters who do not mail back their ballot by the recommended deadline have until 7:00 p.m. on Election Day to drop off their ballot at their County Recorder’s Office or any ballot drop-box or voting location in the county. | URL | ||
6 | Arkansas | Governor OKs COVID as absentee excuse for November Election | Yes | No | Yes | Voters can use the excuse of being “unavoidably absent” to request an absentee ballot according to the Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston. | Form | ||
7 | California | Gov signs executive order to send every Californian a mail-in ballot for November election. | No | N/A (all mail) | No excuse required | Pursuant to Executive Order N-64-20, all registered voters will be sent a vote-by-mail ballot for the November 3, 2020, General Election. Registered voters do not have to apply for a vote-by-mail ballot for this election. | Vote-by-mail ballots that are mailed must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by your county elections office no later than 17 days after Election Day. If you are not sure your vote-by-mail ballot will arrive in time if mailed, bring it to any polling place in the state between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. | Form | |
8 | Colorado | N/A | N/A (all-mail) | Elections are all-mail | N/A | ||||
9 | Connecticut | Secretary of State releases CT voting plan, including mail-in absentee ballots amid pandemic | Yes | Yes | Yes | The Office of the Secretary of the State will provide an absentee ballot application to all eligible voters for the 2020 primary and general elections. | After processing by their town clerks, those who request absentee ballots will be provided with absentee ballots via a mail house contracted by the Office of the Secretary of the State. Secure drop boxes will be provided to every municipality so that absentee ballots may be deposited by voters. | Form | |
10 | Delaware | Governor John Carney signed into law House Bill 346 that allows voters to vote by mail in the 2020 primary, general and special elections. | Yes | Yes | Voting by mail is an alternative to in-person voting for all 2020 elections. | House Bill 346 makes voting by mail an alternative to in-person voting due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and establishes procedures for voting by mail which mirror the procedures for absentee voting. Voting by mail does not replace in-person voting, which will be available for those not voting by absentee or mail ballot. | Form | ||
11 | The District of Columbia | The D.C. Board of Elections says it will directly mail ballots to voters for the November general election. | No | N/A (all-mail) | No excuse required | Form | |||
12 | Florida | No | No | No excuse required | Contact clerk | ||||
13 | Georgia | No | No | No excuse required | Form | ||||
14 | Hawaii | N/A | N/A (all-mail) | Elections are all-mail | N/A | ||||
15 | Idaho | No | No | No excuse required | URL | ||||
16 | Illinois | 5 million Illinois voters to receive mail-in ballot applications after Gov. J.B. Pritzker signs temporary vote-by-mail expansion | No | Yes | No excuse required | All requests by mail must be received by the Election Authority by 10/29/2020. | URL | ||
17 | Indiana | No | No | Yes | URL | ||||
18 | Iowa | Iowa secretary of state to send absentee ballot applications to all registered voters | No | Yes | No excuse required | Form | |||
19 | Kansas | No | No | No excuse required | Form | ||||
20 | Kentucky | Kentucky election plan expands early voting, allows mail-in ballots for virus-concerned voters | Yes | No | Yes | An excuse is required. The fear of transmission of the virus is considered a "medical emergency" and falls under accepted excuses. | Absentee ballots can only be obtained by contacting the County Clerk’s office. | URL | |
21 | Louisiana | Federal judge rules in favor of expanded mail-in ballots for Louisiana November election | Yes | No | LA has expanded the reasons to request an absentee ballot | The ruling will allow Louisiana’s voters to request absentee ballots for the Nov. 3 general election and Dec. 5 runoff if they personally certify they are COVID-positive, quarantining pending COVID-19 test results, at greater risk because of comorbidities or caring for someone who fits those criteria. | Form | ||
22 | Maine | No | No | No excuse required | URL | ||||
23 | Maryland | Maryland to open all polling places on Election Day, mail application for absentee ballot to each voter | No | Yes | No excuse required | Form | |||
24 | Massachusetts | SEC issues updated guidance on applying for an absentee ballot due to COVID | Yes | Yes | No excuse required for voting by mail | Voting by mail is available to all voters for all elections in 2020. You do not need an excuse to vote by mail this year. | Applications must reach your local election office by August 26 for the State Primary. Applications must reach your local election office by October 28 for the State Election. | Form | |
