Absentee Ballot Deadlines

Last updated November 21, 2008

We recommend applying for your absentee ballot six 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.

Military and Overseas Voters have different deadlines.  Learn more at the Overseas Vote Foundation

The exact dates will be posted as they approach

State Earliest day to apply Absentee Ballot Application Deadline Absentee Ballots Due By
Alabama   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   Received 10 days before the election Postmarked on election day
Arizona   Received 10 days before the election Received by 7pm on election day
Arkansas   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 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   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   Received by the Friday before the election Received by 8pm on election day
District of Columbia   Received by the Tuesday before the election Postmarked by election day
Florida   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   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 mai)l; 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   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   Received by the Friday before the election Received by 7pm on election day
Kentucky   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   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   Received by noon on the day before the election Received by the close of polls on election day
Michigan   Received by 2pm on the Saturday before the election Received by 8pm on election day
Minnesota   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   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   Received by 5pm on the Tuesday before the election Received by 7pm on election day
New Hampshire   No specific deadline. We recommend requesting your ballot at least 2 weeks before the election Received by 5pm on election day
New Jersey   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 Received by 5pm on the Friday before the election Received by 7pm on election day
New York   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   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   Received by noon on the Saturday before the election Postmarked the day BEFORE the election and received 10 days after the election
Oklahoma   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   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   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   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 Received by 5pm on the day before the election Received by the close of polls on election day
Virginia   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   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   Received by 5pm on the Thursday before the election Received by 8pm on election day
Wyoming   No specific deadline. We recommend requesting your ballot at least 2 weeks 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.