Absentee voting and vote-by-mail allow voting before Election Day by mail or drop-off. Learn how they are different, how to get a ballot in the U.S. or abroad, and meet deadlines.
States allow voters who cannot or do not want to vote in person to cast mail-in or drop off ballots through absentee voting or vote-by-mail programs. Absentee and mail-in ballots can be cast for both primary and general elections.
Absentee voting
Although most states have absentee voting, deadlines and rules on who can take part vary. Some states require an excuse to vote absentee. Others do not. In most states, you must request an absentee ballot to vote in each election. But in some states, you may qualify to sign up to receive absentee ballots for every election. Learn if your state offers permanent absentee voting.
Vote-by-mail
Instead of absentee voting programs, some states offer vote-by-mail (also known as all-mail) programs. They automatically send ballots to all registered voters in the state before Election Day. See which states offer vote-by-mail programs.
Get your ballot from your state or territory.
Visit Can I Vote and choose your state from the dropdown menu. It will take you right to your state’s absentee voting or vote-by-mail page.
Your state may require you to have a valid excuse to vote absentee. Acceptable excuses vary by state. Most include being:
- Unable to get to your polling place due to illness, injury, or disability
- On business travel or vacation outside of your county or city of residence on Election Day
- A student at an out-of-state college or university
Know your state’s absentee and vote-by-mail ballot deadlines
- Make sure you follow your state’s deadlines for requesting and returning your ballot. See your state’s voting deadlines. And note whether the deadline is for when your ballot must be postmarked or for when it must be received by the election office.
How to change your address if you are an absentee or vote-by-mail voter
If you have moved, you must update your voter registration with your new address before requesting an absentee or vote-by-mail ballot.
- In some states, you may need to submit a new voter registration form.
- In other states, there may be a form you can sign and mail letting your state’s election office know your address has changed.
- You may also be able to change your address online.
Contact your state or local election office to find out how to update your address.
Know your options for returning your absentee or vote-by-mail ballot
Contact your state or local election office to learn about other ways to return your ballot besides postal mail. Some states have ballot drop boxes. Many let you return your ballot in person at your local election office or another location.
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