Vote-by-Mail Deadlines for All 50 States

The pandemic has election officials scrambling to find safe solutions to ensure voter participation, and voters scrambling to ensure they can safely cast a ballot. We believe remote online voting is the real long-term solution to problems like this. Until that happens, vast numbers of voters will rely on absentee ballots, also known as vote by mail (VBM), to reduce the risk of virus exposure.

But VBM ballots are rejected at much higher rates than those cast in person. In New York state in the 2018 midterm elections, more than 34,000 absentee ballots — 14% of the state’s total number of absentee ballots — were rejected. Most of those were excluded for arriving late to election offices.

An analysis by National Public Radio (NPR) of this year’s US primaries to-date found that at least 65,000 absentee or mail-in ballots have been rejected because they arrived past deadlines. Among them, 5% of VBM ballots in the Virginia primary were voided for arriving late.

With the USPS struggling financially and operationally and embroiled in political issues, voters would do well to return their absentee ballots as early as possible. Ballot drop boxes, where they are available, are a good option to ensure your ballot is received. For those who are using USPS, mail your ballot as early as possible. The chart below lists every state’s deadline for receiving ballots.

If you have questions, contact your local elections office for clarification.