Drop box laws by state

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Ballot drop boxes are receptacles where voters can deposit their sealed absentee/mail-in ballot without using a mail service. They are often located in or near an elections office, polling place, or government building.

States with drop boxes may have laws or regulations dictating how many drop boxes are allowed, where they can be placed, and what hours they can be open. Some states also prescribe certain drop box security measures, such as supervision by election officials or video surveillance.

HIGHLIGHTS

As of January 2026:

State laws required drop boxes in 15 states, permitted them in 14 states, and prohibited them in 11 states. Laws in 10 states did not mention drop boxes.

Of the 10 states that did not mention drop boxes in state law, eight had at least some jurisdictions using drop boxes as of January 2026, while two did not.

Twenty-six states had laws or administrative rules requiring certain security measures for drop boxes.

• Drop box availability

  Drop box laws across the country
  Read more
• Drop box laws by state

  Each state's drop box laws
  Read more
• Arguments for and against drop boxes

  Arguments surrounding drop boxes
  Read more
• Noteworthy events

  Key events related to drop boxes
  Read more

Overview of drop box availability

As of January 2026, 15 states required drop boxes, 14 states permitted drop boxes, 11 states have prohibited drop boxes, and 10 states did not mention drop boxes in their statutes. Of the 10 states that did not mention drop boxes in state law, eight states — Alaska, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Wyoming — had at least some jurisdictions using drop boxes as of January 2026, while two — Alabama and New Hampshire — did not.

Some states have requirements, either in state law or administrative rules, that require ballot drop boxes to have certain security features. Those could include mandating video or human monitoring, and requirements that drop boxes are bolted to the ground or are designed to suppress fires.

As of 2026, 25 states required security measures for ballot drop boxes, four states did not have security requirements, and 21 states prohibited ballot drop boxes or did not mention drop boxes in state law.

Some states require that municipalities establish a certain number of drop boxes, while other states limit the number of drop boxes that can be used. Thirteen states established a minimum number of drop boxes, while two states limited the total number of drop boxes that can be used. One state, Georgia, had both a minimum number of drop boxes and a limit. Thirteen states allowed or required drop boxes but had no restrictions on their number. Twenty-one states prohibited ballot drop boxes or did not mention drop boxes in state law.

The table below summarizes drop box laws by state:

