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Absentee/mail-in voting
From Ballotpedia
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Absentee/mail-in voting is voting that does not happen in person on Election Day but instead occurs another way (generally by mail). All states allow for some form of absentee/mail-in balloting. Some states require voters to provide a valid excuse to vote absentee/by mail, while others allow any eligible voter to cast an absentee/mail-in ballot.[1][2]
HIGHLIGHTS
Absentee/mail-in voting procedures
Background
Every state provides for some method whereby voters can cast ballots without visiting a physical polling place. The terms absentee voting, voting by mail, all-mall voting, or voting from home are sometimes used to describe these methods, which can be divided into two categories: automatic mail-in ballot systems and request-required mail-in ballot systems.
Automatic mail-in ballot systems
Automatic mail-in ballot systems mandate that all eligible voters receive either a ballot or ballot application by default. These are sometimes referred to as all-mail voting systems. Access to mail-in voting is not restricted to voters meeting certain eligibility criteria.
- Automatic mail-in ballots: Officials automatically transmit mail-in ballots to all eligible voters. Voters may return these ballots by mail or by using designated deposit sites. Limited in-person voting is generally available, although the number of polling sites and terms of accessibility vary from state to state.
- Automatic mail-in ballot applications: Officials automatically transmit mail-in ballot applications to all eligible voters. A voter must in turn submit a completed application in order to receive a ballot. The voter then returns the completed ballot by mail or by using designated deposit sites. In-person voting is widely available, but it is not necessarily the dominant means by voters cast their ballots.
Request-required mail-in ballot systems
Request-required mail-in ballot systems require that eligible voters initiate the process for receiving, and casting, mail-in ballots. These have traditionally been described as absentee voting systems. Access to mail-in voting may be restricted to voters meeting certain eligibility criteria.
- No excuse required: Any voter may request a mail-in ballot. Generally, a voter must first submit an application in order to receive a ballot. The voter may then return the completed ballot by mail or by using a designated deposit site. In-person voting is dominant.
- Excuse required: A voter must meet eligibility criteria in order to qualify for a mail-in ballot. Generally, a voter must first submit an application in order to receive a ballot. The voter may then return the completed ballot by mail or by using a designated deposit site. In-person voting is dominant.
Absentee/mail-in voting procedures by state
The table below summarizes existing statutory absentee/mail-in voting procedures in the states.
| Absentee/mail-in voting procedures by state | ||
|---|---|---|
| State | Absentee/mail-in voting type | Description |
| Alabama | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | Excuse required. |
| Alaska | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | No excuse required. |
| Arizona | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | No excuse required. |
| Arkansas | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | Excuse required. |
| California | Automatic mail-in voting | Every voter receives a mail-in ballot by default. |
| Colorado | Automatic mail-in voting | Every voter receives a mail-in ballot by default. |
| Connecticut | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | Excuse required. |
| Delaware | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | Excuse required. |
| Florida | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | No excuse required. |
| Georgia | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | No excuse required. |
| Hawaii | Automatic mail-in voting | Every voter receives a mail-in ballot by default. |
| Idaho | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | No excuse required. |
| Illinois | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | No excuse required. |
| Indiana | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | Excuse required. |
| Iowa | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | No excuse required. |
| Kansas | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | No excuse required. |
| Kentucky | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | Excuse required. |
| Louisiana | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | Excuse required. |
| Maine | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | No excuse required. |
| Maryland | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | No excuse required. |
| Massachusetts | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | No excuse required. |
| Michigan | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | No excuse required. |
