Absentee voting in the United States allows voters to cast their ballots without being physically present at their designated polling places, primarily benefiting those who are away from home on Election Day.

Voters must typically register and request an absentee ballot through their state’s election office. Most states require a reason to allow absentee voting but these rules are different for each state. For more voting information visit vote.org

Absentee voting this election

Alabama: Received by noon on Election Day if delivered by mail or medical emergency designee. Received by 5pm the day before Election Day if hand-delivered.

Alaska: Must be received 0 days after Election Day and postmarked by Election Day

Arizona: Received by 7pm on Election Day

.rkansas: Received by 7:30pm on Election Day if delivered by mail. Received by close of business on the Friday before Election Day if delivered in person

California: Postmarked by Election Day and received no later than 7 days after the Election

Colorado: Received by 7pm on Election Day. Voters in line to drop off ballots by 7pm on Election Day are allowed to cast their ballot

Connecticut: Received by close of polls on Election Day if returned by mail or by voter’s immediate family/qualified designee. If returned by the voter in-person, received by the day before Election Day

Delaware: Received by 8pm on Election Day

Florida: Postmarked on or before Election Day and received no later than 0 days after Election Day

Georgia: Received by 7pm on Election Day. A 10-day extension exists for overseas voters voting in Presidential Primaries and General Elections, provided the ballot is postmarked or dated by Election Day

Hawaii: Received by the time polls close on Election Day

Idaho: Received by 7pm on Election Day

Illinois: Received by 8pm on Election Day

Indiana: Postmarked by Election Day and received by 4 days after Election Day

Iowa: Received before 8pm on Election Day

Kansas: Postmarked by Election Day and received 3 days after Election Day

Kentucky: Received by 6pm on Election Day

Louisiana: Received by 4:30pm the day before Election Day for most voters. Received by 8pm on Election Day for military, overseas, hospitalized, and sequestered jury voters

Maine: Received by municipal clerk by 8pm on Election Day

Maryland: Postmarked on or before Election Day and received by 0am, 0 days after Election Day

Massachusetts: Received by Election Day

Michigan: Received by city or township clerk by 8pm local time on Election Day

Minnesota: Received by Election Day by mail, drop box, or in person to the local election official by 8pm

Mississippi: Postmarked by Election Day and received within 5 business days of Election Day (by mail)

Missouri: Received by the close of polls on Election Day

Montana: Received by 8pm on Election Day

Nebraska: Received by close of polls on Election Day

Nevada: Postmarked on or before Election Day

New Hampshire: Received by 5pm on Election Day

New Jersey: Postmarked by 8pm on Election Day and received by the sixth day after Election Day

New Mexico: Received by 7pm on Election Day

New York: Postmarked on Election Day and received 7 days after Election Day. Voted ballots can also be turned in by hand on Election Day

North Carolina: If in person, 5pm on Election Day. If by mail, postmarked on Election Day

North Dakota: Postmarked day before Election Day

Ohio: If mailed, postmarked no later than the day before Election Day and received no later than 4 days after Election Day. If delivered in person, received by 7:30pm on Election Day

Oklahoma: If mailed, received by 7pm on Election Day. If hand-delivered, received by close of business the day before Election Day

Oregon: Postmarked by Election Day and received not later than 7 days after Election Day

Pennsylvania: Received by 8pm on Election Day

Rhode Island: Received by 8pm on Election Day

South Carolina: Received by 7pm on Election Day

South Dakota: Received by Election Day

Tennessee: Received by Election Day by 7pm

Texas: Postmarked by 7pm on Election Day and received by 5pm the day after Election Day (except for ballots cast from an address outside the US, which must be postmarked by 7pm on Election Day and received no later than 5 days after Election Day)

Utah: If in-person, received by Election Day; if mailed, postmarked the day before Election Day

Vermont: If mailed, received by the close of business the day before Election Day. Voters may also submit their ballots by hand at their polling location on Election Day

Virginia: Postmarked by Election Day and received by noon 3 days after Election Day

Washington: Postmarked by Election Day

West Virginia: Mailed ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received by 5 days after Election Day (unless that day is a Sunday, then the deadline is the following Monday). Mailed ballots with no postmark will be counted if received by day after Election Day. Ballots returned in person must be received one day before Election Day

Wisconsin: Received by 8pm on Election Day

Wyoming: Received by 7pm on Election Day