Americans will cast their votes for the 2020 presidential election on Tuesday, November 3.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, states have been reviewing plans for their elections and many states have expanded voting by mail as an option.
If you are participating in absentee voting, it includes sending a mail-in ballot before Election Day.
When voting, there is no difference between absentee voting and “mail-in voting," noted "Good Morning America."
According to Vote.org, “Seventeen states require voters to provide an excuse for voting by absentee ballot. Twenty-eight states and the District of Columbia offer no-excuse absentee voting. Five states have elections that are held by mail-in ballot.”
If you are interested in voting by mail, here is some information on each state's rules for absentee ballots and deadlines to apply for a mail-in ballot. You can do this in person, by mail, or online, depending on the state.
Alabama
- In Person: Received five days before Election Day
- By Mail: Received five days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in Alabama
You must provide a reason for voting absentee. Any Alabama resident concerned about COVID-19 may apply for an absentee ballot.
Alaska
- In Person: Received 10 days before Election Day
- By Mail: Received 10 days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in Alaska
Do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Arizona
- In Person: Received 11 days before Election Day
- By Mail: Received 11 days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in Arizona
Do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Arkansas
- In Person: Received one day before Election Day
- By Mail: Received seven days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in Arkansas
You must provide a reason for voting absentee. All voters in Arkansas may vote by mail using an absentee ballot if they have health concerns due to COVID-19.
California
- In Person: On Election Day
- By Mail: Received seven days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in California
Do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee. Every registered voter will receive a ballot in the mail by executive order.
Colorado
- In Person: N/A
- Mail: If you need to change where your ballot is mailed, submit address change at least eight days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in Colorado
Residents of Colorado vote by mail in all elections.
Connecticut
- In Person: N/A
- By Mail: Received one day before Election Day, but CT recommends applying at least seven days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in Connecticut
You must provide a reason for voting absentee.
Delaware
- In Person: Received four days before Election Day
- Mail: Received four days before Election Day
- Online: Received four days before Election Day
You must provide a reason for voting absentee.
District of Columbia
- In Person: N/A
- By Mail: Received seven days before Election Day
- Online: Received seven days before Election Day
You must provide a reason for voting absentee.
Florida
- In Person: Received 10 days before Election Day
- By Mail: Received 10 days before Election Day
- Online: Received 10 days before Election Day
You do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Georgia
- In Person: Received four days before Election Day
- By Mail: Received four days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in Georgia
You do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Hawaii
- In Person: N/A
- By Mail: If you need to change where your ballot is mailed, submit address change at least 7 days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in Hawaii
Residents in Hawaii vote by mail in all elections.
Idaho
- In Person: Received 11 days before Election Day
- Mail: Received 11 days before Election Day
- Online: Received 11 days before Election Day
You do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Illinois
- In Person: Received one day before Election Day
- Mail: Received five days before Election Day
- Online: Received five days before Election Day
You do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Indiana
- Person: Received 12 days before Election Day
- Mail: Received 12 days before Election Day
- Online: Received 12 days before Election Day
You must provide a reason for voting absentee.
Kansas
- In Person: Received seven days before Election Day
- Mail: Received seven days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in Kansas
You do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Kentucky
- In Person: Received seven days before Election Day
- By Mail: Received seven days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in Kentucky
You must provide a reason for voting absentee.
Louisiana
- In Person: Received by 4:30 p.m., four days before Election Day
- By Mail: Received by 4:30 p.m., four days before Election Day
- Online: Received by 4:30 p.m., four days before Election Day
You must provide a reason for voting absentee.
Maine
- In Person: Received three business days before Election Day
- By Mail: Received three business days before Election Day
- Online: Received three business days before Election Day
You do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Maryland
- In Person: Received seven days before Election Day
- By Mail: Received seven days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in Maryland
You do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Massachusetts
- In Person: Received by noon, one day before Election Day, but we recommend applying at least seven days before Election Day
- By Mail: Received by noon, one day before Election Day, but we recommend applying at least seven days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in Massachusetts
You must provide a reason for voting absentee.