| Minnesota | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | No excuse required. |
| Mississippi | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | Excuse required. |
| Missouri | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | Excuse required. |
| Montana | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | No excuse required. |
| Nebraska | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | No excuse required. |
| Nevada | Automatic mail-in voting | Every voter receives a mail-in ballot by default. |
| New Hampshire | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | Excuse required. |
| New Jersey | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | No excuse required. |
| New Mexico | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | No excuse required. |
| New York | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | No excuse required. |
| North Carolina | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | No excuse required. |
| North Dakota | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | No excuse required. |
| Ohio | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | No excuse required. |
| Oklahoma | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | No excuse required. |
| Oregon | Automatic mail-in voting | Every voter receives a mail-in ballot by default. |
| Pennsylvania | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | No excuse required. |
| Rhode Island | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | No excuse required. |
| South Carolina | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | Excuse required. |
| South Dakota | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | No excuse required. |
| Tennessee | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | Excuse required. |
| Texas | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | Excuse required. |
| Utah | Automatic mail-in voting | Every voter receives a mail-in ballot by default. |
| Vermont | Automatic mail-in voting (general elections only) | Every voter receives a mail-in ballot by default. |
| Virginia | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | No excuse required. |
| Washington | Automatic mail-in voting | Every voter receives a mail-in ballot by default. |
| West Virginia | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | Excuse required. |
| Wisconsin | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | No excuse required. |
| Wyoming | Request-required absentee/mail-in voting | No excuse required. |
Voter identification requirements for absentee/mail-in voting
Under the Help America Vote Act, a person who has not voted in a federal election in the state in which they are voting and who did not submit a copy of their ID when registering to vote must either provide a copy of their ID with their absentee/mail-in ballot or submit a paycheck, bank statement, current utility bill, or government document showing their name and address.[3]
States differ in how they apply voter identification laws for absentee/mail-in voting.
- Three states — Alabama, Kentucky, and New Hampshire — require voters to provide a copy of their photo identification when requesting an absentee/mail-in ballot.
- Two states — Arkansas and North Carolina — require voters to submit a copy of their photo identification when returning an absentee/mail-in ballot.
- Eight states require voters to provide a copy of their photo identification when applying for an absentee/mail-in ballot in certain situations other than what is required under the Help America Vote Act.[4]
- One state, South Carolina, requires voters to provide a copy of their photo identification when returning an absentee/mail-in ballot in certain situations other than what is required under the Help America Vote Act.
- Two states — Georgia and Ohio — require voters to provide a copy of their photo identification when applying for and returning an absentee/mail-in ballot in certain situations other than what is required under the Help America Vote Act.
Additionally, some other states with voter identification requirements mandate that voters must provide a driver's license number, Social Security number or other identification number in order to vote using an absentee/mail-in ballot:
- Eight states require voters provide a driver's license number, Social Security number or other identification number when applying for an absentee/mail-in ballot.
- Two states — Alaska and Texas — require voters to provide their identification number when requesting and returning an absentee/mail-in ballot.
- Eight states require a voter identification number in certain situations when applying for an absentee/mail-in ballot.[5]
- Two states — Georgia and Ohio — require a voter identification number in certain situations when applying for and returning an absentee/mail-in ballot.
The table below describes the voter ID requirements for individuals requesting and submitting an absentee/mail-in ballot in each state.