25 | Michigan | All state registered voters to be mailed Aug., Nov. absentee ballot applications | No | Yes | No excuse required | Form | |||
26 | Minnesota | No | No | No excuse required | All eligible Minnesota voters may request an absentee ballot for the primary and general elections at mnvotes.org. The online application will ask for an e-mail address and an identification number, either a Minnesota-issued driver's license, Minnesota ID card, or last 4 digits of Social Security Number. | Form | |||
27 | Mississippi | Mississippi justices: No broad absentee voting amid COVID-19 | Yes | No | Excuses have been expanded due to COVID. | New statute allows registered voters to cast an absentee ballot if they are under a physician-imposed quarantine or if they are taking care of someone under quarantine because of COVID-19. | Contact clerk | ||
28 | Missouri | Yes | No | No | Form | ||||
29 | Montana | Nearly 40 Montana counties opt for all-mail ballots for November election | No | No excuse required | Form | ||||
30 | Nebraska | Nebraska Secretary of State to send ballot request forms to every registered voter | No | Yes | No excuse required | Form | |||
31 | Nevada | Nevada approves plan to mail ballots to all registered voters | No | N/A (All Mail) | No excuse required | On August 3, 2020, Governor Steve Sisolak signed AB4 into law, directing election officials to distribute mail-in ballots automatically to all active registered voters in the November 3, 2020, general election. | Form | ||
32 | New Hampshire | SOS and AG say any voter may vote absentee | Yes | No | Yes | Any voter who is unable to vote in person in the September 8, 2020 Primary Election or the November 3, 2020 General Election because of illness from COVID-19 or who fears that voting in person may expose himself/herself or others to COVID-19 will be deemed to come within the definition of “disability” for purposes of obtaining an absentee ballot. | Any voter who does not wish to vote at their local polling place is eligible to apply for an absentee ballot under the box on the application that is most appropriate, and if none of the boxes are appropriate voters can check the box that reads: “I am unable to vote in person due to a disability;” or “I cannot appear at any time during polling hours at my polling place because of an employment obligation. For the purposes of this application, the term "employment shall include the care of children and infirm adults, with or without compensation.” | Form | |
33 | New Jersey | New Jersey Will Hold Mail-in Election in November, Over Trump’s Objections | No | N/A (All Mail) | No excuse required | URL | |||
34 | New Mexico | No | No | No excuse required | URL | ||||
35 | New York | Cuomo signs bill to expand absentee voting in New York | Yes | No | Yes | S.8015-D/A.10833 Authorizes Voters to Request an Absentee Ballot Due to Risk of Illness, Including COVID | Form | ||
36 | North Carolina | No | No | No excuse required | Form | ||||
37 | North Dakota | No | No | No excuse required | URL | ||||
38 | Ohio | No | No | No excuse required | The deadline to request an absentee ballot is three days before the election in which you want to vote, but voters can submit their application any time. If mailed, absentee ballots must be postmarked by the day before the election in order to be counted. You can also return your absentee ballot in-person to your county board of elections before the close of the polls at 7:30pm on Election Day. | Form | |||
39 | Oklahoma | Oklahoma Supreme Court strikes down requirement for absentee ballots to be notarized | No | No | New criteria introduced in response to COVID | Senate Bill 210 allows registered voters who meet certain new COVID-19 criteria to claim “physically incapacitated” status for absentee voting at elections held during calendar year 2020. Absentee ballot affidavits for “physically incapacitated” voters and their caregivers are verified by two witnesses – no notarization is required. (Note: If a state of emergency for COVID-19 is in effect, a voter also has the option of verifying an absentee ballot affidavit by including a copy of valid identification. Learn more here.) | Voters who meet one or more of the following criteria may apply for an absentee ballot identifying themselves on as a “physically incapacitated” when they apply for absentee ballots: -The voter has tested positive for COVID-19 and is receiving medical treatment or is in quarantine ordered by a personal physician or by the county health department. -The voter has been tested for COVID-19 and is either in quarantine or is self-isolating while waiting for the test results. -The voter has symptoms of COVID-19, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control, and has been advised by a personal physician or a county health department to quarantine or self-isolate. -The voter is a member of a group considered at “higher risk of severe illness” due to age or underlying health conditions and is subject to a “stay at home” or “safer at home” or similar order by the Governor or by an authorized municipal authority. -The voter has received a written recommendation from a personal physician that due to an underlying health condition the voter should not leave his or her home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | URL | |
