Absentee voting or voting by mail

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class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/web/20230903023807/https://www.usa.gov/election"> Presidential election process </a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/web/20230903023807/https://www.usa.gov/inauguration"> Inauguration of the president </a> </li> <li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/web/20230903023807/https://www.usa.gov/election-results"> Results of past elections </a> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> </nav> </aside> <div class="usa-layout-docs__main usa-prose desktop:grid-col-8"> <h1 class="text-red" id="skip-to-h1"> <span>Absentee voting or voting by mail</span> </h1> <div id="block-usagov-content" class="block block-system block-system-main-block"> <div class="content-wrapper"> <div class="usa-prose"> <p class="usa-intro"> Absentee voting allows you to vote before Election Day by mail or drop box. Learn how to get an absentee ballot, cast your vote, and meet voting deadlines. </p> </div> <div class="usa-prose body-copy"><p>Although every state has absentee voting, deadlines and rules on who can take part vary. In most states, you will need to request an absentee ballot to vote in each election. But in some states, you may qualify to receive absentee ballots permanently. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230903023807/https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/table-3-states-with-permanent-absentee-voting-lists">Learn if you can vote absentee for every election in your state.</a></p> <div data-embed-button="paragraphs" data-entity-label="USWDS Components" data-paragraph-id="e1fbc600-9a81-4305-a8ca-d96ed7d4cecf" data-langcode="en" data-view-mode="embed" data-entity-embed-display="entity_reference:entity_reference_entity_view" data-entity-embed-display-settings="embed" data-entity-type="embedded_paragraphs" data-entity-uuid="e1fbc600-9a81-4305-a8ca-d96ed7d4cecf" class="embedded-entity"> <div class="field field--name-paragraph field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__item"> <div class="usa-accordion paragraph paragraph--type--uswds-accordion paragraph--view-mode--embed paragraph--id--1087">  <h2 class="usa-accordion__heading"> <button class="usa-accordion__button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="1087-0"> How to vote absentee if you live in the U.S. </button> </h2> <div id="1087-0" class="usa-accordion__content usa-prose" hidden="until-found"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--text-field paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--1083"> <div class="paragraph__column"> <div class="field field--name-field-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Get your absentee ballot from your state or territory.聽</p> <p>Visit聽<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230903023807/https://www.nass.org/can-i-vote/absentee-early-voting">Can I Vote</a>聽and choose your state from the dropdown menu. It will take you right to your state's absentee voting page.</p> <p>Your state may require you to have a valid excuse to vote absentee. Acceptable excuses vary by state. Most include:</p> <ul><li>Being unable to get to your polling place due to illness, injury, or disability</li> <li>Being on business travel or vacation outside of your county or city of residence on Election Day</li> <li>Being a student at an out-of-state college or university</li> </ul><h4>Know your state鈥檚 absentee ballot deadlines</h4> <ul><li> <p>Make sure you follow your state鈥檚 deadlines for requesting and returning your absentee ballot.聽<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230903023807/https://www.usvotefoundation.org/state-election-dates-and-deadlines">See your state鈥檚 absentee voting deadlines</a>.聽And note whether the deadline is for when your ballot must be postmarked or for when it must be received by the elections office.</p> </li> </ul><h4>You received an absentee ballot but want to vote in person</h4> <ul><li> <p>You might be able to vote in person on Election Day, even if you received a mail-in ballot. Every state has different rules, so check with your聽<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230903023807/https://www.usvotefoundation.org/election-offices">state or local election office</a>聽for the specific procedures. Typically:</p> <ul><li> <p>You would聽take your absentee ballot to your designated polling place on Election Day.</p> </li> <li> <p>Depending on your state's rules, you might exchange your uncast absentee ballot for an in-person ballot, or complete your absentee ballot and hand it in, or cast a provisional ballot.聽</p> </li> </ul></li> </ul><h4>Know your options for returning your absentee ballot</h4> <p>Check with your聽<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230903023807/https://www.usvotefoundation.org/vote/eoddomestic.htm">state or local election office</a>聽to learn about other ways to return your absentee 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.聽</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <h2 class="usa-accordion__heading"> <button class="usa-accordion__button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="1087-1"> How to vote absentee if you are in the military or outside of the U.S. </button> </h2> <div id="1087-1" class="usa-accordion__content usa-prose" hidden="until-found"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--text-field paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--1085"> <div class="paragraph__column"> <div class="field field--name-field-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><h4>Who can and cannot vote absentee</h4> <ul><li> <p>Military members and families stationed outside their legal voting residence can vote absentee.</p> </li> </ul><ul><li> <p>U.S. citizens outside of the U.S. who used to live in the U.S. can vote absentee.</p> </li> </ul><ul><li> <p>U.S. citizens born abroad who have never resided in the U.S. may not be able to vote absentee. Check聽<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230903023807/https://www.fvap.gov/citizen-voter/reside">the rules of the state where the person鈥檚 parent or legal guardian last resided</a>.</p> </li> </ul><h4>Register and request an absentee ballot in one step</h4> <p>If you are a military or U.S. citizen outside of the U.S., you can register to vote and request an absentee ballot in one step. Complete the聽<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230903023807/https://www.fvap.gov/fpca-privacy-notice">Federal Post Card Application (FCPA) online</a>. You must聽<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230903023807/https://www.fvap.gov/info/laws/voting-residence">know your voting residence</a>聽for this.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="views-element-container settings-tray-editable block block-views block-views-blockwizard-step-test-block-1" id="block-views-block-wizard-step-test-block-1" data-drupal-settingstray="editable"> <div><div class="js-view-dom-id-0759add8a519e2cd590778ab99d7e0c048c32378c50b6c7fb557533ae24bc029"> </div> </div> </div> <div class="additional_body_info"> <p id="last-updated">LAST UPDATED: August 17, 2023 </p> <div id="sm-share"> <span id="share-page">SHARE THIS PAGE:</span> <div class="share-icons"> <a aria-labelledby="share-page fb" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230903023807/http://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.usa.gov/absentee-voting&v=3"> <div class="share-icon-div"> <img class="share-icon" id="fb" src="/web/20230903023807im_/https://www.usa.gov/themes/custom/usagov/images/Facebook_Icon.svg" alt="Facebook"/> </div> </a> <a aria-labelledby="share-page twr" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230903023807/http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?source=webclient&text=https://www.usa.gov/absentee-voting"> <div class="share-icon-div"> <img class="share-icon" id="twr" src="/web/20230903023807im_/https://www.usa.gov/themes/custom/usagov/images/Twitter_Icon.svg " alt="Twitter"/> </div> </a> <a aria-labelledby="share-page em" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230903023807/mailto:/?subject=https://www.usa.gov/absentee-voting"> <div class="share-icon-div"> <img class="share-icon" id="em" src="/web/20230903023807im_/https://www.usa.gov/themes/custom/usagov/images/Email_Icon.svg" alt="Email"/> </div> </a> </div> </div> <div class="border-top-05 border-base-lightest"></div> <div id="question-box"> <div class="border-left-1 padding-left-205 border-cyan-10 margin-top-8 margin-bottom-9 padding-bottom-2"> <h2 class="font-family-heading margin-top-0"> Have a question? </h2> <p>Ask a real person any government-related question for free. 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