| State | Type of requirement | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | A photo ID is required when applying for an absentee ballot. This does not apply to federal overseas voters | Alabama Code Section 17-9-30 |
| Alaska | An identification number is required to apply for an absentee ballot and when a voter returns their ballot | AS 15.20.081 Alaska absentee ballot application Alaska absentee ballot envelope |
| Arizona | No requirement | N/A |
| Arkansas | Voters must include a copy of their photo ID when returning their absentee ballot. Overseas military voters and their spouses are exempt from the requirement. Residents of a long-term care or residential care facility are exempt from the requirement, provided an administrator attests that the voter is a resident | Arkansas Constitution of 1874 Amendment 51, § 13 |
| California | No voter ID law | N/A |
| Colorado | No requirement | N/A |
| Connecticut | No requirement | N/A |
| Delaware | No requirement | N/A |
| Florida | Voters must provide an identification number when applying for a vote-by-mail ballot. Military and overseas voters are exempt from this requirement | Fla. Stat. §101.62 |
| Georgia | Voters must provide an identification number when applying for and returning an absentee ballot. If a voter does not provide an identification number when applying for or returning a ballot, they must include a copy of their photo ID | O.C.G.A § 21-2-381 O.C.G.A § 21-2-385 |
| Hawaii | No voter ID law | N/A |
| Idaho | Voters must provide an identification number if applying for an absentee ballot online | Idaho Secretary of State |
| Illinois | No voter ID law | N/A |
| Indiana | Voters must provide their driver's license number, ID card number or Social Security number when applying for an absentee ballot. A person also can provide a copy of their photo ID to fulfill this requirement | Ind. Code §3-11-4-2 |
| Iowa | Voters must provide an identification number when applying for an absentee ballot | Iowa Code §53.2 |
| Kansas | Voters must provide their driver's license number or provide a copy of their photo ID when applying for an advanced mail ballot | Kan. Stat. Ann. §25-1122 |
| Kentucky | Voters must provide a copy of their photo ID when applying for an absentee ballot | KRS §117.085 |
| Louisiana | Voters must provide a copy of their photo ID when applying for an absentee ballot if they are considered a disabled applicant. Voters must provide their identification number when applying for an absentee ballot online; if applying using a paper form, this step is optional. | Louisiana Secretary of State Louisiana absentee ballot application |
| Maine | No voter ID law | N/A |
| Maryland | No voter ID law | N/A |
| Massachusetts | No voter ID law | N/A |
| Michigan | Voters must provide an identification number if applying for an absentee ballot online | Mich. Comp. Laws §168.759 |
| Minnesota | No voter ID law | N/A |
| Mississippi | No requirement | N/A |
| Missouri | Voters must provide the last four digits of their Social Security number when applying for an absentee ballot | Missouri absentee ballot request form |
| Montana | No requirement | N/A |
| Nebraska | Voters must provide either their driver's license or ID number or a copy of their photo ID when requesting a by-mail early voting ballot. Voters can complete a reasonable impediment certificate instead of providing their ID | Neb. Rev. Stat. §32-941 |
| Nevada | No voter ID law | N/A |
| New Hampshire | Effective September 30, 2025, voters must present their photo ID in person when applying for an absentee ballot or must include a notarized signature and a copy of their ID if they are mailing their application | New Hampshire Chapter 0302 |
| New Jersey | No voter ID law | N/A |
| New Mexico | No voter ID law | N/A |
| New York | No voter ID law | N/A |
| North Carolina | Voters must provide an identification number when applying for an absentee ballot and must include a copy of their ID when returning their ballot. Voters also can complete an exception form instead of providing their ID | N.C. Gen. Stat. §163-230.1 North Carolina State Board of Elections |
| North Dakota | Voters must provide an identification number when applying for an absentee ballot. Disabled voters are exempt from this requirement and those living outside the U.S. can use their military ID or passport | N.D.C.C. §16.1-07-06 |
| Ohio | Voters must provide either a copy of their ID or their driver's license or identification number when applying for and returning their absentee ballot | R.C. 3509.03 R.C. 3509.05 |
| Oklahoma | Voters must provide an identification number when applying for an absentee ballot | Oklahoma absentee ballot application |
| Oregon | No voter ID law | N/A |
| Pennsylvania | No voter ID law | N/A |
| Rhode Island | Voters must provide an identification number if they are applying for a mail ballot online and aren't currently registered to vote | Rhode Island Secretary of State R.I. Gen. Laws §17-20-2.3 |
| South Carolina | Voters must provide an identification number when applying for an absentee ballot. They also must provide their ID if returning an absentee ballot in person | S.C. Code Ann. §7-15-330 and S.C. Code Ann. §7-15-385(D)(1) |