40 | Oregon | N/A | N/A (all-mail) | Elections are all-mail | N/A | ||||
41 | Pennsylvania | By-Mail Voting Encouraged by Secretary of State | Yes | No | Yes, all voters can vote by mail with a no-excuse mail ballot | If you plan to be out of the municipality on election day or if you have a disability or illness, you should request an absentee ballot, which still requires you to list a reason for your ballot. If you aren't an absentee voter, you may apply for a mail-in ballot. You may simply request this ballot without a reason. | Voters should request a no-excuse required mail-in ballot if they do not qualify for an absentee ballot. | URL | |
42 | Rhode Island | Gorbea Announces All Active RI Voters to Receive Mail Ballot Applications for November | Yes | Yes | Yes | Rhode Island allows a voter to apply for an absentee ballot for "No specific reason necessary: If you may not be able to get to the polls on Election Day, you can fill out a mail ballot application and receive a mail ballot." | Any voter who does not wish to vote at their local polling place is eligible to apply for an absentee ballot under the box on the application that is most appropriate, and if none of the boxes are appropriate voters can check the box that reads: "4. I may not be able to vote at my polling place in my city/town on the day of the election." | Form | |
43 | South Carolina | Yes | No | Yes | All voters are now qualified to vote absentee under the "State of Emergency" reason. | URL | |||
44 | South Dakota | No | Voters had the option to request a ballot for the general on the application sent earlier this year | No excuse required | Form | ||||
45 | Tennessee | Tennessee updates mail voting application after court ruling | Yes | No | No | Secretary of State Tre Hargett’s office says voters who have underlying health conditions particularly susceptible to COVID-19 can get absentee ballots by selecting the “illness or physical disability” on the application. Caretakers of those voters can select the caretaker excuse. The application itself doesn’t mention underlying health conditions or COVID-19, but the secretary of state’s website does. | URL | ||
46 | Texas | Texas Supreme Court: Lack of immunity to coronavirus alone isn’t enough for mail-in ballot | Yes | No | No | Form | |||
47 | Utah | N/A | N/A (all-mail) | Elections are all-mail | URL | ||||
48 | Vermont | For the General: A ballot will be mailed to every active voter on the statewide voter checklist. | No | N/A (all-mail) | No excuse required | For the General, the Secretary of State will use the mailing address contained in any pending request for a General Election ballot first, and if none will use the mailing address in the voter’s record second, and if none the legal address in the voter’s record. | Postage for the mailing of ballots and the return of ballots to the Clerks by voters will be paid by the Secretary of State’s office. All envelopes will be pre-paid. | URL | |
49 | Virginia | Voters are exempted from a requirement that anyone submitting an absentee ballot must have the ballot signed by a witness in June primary | Yes | No | Yes | The Virginia Department of Elections has updated their homepage and absentee voting page to read that voters may choose reason "2A My disability or illness" for Absentee voting in the May 2020 elections due to COVID-19. | Any voter who does not wish to vote at their local polling place is eligible to apply for an absentee ballot under the excuse that is most appropriate, and if none of the boxes are appropriate voters can use excuse "2A My disability or illness." | URL | |
50 | Washington | N/A | N/A (all-mail) | Elections are all-mail | N/A | ||||
51 | West Virginia | West Virginia Secretary of State: All voters eligible to request absentee ballot for November election | Yes | Unknown for the General | Yes | Secretary of State declared that due to the COVID-19 pandemic voters can apply for an absentee ballot for: "illness, injury or other medical reason which keeps me confined." | Any voter who does not wish to vote at their local polling place is eligible to apply for an absentee ballot under the box on the application that is most appropriate, and if none of the boxes are appropriate voters can check the box that reads: "Illness, injury or other medical reason which keeps me confined." | Form | |
52 | Wisconsin | Wisconsin Elections Commission Votes To Send Absentee Ballot Applications To 2.7M Voters | No | Yes | No excuse required | URL | |||
53 | Wyoming | Wyoming Secretary of State sends absentee ballot request forms to voters | No | Voters had the option to request a ballot for the general on the application sent earlier this year | No excuse required | Form | |||