Drop box laws in the United States

State	Drop box status	Security requirements?	Location requirements?	Find drop boxes	Statute
Alabama	State law does not mention drop boxes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Alaska	State law does not mention drop boxes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Arizona	Permitted, but not required	Yes	None	Check with county recorders here	Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 16-1005 Arizona Elections Procedures Manual
Arkansas	Prohibited	N/A	N/A	N/A	Ark. Stat. Ann. § 7-5-411
California	Required	Yes	At least two drop boxes or one drop box per every 30,000 registered voters, whichever results in more drop boxes	Check with county elections officials here	Cal. Election Code § 3025.5 Cal. Election Code § 4005 California Secretary of State drop box regulations
Colorado	Required	Yes	At least one drop box for every 30,000 active registered voters in the county	Colorado Secretary of State drop box search	Colorado Revised Statutes § 1-7.5-107
Connecticut	Permitted, but not required	Yes	None	Connecticut ballot drop box list	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 9-140b Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies § Sec. 9-140b-1
Delaware	Required	No	Drop boxes must be located in a publicly accessible portion of each Department of Elections Office	Check with county election officials here	Del. Code § 5608A.
Florida	Required	Yes	Drop boxes must be placed at the main county elections office, any branch offices used for early voting, and any early voting site. They may also be placed at any site that would qualify as an early voting site under state law	Check with county election officials here	Fla. Stat. § 101.69
Georgia	Required	Yes	Must establish at least one drop box but cannot establish more than the lesser of one drop box for every 100,000 active voters or the number of advance voting sites in the county	Check with county election officials here	O.C.G.A. § 21-2-382
Hawaii	Permitted, but not required	Yes	None	Hawaii Office of Elections drop box list	Hawaii Revised Statutes § 11-109
Idaho	State law does not mention drop boxes	N/A	N/A	Check with local election officials here	N/A
Illinois	Permitted, but not required	Yes	None	Illinois Board of Elections drop box finder	Ill. Rev. Stat. ch. 10, § 5/19-6
Indiana	Permitted, but not required	Yes	Drop boxes must be under the physical control and supervision of the county election board when the ballot is deposited	Check with county election officials here	Ind. Code §3-11-10-24
Iowa	Permitted, but not required	Yes	Commissioners cannot establish more than one ballot drop box. The drop box must be located at the commissioner's office or nearby county land	Check with county auditors here	Iowa Code § 53.17
Kansas	State law does not mention drop boxes	N/A	N/A	Kansas Secretary of State drop box finder	N/A
Kentucky	Required	Yes	Clerks must provide at least one drop box for each primary, regular, or special election	Check with county election officials here	Ky. Rev. Stat. § 117.086
Louisiana	Prohibited	N/A	N/A	N/A	La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 18:1308
Maine	Permitted, but not required	Yes	If a municipality has a drop box, it must be located outside the municipal office building or early voting site. Additional drop box locations can be approved by the secretary of state	Maine Secretary of State list of ballot drop boxes	Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 21–A, § 752–B
Maryland	Required	Yes	Counties submit a location plan, which must be approved by the state	Maryland Board of Elections drop box list	Md. Election Code Ann. § 2–304 Md. Election Code Ann. § 2–305
Massachusetts	Permitted, but not required	No	None	Massachusetts Secretary of State drop box finder	Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 54 § 92
Michigan	Required	Yes	Each city or township must have at least one drop box. If there are more than 15,000 voters in a municipality, there must be at least one drop box for every 15,000 voters	Michigan Secretary of State voter information search	MCL - Section 168.761d
Minnesota	Permitted, but not required	Yes	None	Minnesota Secretary of State drop box list	Minn. Stat. § 203B.082
Mississippi	Prohibited	N/A	N/A	N/A	Miss. Code Ann. § 23–15–697
Missouri	Prohibited	N/A	N/A	N/A	Mo. Rev. Stat. § 115.291
Montana	State law does not mention drop boxes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Nebraska	Permitted, but not required	Yes	None	Nebraska Secretary of State drop box locator	Neb. Rev. Stat. § 32-950.01
Nevada	Required	Yes	County clerks must establish a ballot drop box at every polling place in the county	Nevada Secretary of State polling location map	Nev. Rev. Stat. § 293.269921
New Hampshire	State law does not mention drop boxes	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
New Jersey	Required	Yes	At least one drop box must be located at the county clerk's office building. For municipalities larger than 5,000, drop boxes must also be located at public colleges and universities, as well as independent four-year colleges and universities with more than 5,000 students. Counties must have at least 10 drop boxes overall	New Jersey Secretary of State drop box list	N.J. Rev. Stat. § 19:63-16.1
New Mexico	Permitted, but not required	Yes	None	Check with county election officials here	New Mexico Statutes - Chapter 1, Article 1-6-9
New York	Permitted, but not required	No	None	Check with county election officials here	N.Y. Election Law § 8-416
North Carolina	Prohibited	N/A	N/A	N/A	N.C. Gen. Stat. § 163-231
North Dakota	State law does not mention drop boxes	N/A	N/A	North Dakota Secretary of State dropbox list	N/A
Ohio	Permitted, but not required	Yes	No more than one drop box can be established, and it must be located outside of the board of elections office	Check with county election officials here	Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3509
Oklahoma	Prohibited	N/A	N/A	N/A	Okla. Stat. tit. 26, § 14–115.4
Oregon	Required	Yes	State regulation requires a minimum number of drop sites at certain locations. Drop sites can include drop boxes	Oregon Secretary of State drop box locator	Or. Rev. Stat. § 254.470 Oregon Secretary of State Vote by Mail Procedures Manual
Pennsylvania	State law does not mention drop boxes	N/A	N/A	Pennsylvania Secretary of State list of ballot return locations	N/A
Rhode Island	Required	Yes	All towns and cities must have at least one drop box. Drop boxes must also be placed outside board of elections offices and the office of the Rhode Island Secretary of State's elections division	Rhode Island Board of Elections drop box list	R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-20-22.1
South Carolina	Prohibited	N/A	N/A	N/A	S.C. Code Ann. § 7–15-385
South Dakota	Prohibited	N/A	N/A	N/A	S.D. Codified Laws Ann. § 12-19-7
Tennessee	Prohibited	N/A	N/A	N/A	Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-6-202
Texas	Prohibited	N/A	N/A	N/A	Tex. Election Code Ann. § 86.006
Utah	Required	Yes	Each municipality and tribal reservation must have at least one drop box	Utah Lieutenant Governor Voter Search	Utah Code § 20A-5-403.5
Vermont	Permitted, but not required	Yes	If a town has only one drop box, it must be at the municipal clerk's office	Vermont Secretary of State drop box list	Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 17, § 2543a
Virginia	Required	Yes	County and city registrars must establish at least one drop box at their office. Each polling place must also have a drop box on Election Day	Check with county registrars' offices here	Va. Code § 24.2-707.1
Washington	Required	Yes	County auditors must establish at least one drop box per 15,000 registered voters. At least one drop box must be placed in each municipality with a post office. Federally recognized tribes may also request drop boxes	Washington Secretary of State drop box map	Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.40.170 Wash. Admin. Code 434-250-100
West Virginia	Prohibited	N/A	N/A	N/A	WV Code § 3-3-5
Wisconsin	State law does not mention drop boxes	N/A	N/A	Check with local election officials here	N/A
Wyoming	State law does not mention drop boxes	N/A	N/A	Check with local election officials here	N/A

