How can I check the status of my ballot? (2020)

This article covers subjects specific to the 2020 general election. It has not been updated to reflect subsequent developments.
Click here for more information about our 2020 election coverage.

Ballotpedia's 2020 Election Help Desk

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Some states allow voters to track the status of their absentee/mail-in ballot online. California's ballot tracking system, for example, lets voters see whether their ballot has been mailed, received, and counted. While 44 states and the District of Columbia have online ballot tracking for all voters, Texas and New York have online ballot tracking only for military and overseas voters. Four states have no online ballot tracking at the state level.





To check whether your state allows for ballot tracking, see the table below.

State	Where can I track my ballot?
Alabama	Link
Alaska	Link
Arizona	Link
Arkansas	Link
California	Link
Colorado	Link
Connecticut	Link
Delaware	Link
District of Columbia	Link
Florida	Link
Georgia	Link
Hawaii	Link
Idaho	Link
Illinois	No statewide ballot tracking. Check with your local elections office.
Indiana	Link
Iowa	Link
Kansas	Link
Kentucky	Link
Louisiana	Link
Maine	Link
Maryland	Link
Massachusetts	Link
Michigan	Link
Minnesota	Link
Mississippi	No statewide ballot tracking. Check with your local elections office.
Missouri	No statewide ballot tracking. Check with your local elections office.
Montana	Link
Nebraska	Link
Nevada	Link
New Hampshire	Link
New Jersey	Link
New Mexico	Link
New York	Ballot tracking available for military and overseas voters. Others should check with their local elections office.
North Carolina	Link
North Dakota	Link
Ohio	Link
Oklahoma	Link
Oregon	Link
Pennsylvania	Link
Rhode Island	Link
South Carolina	Link
South Dakota	Link
Tennessee	Link
Texas	Ballot tracking available for military and overseas voters. Others should check with their local elections office.
Utah	Link
Vermont	Link
Virginia	Link
Washington	Link
West Virginia	Link
Wisconsin	Link
Wyoming	No statewide ballot tracking. Check with your local elections office.

Next question: What is the life cycle of an absentee/mail-in ballot?

The 2020 election took place against a backdrop of uncertainty. Our readers had questions about what to expect in elections at all levels of government, from the casting of ballots to the certification of final results. Ballotpedia's 2020 Election Help Desk was designed to answer those questions.

More frequently asked questions about the 2020 election

Click on a question below to read the answer:

• General election information
  • Who runs elections in the United States?
  • Why do states have different election rules?
  • What methods do states use to prevent election fraud?
  • Do you have to vote for everything on your ballot?
  • What happens if you mark outside the lines or use the wrong pen/pencil?
  • What is a spoiled ballot?
  • What is a write-in candidate?
  • How can I check the status of my ballot?
  • Can I take a ballot selfie?

• Presidential election
  • What happens if a presidential candidate declares victory in the 2020 election before results are final?
  • Can presidential candidates win the election if they have already conceded?
  • What are the steps and deadlines for electing the President of the United States?
  • What happens if there is a tie in the Electoral College?
  • What are faithless electors in the Electoral College?
  • What happens if a presidential nominee becomes incapacitated before the election?
  • Can members of Congress object to Electoral College results?

• Processing and counting absentee/mail-in ballots
  • What is the life cycle of an absentee/mail-in ballot?
  • What happens if I vote by mail and want to change my ballot at a later date?
  • What happens if someone votes by mail and then tries to vote in person?
  • How do states protect and verify absentee/mail-in ballots?
  • How do election workers match signatures?
  • Are results reported on election night coming from in-person or absentee/mail-in votes?
  • Do states report how many mail-in/absentee ballots are outstanding on election night?
  • Do absentee/mail-in ballots take longer to count than in-person ballots?
  • What happens if someone votes by mail-in ballot or absentee ballot and subsequently passes away before Election Day?

• Disputing election results
  • How will election recounts work?
  • How close does an election have to be to trigger an automatic recount?
  • Can a candidate or voter request a recount?
  • Who pays for recounts and contested elections?
  • What are poll watchers?
  • What does it mean to challenge a voter's eligibility, and who can do it?
  • What is a redo election?
  • Who can file election-related lawsuits?
  • What are the reasons to call a redo election?
  • Who can call a redo election?
  • Can a redo be held for a presidential election?

• Election result reporting and certification
  • What happens if candidates declare victory in the 2020 election before results are final?
  • Can candidates win an election if they have already conceded?
  • How and when are election results finalized?
  • How do major media outlets declare winners?

• Transitions of power and taking office
  • Who is the president if election results are unknown by January 20, 2021?
  • Who serves in Congress if election results are unknown by January 2021?
  • Who serves in a state or local government if election results are unknown?
  • What happens if the winning presidential candidate becomes incapacitated before taking office?

• Articles about potential scenarios in the 2020 election
• U.S. Supreme Court actions affecting the November 3, 2020, general election

See also

• Voting in 2020
• Absentee/mail-in voting, 2020
• Absentee/mail-in voting return deadlines, 2020
• Absentee/mail-in voting signature and witness requirements, 2020

Related articles

• CNN, "How to track your mail-in ballot," October 2, 2020
• CNET, "Over 39 million people already voted by mail. Here's how to track your ballot online," October 25, 2020
• The Washington Post, "How to track your ballot like a UPS package," September 18, 2020