Absentee Ballot Deadlines
PrintYou should apply for your absentee ballot at least four weeks before an election. You'll find everything you need in our Absentee Voter Guides.
Overseas and military civilians have different deadlines. Please visit the Overseas Vote Foundation to learn more.
| State | Earliest Day to Apply | Application Deadline | Absentee Ballot Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 or fax); 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 one month 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 one month 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 one month before the election |
Received on or before Election day, if mailed; by 5pm on the day before the election, if delivered in person.
You may also have someone else return your completed ballot, sealed in its envelope, to your local election official by 3pm on Election Day. (Persons delivering ballots may not do so for more than three voters.)
|
| Mississippi | 45 days before the election | No specific deadline. We recommend requesting your ballot at least one month 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 one month 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 Thursday 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 one month 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 one month 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 21st day 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 one month 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 one month before the election | Received by 7pm on election day |
NOTE: The data in this chart was confirmed by each state's Secretary of State - either via their website or direct email.
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