Drop box laws by state

This section provides information about laws addressing drop boxes in each state.

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

State law does not mention drop boxes and they were not in use in the state as of 2025.

State law does not mention drop boxes, and they were in use in at least one municipality during the 2025 election.

Arizona law permits the use of drop boxes. The Arizona Election Procedures Manual states that drop boxes must be "located in a secure location, such as inside or in front of a federal, state, local, or tribal government building," be locked until early voting begins 27 days before an election, and be accessible to voters with disabilities. The county recorder is required to post a list of drop boxes online and must develop chain of custody procedures for drop boxes.

Arkansas law explicitly bans drop boxes, saying that "[a] county clerk, public employee, or election official shall not establish or use a drop box for the purpose of collecting absentee ballots" and that "[n]o person shall deliver an absentee ballot through a drop box."

California requires the use of drop boxes. Counties must provide at least two drop boxes or one drop box for every 30,000 residents, whichever results in more drop boxes. Counties with fewer than 30,000 residents must have at least one drop box. County officials can dictate the location of dropboxes, though they may be required to be placed on college campuses, depending on the type of election. Regulations developed by the California Secretary of State require certain security and design features for drop boxes.

Colorado state law requires election officials to establish drop boxes for each election. State law says that "there must be a minimum number of drop boxes where mail ballots may be deposited equal to at least one drop box for each thirty thousand active registered electors in the county; except that, if the district or political subdivision for which the election is being conducted is less populous than the county, the county clerk and recorder shall designate at least one drop box for each thirty thousand current active registered electors eligible to vote in that election. The drop boxes must be arrayed throughout the county in a manner that provides the greatest convenience to electors. Each drop box must comply with the secretary of state’s current security rules." Additionally, for presidential primaries and November general elections, county officials "shall establish a drop box on each campus of a state institution of higher education located within the county that has two thousand or more enrolled students."

Connecticut law provides for the use of ballot drop boxes. According to the secretary of state's website, there is at least one ballot drop box in each town in the state. Connecticut laws and regulations require election officials to retrieve the contents of a drop box at least every weekday, and provide for security and video recording of drop boxes.

Delaware law requires that a drop-box be located in a publicly accessible portion of each Department of Elections Office.

Florida law requires drop boxes. Drop boxes, which Florida law calls secure ballot intake stations, must be placed at all county supervisor of elections offices, as well as early voting sites. They may also be placed at additional locations, provided they would otherwise qualify as an early voting site under state law. Secure ballot intake stations must meet certain requirements:

“

Secure ballot intake stations must be geographically located so as to provide all voters in the county with an equal opportunity to cast a ballot, insofar as is practicable. Except for secure ballot intake stations at an office of the supervisor, a secure ballot intake station may only be used during the county’s early voting hours of operation and must be monitored in person by an employee of the supervisor’s office. A secure ballot intake station at an office of the supervisor must be continuously monitored in person by an employee of the supervisor’s office when the secure ballot intake station is accessible for deposit of ballots.

”

Secure ballot intake stations must be established at least 30 days before an election and be emptied at the end of each day.

Georgia law requires each county to establish at least one drop box. State law says: "A board of registrars or absentee ballot clerk shall establish at least one drop box as a means for absentee by mail electors to deliver their ballots to the board of registrars or absentee ballot clerk.” Local officials may establish additional dropboxes but they "may only establish additional drop boxes totaling the lesser of either one drop box for every 100,000 active registered voters in the county or the number of advance voting locations in the county."

State law requires that the “drop box location shall have adequate lighting and be under constant surveillance by an election official or his or her designee, law enforcement official, or licensed security guard.”

