Absentee Ballot Deadlines

Last updated February 16, 2010

Are you in the military or living overseas?  If so, your deadlines are slightly later.  Please visit the Overseas Vote Foundation to learn more. 

You should apply for your absentee ballot at least four weeks before an election (but no later than two weeks before). You'll find everything you need to vote by absentee ballot in our Absentee Voter Guides.

NOTE: The data in this chart was confirmed by each state's Secretary of State - either via their website or direct email.

State Earliest Day to Apply for an Absentee Ballot Absentee Ballot Application Deadline Absentee Ballots Due By
Alabama Apply anytime before the deadline, but on or after January 1 of the election year is recommended Received by the Thursday before the election Postmarked by the day BEFORE the election and received by noon on election day (mailed); received by 5pm on the day BEFORE the election (hand-delivered)
Alaska January 1 of the election year Received 10 days before the election Postmarked on election day
Arizona 93 days before the election Received by 5pm 11 days before the election Received by 7pm on election day
Arkansas 60 days before the election Received by the Tuesday before the election (by mail); Received by close of business the day before the election (in person) Received by 7:30pm on election day
California Apply anytime before the deadline Received 7 days before the election Received by the close of polls on election day
Colorado January 1 of the election year Received by the Tuesday before the election Received by the close of polls on election day
Connecticut Apply anytime before the deadline No specific deadline. We recommend requesting your ballot at least 2 weeks before the election Received by 8pm on election day (by mail); received by the daybefore the election (in person)
Delaware January 1 of the election year Received by the Friday before the election Received by 8pm on election day
District of Columbia Apply anytime before the deadline Received by the Tuesday before the election Postmarked by election day
Florida Up to 2 years prior to the election Received by 5pm on the Wednesday before the election Received by 7pm on election day
Georgia 180 days before the election Received by the close of business on the Friday before the election Received by 7pm on election day
Hawaii 60 days before the election Received by 4:30pm on the Tuesday before the election Received by the close of polls on election day
Idaho Apply anytime before the deadline Received by the Wednesday before the election Received by 8pm on election day
Illinois 40 days before the election Received by the Thursday before the election (by mail); Received by the day before the election (in person) Postmarked the day BEFORE the election
Indiana 90 days before the election Received 8 days before the election Received by the close of polls on election day
Iowa Apply anytime before the deadline Received by 5 PM on the Friday before the election Postmarked by the day BEFORE the election and received by noon on the Monday after the election
Kansas 90 days before the election Received by the Friday before the election Received by 7pm on election day
Kentucky Apply anytime before the deadline, but on or after January 1 of the election year is recommended Received by the Tuesday before the Election Received by 6pm on election day
Louisiana Your application will be rejected if you apply sooner than 60 days before the election Received by the Friday before the election Received by the day BEFORE the election
Maine 90 days before an election No specific deadline. We recommend requesting your ballot at least 2 weeks before the election Received by 8pm on election day
Maryland Apply anytime before the deadline Received by 4:30pm (mailed) or 11:59pm (faxed) on the Tuesday before the election
Postmarked by election day and received by 10am on the 2nd Friday after the election
Massachusetts 365 days before the election Received by noon on the day before the election Received by the close of polls on election day
Michigan 75 days before the election Received by 2pm on the Saturday before the election Received by 8pm on election day
Minnesota Apply anytime before the deadline No specific deadline. We recommend requesting your ballot at least 2 weeks before the election Received by the close of polls on election day
Mississippi 45 days before the election No specific deadline. We recommend requesting your ballot at least 2 weeks before the election Received by 5pm on the day BEFORE the election
Missouri The 6th Tuesday before the election Received by 5pm on the Wednesday before the election Received by the close of polls on election day
Montana Your application will be rejected if you apply sooner than 75 days before the election Received by noon on the day before the election Received by the close of polls on election day
Nebraska 120 days before the election Received by 4pm on the Wednesday before the election Received by 8pm on election day
Nevada January 1 of the election year Received by 5pm on the Tuesday before the election Received by 7pm on election day
New Hampshire Apply anytime before the deadline No specific deadline. We recommend requesting your ballot at least 2 weeks before the election Received by 5pm on election day
New Jersey Apply anytime before the deadline Received by the Tuesday before the election (by mail); by 3pm on the day before the election (in person) Received by 8pm on election day
New Mexico Apply anytime before the deadline Received by 5pm on the Friday before the election Received by 7pm on election day
New York January 1 of the election year Received by the Tuesday before the election (by mail); by the day before the election (in person) Postmarked by the day BEFORE the election and received the 7th day after the election
North Carolina 50 days before the election Received by the Tuesday before the election Received by 5pm on the day BEFORE the election
North Dakota January 1 of the election year No specific deadline. We recommend requesting your ballot at least 2 weeks before the election Postmarked or handed-in by the day BEFORE the election
Ohio January 1 of the election year Received by noon on the Saturday before the election Postmarked the day BEFORE the election and received 10 days after the election
Oklahoma January 1 of the election year Received by 5pm on the Wednesday before the election Received by 7pm on election day
Oregon The application is made available 45 days before the election No specific deadline. We recommend requesting your ballot at least 2 weeks before the election Received by 8pm on election day
Pennsylvania 50 days before the election Received by 5pm on the Tuesday before the election Received by 5pm on the FRIDAY BEFORE the election
Rhode Island Applications are election-specific and provided by the state as soon as they are available Received by 4pm on the Tuesday before the election Received by 9pm on election day
South Carolina January 1 of the election year Received by the Friday before the election Received by the close of polls on election day
South Dakota January 1 of the election year Received by 3pm on the day before the election Received by the close of polls on election day
Tennessee 90 days before the election Received by the Tuesday before the election Received by the close of polls on election day
Texas 60 days before the election Received by the close of business on the Tuesday before the election Received by 7pm on election day
Utah Apply anytime before the deadline Received by the Friday before the election Postmarked by the day BEFORE the election and received before noon on the day of the Official Canvass (which varies, somewhere between 1 and 14 days after the election)
Vermont Apply anytime before the deadline Received by 5pm on the day before the election Received by the close of polls on election day
Virginia 365 days before the election Received by the Tuesday before the election Received by 7pm on election day
Washington 90 days before the election No specific deadline. We recommend requesting your ballot at least 2 weeks before the election Postmarked by election day
West Virginia Your application will be returned if received any earlier than 78 days before the election Received by the Wednesday before the election Postmarked by election day and received by the canvass day (the Friday after a primary and the Monday after a general election)
Wisconsin Apply anytime before the deadline Received by 5pm on the Thursday before the election Received by 8pm on election day
Wyoming Apply anytime before the deadline No specific deadline. We recommend requesting your ballot at least 2 weeks before the election Received by 7pm on election day