| South Dakota | Voters must provide a copy of their photo ID or a notarized statement when applying for an absentee ballot | SDCL 12-19-2 |
| Tennessee | Voters must provide their Social Security number when applying for an absentee ballot | Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-6-202 |
| Texas | Voters must provide an identification number when applying for and returning a ballot by mail | Tex. Elec. Code Ann. §84.002 Texas Secretary of State |
| Utah | Until 2026, there is no requirement. Starting in 2026, voters must provide either a copy of their photo ID or their driver's license or ID number when returning an absentee ballot | Utah H.B. 300 |
| Vermont | No voter ID law | N/A |
| Virginia | Voters must provide their identification number when applying for an absentee ballot, unless they are doing so in person. If a person is applying for an absentee ballot in person they must instead provide a copy of their ID or sign a sworn statement | Va. Code §24-2-701 |
| Washington | No requirement | N/A |
| West Virginia | No requirement | N/A |
| Wisconsin | A voter must provide a copy of their photo ID when requesting an absentee ballot unless it was previously provided in an earlier absentee ballot request | Wis. Stat. §6.86(ar) |
| Wyoming | A voter must provide a copy of their ID if requesting an absentee ballot in person | Wy. Stat. §22-9-104 |
Support and opposition
The following quotes briefly summarize arguments for and against no-excuse absentee/mail-in voting. See our page, Arguments for and against no-excuse absentee/mail-in voting, for detailed support and opposition arguments from a variety of sources.
| Support | Opposition |
|---|---|
| "Voting absentee or by mail is a safe, trusted and age-old practice. Moreover, expanded access to absentee voting comports with conservative principles, which helps explain why a number of conservative state policymakers have advanced proposals to achieve it. Finally, and critically, policymakers should take note that polling data indicate very clearly that the public strongly favors expanded access to absentee voting and that its results are partisan-neutral." -Kevin Kosar, Marc Hyden and Steven Greenhut, R Street (2020)[6] |
"A big challenge for states ramping up their mailed ballots is how to count them in a timely manner. Mailed ballots tend to come in waves, and many jurisdictions allowed ballots to be postmarked by Election Day. So you could have a situation where tallies announced by in-person voting and ballots returned before the deadline show one candidate in the lead, Morley, with Florida State University, said. 'But you still have tens of thousands of uncounted ballots, and you are setting yourself up to potentially say: ‘Now that we finished counting the votes, actually the other candidate is the winner.’' -Amber Phillips, staff writer, The Washington Post (2020)[7] |
Absentee/mail-in voting legislation
The table below lists bills related to same-day voter registration introduced during (or carried over to) each state's regular legislative session this year. The following information is included for each bill:
- State
- Bill number
- Official bill name or caption
- Most recent action date
- Legislative status
- Sponsor party
- Topics dealt with by the bill
Bills are organized by state and then by most recent action. The table displays up to 100 results. To view more bills, use the arrows in the upper-right corner. Clicking on a bill will open its page on Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker, which includes bill details and a summary.
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See also
Footnotes
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Absentee and Early Voting," July 12, 2022
- ↑ We use the term "absentee/mail-in voting" to describe systems in which requests or applications are required. We use the term "all-mail voting" to denote systems where the ballots themselves are sent automatically to all voters. We use the hyphenate term for absentee voting because some states use “mail voting” (or a similar alternative) to describe what has traditionally been called "absentee voting."
- ↑ Congress.gov, "Help America Vote Act," accessed September 9, 2025
- ↑ For example, Louisiana requires disabled voters to provide a copy of their photo ID when applying for an absentee ballot, and voters in South Dakota must provide a copy of their photo ID or a notarized statement when applying for an absentee ballot.
- ↑ For example, multiple states require voters to provide their identification number if they do not provide a copy of their photo ID, while Rhode Island requires voters to provide an identification number if they are applying for an absentee ballot online and aren't currently registered to vote.
- ↑ R Street, "The Conservative Case for Expanding Access to Absentee Ballots," June 2020
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Examining the arguments against voting by mail: Does it really lead to fraud or benefit only Democrats?" May 20, 2020