Hawaii law permits, but does not require, election clerks to establish drop boxes for voters to return their voted ballot. State law says: "The clerks may designate and provide for places of deposit to be open as early as the mailing of ballots by the clerks; provided that the locations and apparatus for receiving voted ballots can be securely maintained during the period of use for each election, and as may be permitted by the operational hours."

Idaho state law does not explicitly permit or prohibit the use of ballot drop boxes. Some jurisdictions in the state use drop boxes.

Illinois law permits, but does not require, the use of drop boxes. State law calls drop boxes “collection sites.” Collection sites must be secured by locks that only election officials can open, and voters must be able to return ballots at any collection site through Election Day.

State law says:

“

Election authorities may maintain one or more secure collection sites for the postage-free return of vote by mail ballots.

”

Indiana law permits drop boxes but prohibits them from being used if they are "not under the physical control and supervision of the county election board when the ballot is deposited."

Iowa law permits, but does not require, drop boxes. Counties can establish one drop box, and it must be located at the site of the county elections office. The drop box must have video surveillance, be locked and have a tamper-evident seal, and be "securely fastened to a stationary surface or an immovable object."

Kansas does not have a law related to drop boxes, though they are in use in some counties. As of October 2025, 74 of Kansas' 105 counties provided information about their drop box locations to the Kansas Secretary of State.

Kentucky law requires county clerks to establish at least one ballot drop box in each county. State law requires that not located within a county clerk's office to be:

“

1. Placed in a well-lit and easily accessible location; 2. Secured to ensure immobility while in use; 3. Under video surveillance at all times; 4. Tamper-resistant; and 5. Conspicuously noted as a mail-in absentee ballot drop-off location.

”

Louisiana law does not allow for drop boxes as a valid method of returning an absentee/mail-in ballot.

Maine state law permits, but does not require, the use of ballot drop boxes. State law says: "A municipality may obtain and install a secured drop box that meets the requirements of this section. The secured drop box may be used by voters who are authorized to return absentee ballots in a secured drop box pursuant to section 754‑A, subsection 1, paragraph D."

State law authorizes municipalities to install additional drop boxes: "A municipality may seek approval from the Secretary of State to obtain and install an additional secured drop box or boxes at other locations within the municipality by certifying to the Secretary of State at least 90 days before the election that the additional secured drop box or boxes meet all of the requirements of this section, other than the requirement that the secured drop box be located outside of the municipal office building or the building where in-person absentee voting takes place before an election."

State law provides for design, security and monitoring, and periodic retrieval standards for drop boxes.

Maryland law requires local boards of elections to establish drop boxes. State law requires local boards to establish video monitoring of drop boxes and to collect the contents of each drop box at least daily. Local boards must consider the following factors when establishing a drop box location, and locations must be approved by the state board of elections:

“

(i) the accessibility of the ballot drop box to historically disenfranchised communities, including voters with disabilities, cultural groups, ethnic groups, and minority groups; (ii) proximity of the ballot drop box to dense concentrations of voters; (iii) accessibility of the ballot drop box by public transportation; and (iv) equitable geographic distribution of ballot drop boxes throughout the county.

”

Massachusetts law allows for drop boxes. Over 300 municipalities in Massachusetts used drop boxes as of December 2025.

Michigan requires the use of drop boxes. Each city or township must have at least one absent voter drop box; jurisdictions with more than 15,000 registered electors must have at least one drop box for every 15,000 registered electors.

Drop boxes must be labeled, locked, fixed to the ground or another stationary object, accessible 24 hours a day during the 40 days before Election Day, have a slot or lever to allow the ballots to be inserted, and be located in a publicly accessible, well-lit area. Starting on January 1, 2026, officials must also use video monitoring of each drop box during the 75 days before each election and on Election Day.

Minnesota law permits but does not require the use of ballot drop boxes. If a county auditor or municipal clerk does offer drop boxes, they must meet the following standards:

• Be continually recorded during the absentee voting period.
• Be designed to prevent an unauthorized person from moving, removing, or tampering with the drop box.
• Be placed in an outdoor location and fastened to a building, bolted to a concrete pad, or otherwise attached to a similarly secure structure.
• Contain signage that identifies the drop box as an official absentee ballot return location and display the location and hours where an agent may return a ballot.

Ballots must be collected at least once per business day during the absentee voting period by an elections official trained to handle absentee ballots and to use ballot drop boxes. Ballots collected from drop boxes must be properly stored.

As of November 2025, three counties and one municipality in Minnesota offered ballot drop boxes, according to a list provided by the Minnesota Secretary of State's office.

