Absentee/mail-in voting legislation in the United States, 2021
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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]
This article presents information about state legislation relevant to absentee/mail-in voting policy that was introduced during or carried over to each state's 2021 legislative session. See the map below for further state-specific details.
Background
Thirty-nine states modified their standard and/or statutory election administration procedures for the November 3, 2020, general election. Many officials and commentators argued that these modifications, which included deadline extensions, expansions of absentee/mail-in voting, and more, were necessary in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Others questioned whether these modifications were appropriate responses to the pandemic. Others still suggested that some of these modifications were made not in response to COVID-19 but in pursuit of partisan political objectives.
In the aftermath of the 2020 election cycle, debate surrounding these modifications persisted. Two dominant, broad lines of inquiry emerged:
- Were the election modifications made in 2020 legally, or politically, proper responses? For example, in instances where secretaries of state unilaterally implemented changes, was this done in accordance with state law? Legal considerations aside, were such changes made in politically responsible ways (e.g., with an eye toward bipartisan approval)?
- Were these modifications responsible for the historic level of voter turnout in 2020? If so, should these temporary modifications be made permanent? A related question is whether these changes allowed for fraudulent electoral activity.
Debate over these questions materialized in the form of litigation and, in 2021, legislation designed either to extend or curtail these changes.
Legislation
The map below shows how many absentee/mail-in voting bills were introduced during or carried over to each state's 2021 legislative session. Hover over a state to see the exact number of bills. Click a state in the map or select a state from the drop-down menu beneath the map to view more information about the bills introduced in that state. This information is provided by BillTrack50.com. To return to the map, click "Back" in the upper righthand corner of the legislation list.
See also
- Early voting legislation in the United States, 2021
- Electoral systems legislation in the United States, 2021
- Felon voting rights legislation in the United States, 2021
- Primary systems legislation in the United States, 2021
- Legislation governing private funding for election administration in the United States, 2021
- Redistricting legislation in the United States, 2021
- Voter identification legislation in the United States, 2021
Footnotes