Massachusetts has early voting by mail available with the following deadlines:
- In Person: Received by noon, two business days before Election Day
- By Mail: Received by noon, two business days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in Massachusetts
Michigan
- In Person: Received one day before Election Day
- By Mail: Received four days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in Michigan
You do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Minnesota
- In Person: Received one day before Election Day
- By Mail: Received one day before Election Day, but we recommend applying at least seven days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in Minnesota
You do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Mississippi
- In Person: No deadline. State recommends requesting your ballot at least seven days before Election Day
- By Mail: No deadline. State recommends requesting your ballot at least seven days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in Mississippi
You must provide a reason for voting absentee.
Missouri
- In Person: Received one day before Election Day
- By Mail: Received 13 days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in Missouri
You must provide a reason for voting absentee.
Montana
- In Person: Received one day before Election Day
- By Mail: Received by noon, one day before before Election Day, but Montana recommends applying at least seven days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in Montana
You do not need to prove a reason for voting absentee.
Nebraska
- In Person: Received 11 days before Election Day
- By Mail: Received 11 days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in Nebraska
You do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Nevada
- In Person: Received 14 days before Election Day
- By Mail: Received 14 days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in Nevada
You do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
New Hampshire
- In Person: No specific deadline
- By Mail: No specific deadline. We recommend requesting your ballot at least seven days before Election Day.
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in New Hampshire
You must provide a reason for voting absentee.
New Jersey
- In Person: Received by 3 p.m., the day before Election Day
- By Mail: Received seven days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in New Jersey
You do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
New Mexico
- In Person: Received five days before Election Day
- Online: Received five days before Election Day
- Mail: Received five days before Election Day
You do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
New York
- In Person: Received one day before Election Day
- By Mail: Postmarked seven days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in New York
You must provide a reason for voting absentee.
North Carolina
- In Person: Received seven days before Election Day
- By Mail: Received seven days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in North Carolina
You do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
North Dakota
- In Person: No deadline
- By Mail: No deadline, we recommend requesting your ballot at least seven days before Election Day
- Online: No deadline
You do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Ohio
- In Person: Received by noon, three days before Election Day
- By Mail: Received by noon, three days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in Ohio
You do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Oklahoma
- In Person: Received six days before Election Day
- Mail: Received six days before Election Day
- Online: Received six days before Election Day
You do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Oregon
- In Person: N/A
- By Mail: If you need to change where your ballot is mailed, submit address change at least five days before Election Day
- Online: N /A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in Oregon
Residents in Oregon vote by mail in all elections.
Pennsylvania
- In Person: Received seven days before Election Day
- By Mail: Received seven days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in Pennsylvania
You do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Rhode Island
- In Person: Received by 4 p.m., 21 days before Election Day
- By Mail: Received by 4 p.m., 21 days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in Rhode Island
You do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
South Carolina
- In Person: Received four days before Election Day
- By Mail: Received four days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in South Carolina
Citizens of South Carolina must provide a reason for voting absentee.
South Dakota
- In Person: One day before Election Day, but SC recommends applying at least seven days before Election Day
- By Mail: Received one day before Election Day, but SC recommends applying at least seven days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in South Dakota
You do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Tennessee
- In Person: Received seven days before Election Day
- By Mail: Received seven days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in Tennessee
You must provide a reason for voting absentee.
Texas
- In Person: Received 11 days before Election Day
- By Mail: Received 11 days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in Texas
You must provide a reason for voting absentee.
Utah
- In Person: N/A
- Online: N/A
- By Mail: If you need to change where your ballot is mailed, submit address change at least seven days before Election Day
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in Utah
Residents of Utah vote by mail in all elections.
Vermont
- In Person: Received one day before Election Day
- By Mail: Received one day before Election Day, but we recommend applying at least seven days before Election Day
- Online: Received one day before Election Day
You do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Virginia
- In Person: Received seven days before Election Day
- By Mail: Received seven days before Election Day
- Online: Received seven days before Election Day
You do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Washington
- In Person: N/A
- By Mail: No specific deadline, but we recommend applying at least seven days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in Washington
Residents of Washington vote by mail in all elections.
West Virginia
- In Person: Received six days before Election Day
- By Mail: Received six days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in West Virginia
You must provide a reason for voting absentee.
Wisconsin
- In Person: Received five days before Election Day
- By Mail: Received five days before Election Day
- Online: Received five days before Election Day
You do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
Wyoming
- In Person: Received one day before Election Day
- By Mail: Received one day before Election Day, but the state recommends applying at least seven days before Election Day
- Online: N/A
- Click here for more information on registering to vote in Wyoming
You do not need to provide a reason for voting absentee.
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