Mississippi state law explicitly prohibits the use of ballot drop boxes. State law says that "the use of drop boxes or other mechanisms to submit a completed absentee ballot other than by mail or common carrier, shall be prohibited."

Missouri law explicitly prohibits drop boxes. According to state statute, "No absentee ballot shall be delivered through a drop box and no election authority shall establish or use a drop box for the purpose of collecting absentee ballots."

State law does not mention drop boxes, and they were in use in the state in at least some municipalities in the 2025 election.

Nebraska law allows but does not require the use of drop boxes. If a county maintains a drop box, it must be securely fastened to the ground or a concrete slab connected to the ground, secured by a lock that can only be opened by an election commissioner, county clerk, or their designee, and must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. As of October 2025, all counties in Nebraska had at least one drop box.

Nevada law requires county election officials to establish drop boxes where a voter can return their ballot. State law says:

“

Each county clerk must establish a ballot drop box at every polling place in the county, including, without limitation, a polling place for early voting. A county clerk may establish a ballot drop box at any other location in the county where mail ballots can be delivered by hand and collected during the period for early voting and on election day. No person other than a clerk may establish a drop box for mail ballots. 4. A ballot drop box must be: (a) Constructed of metal or any other rigid material of sufficient strength and resistance to protect the security of the mail ballots; and (b) Capable of securely receiving and holding the mail ballots and being locked. 5. A ballot drop box must be: (a) Placed in an accessible and convenient location at the office of the county clerk or a polling place in the county; and (b) Made available for use during the hours when the office of the county clerk, or the polling place, is open for business or voting, as applicable.

”

New Hampshire does not have a law related to drop boxes.

New Jersey law requires counties to have ballot drop boxes. Drop boxes must be placed at locations equipped with security cameras that allow for surveillance and must meet the same accessibility requirements as a polling place. At least one drop box must be located outside the county clerk's office, in each municipality with more than 5,000 residents, at the main campus of each public college or university, and at the main campus of each independent four-year college or university with more than 5,000 students. Each county must establish at least 10 drop boxes.

State law permits but does not require the establishment of drop boxes for the purposes of returning absentee ballots. State law refers to drop boxes as "secured containers" and requires county clerks to publicly post the location and hours of drop boxes at least 42 days before an election, to provide for video surveillance of each container, and to collect ballots from each container no less than every three days and on Election Day.

New York law permits, but does not require, ballot drop boxes. State law requires county boards of elections that use drop boxes to provide notice to voters online about where they are located.

Drop boxes are not listed as a valid means of returning an absentee/mail-in ballot under North Carolina law and are not permitted.

North Dakota does not have a law related to drop boxes, though they are in use in some counties. As of November 2025, 48 of North Dakota's 53 counties used drop boxes, according to information provided by the North Dakota Secretary of State. For more information on drop box locations in North Dakota click here.

Ohio law permits, but does not require, drop boxes. State law says that local boards of election "may place not more than one secure receptacle outside the office of the board, on the property on which the office of the board is located, for the purpose of receiving absent voter's ballots under this section."

Drop boxes must be monitored by video surveillance at all times. Only a bipartisan team of election officials may open a drop box or handle its contents.

Oklahoma law does not allow for drop boxes as a valid method of returning an absentee/mail-in ballot.

Oregon law allows for drop boxes. State law says:

“

The Secretary of State by rule shall establish requirements and criteria for the designation of places of deposit for the ballots cast in an election. The rules shall also specify the dates and times the places of deposit must be open and the security requirements for the places of deposit. At a minimum, the places designated under this section shall be open on the date of the election for a period of eight or more hours, but must be open until at least 8 p.m. At each place of deposit designated under this section, the county clerk shall prominently display a sign stating that the location is an official ballot drop site.

”

Pennsylvania does not have a state law governing drop boxes. As of December 2025, 29 counties used drop boxes.

Rhode Island requires drop boxes. State law requires that every city and town have at least one drop box per election. Under state law, drop boxes must be accessible to the public beginning 35 days before a statewide or federal election, or 20 days prior to a special election. Drop boxes must be accessible to voters with disabilities and monitored by video surveillance. For more information on drop boxes in Rhode Island, click here.

South Carolina law does not allow for drop boxes as a valid method of returning an absentee/mail-in ballot.

South Dakota law does not allow for drop boxes as a valid method of returning an absentee/mail-in ballot.

Tennessee does not include drop boxes as a valid method to return an absentee by-mail ballot.

Texas law does not include drop boxes as a valid method to return ballots.

Utah state law requires election officials to establish at least one ballot drop box in each municipality. Click here to read the law.

Vermont state law provides for the use of ballot drop boxes, but does not require election officials to establish them. State law stipulates security standards for drop boxes, including 24-hour video surveillance. State law says:

“ (a) A board of civil authority may vote to install one or more secure outdoor ballot drop boxes (drop boxes) for the return of voted ballots. (b) Drop boxes shall be located on municipal property. If a town has only one drop box, it shall be located on the property of the municipal clerk’s office. (c) Drop boxes shall allow for the return of ballots by voters at any time of day and must be available for the return of ballots not later than 43 days before the election. (d) Drop boxes shall be installed and maintained in accordance with guidance issued by the Secretary of State’s office. At a minimum, drop boxes shall: (1) be affixed to a foundation or other immovable object such that they cannot be removed without being tampered with; (2) be under 24-hour video surveillance or in the alternative be within sight of the municipal building; (3) be constructed in such a manner that it is impossible to remove the ballots without the ballot box being tampered with; and (4) be able to be closed such that ballots may not be deposited once the deadline for deposit has passed. (e)(1) Ballots may be deposited in the drop boxes until the close of business on the day before the election. At the close of business, the drop box shall be closed and instructions affixed to the drop box instructing the voter to return the voter’s voted ballot to the polling place on the day of the election. (2) Notwithstanding subdivision (1) of this subsection, a board of civil authority may vote to allow ballots to be deposited in the drop boxes until not later than the closing of the polls on election day. (f) The Secretary of State’s office shall provide drop boxes to a town or city upon request following a vote of the board of civil authority. The maximum number of drop boxes that the Secretary of State’s office shall provide in any town or city shall be as follows: (1) up to 5,000 registered voters, one; (2) between 5,000 and 10,000 registered voters, two; (3) between 10,000 and 15,000 registered voters, three; (4) between 15,000 and 20,000 registered voters, four; and (5) over 20,000 registered voters, five. (6) A town or city may have a number of secure drop boxes equal to the number of representative districts in that town or city, with one drop box located in each district, if that number is greater than the number allowed based on that town or city’s number of registered voters in subdivisions (1)-(5) of this subsection. If there is not suitable municipal property for the location of a secure drop box in the area covered by a certain district in the town or city, an alternative location may be used with the approval of the Secretary of State’s office. ”

State law requires that each county or city establish at least one drop-off location for absentee ballots ahead of the election at the office of the general registrar and at each satellite office in operation for an election. Municipalities must also maintain drop-off points at every polling place on election day. State law says drop-off locations must "be accessible; be on public property, unless located at a polling place; and otherwise comply with any criteria for drop-off locations set by the Department."

Absentee ballots must be collected from drop-off points at least once per day.

For more information on drop-off locations, voters should contact their local registrar's office. Contact information for each local office can be found here.

State law requires county auditors to establish at least one drop box per 15,000 voters, with a minimum of one drop box in each city, town, and census-designated place with a post office. Drop boxes must also be placed on tribal reservations if requested by the tribe.

As of December 2025, there were 554 drop boxes in use in Washington.

State law does not include drop boxes as a valid method to return an absentee ballot.

Wisconsin law does not explicitly mention drop boxes, but a 2024 Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling permits, but does not require, their use. The 2024 ruling overturned a 2022 decision, which found that drop boxes were not allowed under state law.

Wyoming does not have a law related to drop boxes. Drop boxes are not currently in use.

Arguments for and against drop boxes

Support

Supporters of ballot drop boxes argue that they make it easier for voters to ensure their absentee/mail-in ballots are counted, make voting more accessible for individuals with disabilities, and are more secure than mailing an absentee/mail-in ballot using the U.S. Postal Service.

Ballot drop boxes help ensure absentee/mail-in ballots are counted

New York state Rep. Tony Simone said that drop boxes help "make this as easy as possible" for absentee/mail-in voters and that absentee/mail-in ballots are routinely disqualified because "they were either late, or the postage was incorrect, or folks didn’t make it to their Board of Elections to drop it off." Simone co-sponsored legislation in 2024 authorizing ballot drop boxes in New York.

Drop boxes help voters with disabilities

In 2024, Peri Jude Radecic, the chief executive officer of Disability Rights Pennsylvania, wrote a letter to oppose a potential move by the Lebanon County Commissioners to remove its drop box. Radecic said that individuals with disabilities are more likely to vote absentee/by-mail than the general population and that it can be harder for individuals to walk longer distances or wait in line to vote.

"If the County removes its only drop box, this will surely result in the disenfranchisement of voters with disabilities, many of whom cannot easily access the Municipal Building to return their mail-in ballots," Radecic wrote.

Drop boxes are more reliable than the U.S. Postal Service for transmitting absentee/mail-in ballots

Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab said in 2023 that drop boxes are more reliable than mailing in an absentee/mail-in ballot, particularly in rural locations where mail delivery can take longer.

"Why on God's green earth would you want the U.S. Postal Service in charge of your ballot?" Schwab told state legislators at the time.

Opposition

Opponents of ballot drop boxes argue they are not secure enough when compared with other ways of returning absentee/mail-in ballots, undermine trust in elections, and require election officials to hire more staff and spend money to properly use the boxes.

Ballot drop boxes are not sufficiently secure

In a letter to county clerks in 2024, Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray said that ballot drop boxes are not as secure as other mechanisms for returning an absentee/mail-in ballot because they are unattended.

"Physical delivery to the county clerk's office or staffed polling place provides comprehensive assurance of delivery of a ballot," Gray wrote. "Likewise, the use of the postal system, while not ideal, has an enforcement arm, the United States Postal Inspection Service, which is dedicated to investigating irregularities in delivery. By comparison, unattended and unstaffed ballot drop boxes are especially vulnerable in terms of physical safety."

Drop boxes can undermine trust in elections

Dodge County (WI) Sheriff Dale Schmidt said in 2024 that he had concerns about municipalities in his area using drop boxes, stating that they raise questions for voters about whether the boxes can be used as a vehicle for election fraud.

“I think if you look back to the 2020 election, we had, whether it was legitimate or not, the perception that drop boxes were creating fraud,” Schmidt told PBS Wisconsin. “Even if there’s a perception of fraud, it can cast doubt on the entire election system.”

Administering drop boxes requires more staff

Brad Chown, the city clerk in Black River Falls, Wisconsin, said the city did not have the money to establish a drop box, even if drop boxes were authorized in Wisconsin. "The money was the big thing that did it,” Chown told WisPolitics.com in 2024. “We felt they were secure, just expensive.”

Noteworthy events

Wisconsin Supreme Court reinstates use of drop boxes (2024)

On July 5, 2024, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled 4-3 in Priorities USA v. Wisconsin Elections Commission to reinstate the use of ballot drop boxes in the state. The ruling overturned a July 2022 decision by the court that held that state law only permitted voters to return absentee/mail-in ballots by mail or in person at the office of a municipal clerk. After the 4-3 decision in 2022, the balance on the Wisconsin Supreme Court shifted from a conservative to a liberal majority following the April 2023 election of Justice Janet Protasiewicz.

Justice Ann Walsh Bradley writing for the majority—which also included Rebecca Dallet, Jill Karofsky, and Protasiewicz— said that the 2022 decision in Teigen v. Wisconsin Elections Commission "was unsound in principle, and as a consequence, we overrule it." The opinion continued: "Our decision today does not force or require that any municipal clerks use drop boxes. It merely acknowledges what Wis. Stat. § 6.87(4)(b)1. has always meant: that clerks may lawfully utilize secure drop boxes in an exercise of their statutorily-conferred discretion." The majority opinion found that the doctrine of stare decisis was not sufficient to uphold the 2022 ruling because "Teigen has neither fostered reliance nor created a settled body of law." Bradley, Dallet, and Karofsky were all in the minority in the 2022 decision.

In a dissenting opinion, Rebecca Bradley—joined by Annette Ziegler and Brian Hagedorn—wrote, "The majority again forsakes the rule of law in an attempt to advance its political agenda." The minority's dissent continued, "Although the majority purports to "assum[e]" "'stare decisis concerns are paramount where a court has authoritatively interpreted a statute[,]'" the majority discards that principle as an inconvenient obstacle to its policy preferences." All three dissenting justices were part of the majority in the 2022 decision in Teigen.

Reacting to the decision, Brian Schimming, chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, said in a statement: "This latest attempt by leftist justices to placate their far-left backers will not go unanswered by voters."

Election officials in several of the state's most populous jurisdictions, including Milwaukee, and Dane County, which includes the state capital of Madison, approved of the court's decision. Paulina Gutiérrez, the Executive Director of the Milwaukee Election Commission, said: "This is just another opportunity for us to provide a safe and secure way for people to drop off their absentee ballots here to the City of Milwaukee." In 2020, Milwaukee installed 15 drop boxes through a $70,000 grant from the Center for Tech and Civic Life.

The court agreed to hear the case on March 12, 2024, bypassing the state court of appeals to consider the single issue of drop box availability. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) filed a brief urging the court to overturn it's 2022 decision, while the Republican National Committee and the state's Republican Party filed briefs supporting the 2022 decision and urging a dismissal of the challenge.

Michigan Proposal 2 adds drop box rules to state constitution (2022)

Proposal 2 added several voting and election policies to the Michigan Constitution. Article II, Section 4(a) of the Michigan Constitution provided voters with specific election-related rights. Proposal 3, which voters approved in 2018, added these rights. Proposal 2 added language regarding additional voting-related rights and provided citizens standing to bring legal actions to enforce these in circuit court. A detailed list of the initiative's provisions is found here.

Some of the policies Proposal 2 added to the Michigan Constitution were new, such as early voting. Others existed as state statute and were codified as constitutional law, such as the state's requirement that voters show identification or sign an affidavit when voting in person.

The ballot summary was as follows:

“

This proposed constitutional amendment would: Recognize fundamental right to vote without harassing conduct; Require military or overseas ballots be counted if postmarked by election day; Provide voter right to verify identity with photo ID or signed statement; Provide voter right to single application to vote absentee in all elections; Require state-funded absentee-ballot drop boxes, and postage for absentee applications and ballots; Provide that only election officials may conduct post-election audits; Require nine days of early in-person voting; Allow donations to fund elections, which must be disclosed; Require canvass boards certify election results based only on the official records of votes cast.

”

As provisions of the Michigan Constitution, legislators can not repeal or amend these policies without first passing a constitutional amendment, which would require voter approval.

Wisconsin Supreme Court prohibits use of drop boxes (2021-2022)

On June 28, 2021, two Wisconsin voters filed suit in Waukesha County Circuit Court, challenging the legality of guidance by the Wisconsin Elections Commission that allowed for the use of absentee/mail-in ballot drop boxes. On January 13, 2022, the circuit court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs and invalidated the guidance. The Wisconsin Elections Commission appealed, and the intermediate appellate court stayed the circuit court's order through the February 15, 2022, primary election. The plaintiffs petitioned the Wisconsin Supreme Court to vacate the stay. On January 28, 2022, the high court declined to vacate the appellate court's stay. On February 2, 2022, the Wisconsin Elections Commission petitioned the state supreme court to extend the appellate court's stay through the April 5, 2022, election and resolution of the case on the merits. On February 11, 2022, the Wisconsin Supreme Court issued a 4-3 ruling that allowed the circuit court's ban on absentee/mail-in ballot drop-boxes to take effect in the April 5, 2022, election.

The court majority – comprising Justices Annette Ziegler, Rebecca Bradley, Patience Drake Roggensack, and Brian Hagedorn – said, "The record before us, including the timetable for making the necessary administrative changes as outlined by the court of appeals, indicates that the Commission can comply with the circuit court's order so as to ameliorate concerns about voter confusion and election administration before the April 5, 2022, election commences. The need for additional relief in the form of an extended stay has not been established."

Justice Ann Walsh Bradley dissented: "Once again, a majority of this court makes it more difficult to vote. With apparent disregard for the confusion it is causing, the majority provides next to no notice to municipal clerks, changing procedures at the eleventh hour and applying different procedures from those that applied to the primary in the very same election cycle." Justices Rebecca Frank Dallet and Jill J. Karofsky joined Bradley's dissent.

On July 8, 2022, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled 4-3 that state law prohibited the use of most drop boxes for returning absentee ballots. Justice Rebecca Bradley, writing for the majority, said, "The key phrase is 'in person' and it must be assigned its natural meaning. 'In person' denotes 'bodily presence' and the concept of doing something personally." In a dissent, Justice Ann Walsh Bradley wrote, "[The majority] has seemingly taken the opportunity to make it harder to vote or to inject confusion into the process whenever it has been presented with the opportunity. Without justification, [the majority] fans the flames of electoral doubt that threaten our democracy."

Drop box legislation

The table below lists bills related to drop box availability and security 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

• Absentee/mail-in voting
• All-mail voting
• Ballot collection laws by state
• Cure period for absentee and mail-in ballots
• Factors affecting the speed of ballot counting and delivery of unofficial election results
• Timelines related to absentee/mail-in ballot processing and counting

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