FAQ
- About Absentee Voting
>> Obtain
An Absentee Ballot
Q.
How else can I obtain an absentee ballot?
A. You may
request an absente ballot by contacting your local county
or city election official. Depending on your State, this
individual may be the County Clerk, County Auditor, County
Registrar or Supervisor of Elections, or the Board of
Elections. In most cases the phone number for these offices
is listed in the blue government pages of you phone book.
Q.
I'm a member of the armed forces stationed overseas.
How can I vote by absentee ballot?
A. The Federal
Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) in the Office of the
Secretary of Defense is responsible for administering
the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.
This law provides that members of the U.S. Uniformed
Services and merchant marine and their family members
may vote absentee while away from their place of voting
residence, wherever stationed, within or outside the
United States. For detailed information on registering
and obtaining an absentee ballot, please visit the FVAP
web site at http://www.fvap.gov/ ,
or call 1-800-438-VOTE.
Q.
I'm a U.S. citizen currently residing abroad. How can
I vote by absentee ballot?
A. The FVAP
also serves non-military U.S. citizens residing abroad
by helping them to register and vote by absentee ballot.
Click on the
question to find your answer in the tables below.
Q. What
is the cut-off date for the receipt of absentee ballots
in my State?
Q. Does
the return envelope for my absentee ballot need to
be notarized or witnessed?
Q. When
are absentee ballots normally counted in my State?
Q. Who
normally counts the absentee ballots in my State?
| STATE |
WHEN
ARE ABSENTEE BALLOTS NORMALLY COUNTED |
WHO
NORMALLY COUNTS ABSENTEE BALLOTS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| AL |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
POLLWORKERS |
| AK |
8PM
ELECTION DAY |
DIST.
AB BALLOT COUNT BOARD |
| AZ |
ELECTION
DAY & 5 DAYS BEYOND |
CENTRAL
COUNTING |
| AR |
7:30
PM ELECTION DAY |
ABSENT
ELECTION BOARD |
| CA |
5PM
DAY BEFORE ELECTION |
SPECIAL
COUNTING BOARD |
|
|
|
| CO |
10
DAYS PRIOR TO CLOSE ELEC NIGHT |
AT
LEAST 3 COUNTY JUDGES |
| CT |
NOT
BEFORE NOON ELECT. DAY |
ABSENTEE
BALLOT COUNTERS |
| DE |
PRIOR
TO CLOSE OF POLLS |
ELECTION
JUDGES |
| DC |
UP
TO 10 DAYS AFTER ELECTION |
D.C.
BOARD OF ELECTIONS |
| FL |
7PM
ELECTION DAY |
COUNTY
CANVASSING BOARD |
|
|
|
| GA |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
ABSENTEE
BALLOT MANGER |
| HI |
ELECTION
DAY |
CHIEF
ELECTION OFFICER |
| ID |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
COUNTY
CLERKS & ELECTION JUDGES |
| IL |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
PANEL
OF ELECTION JUDGES |
| IN |
ELECTION
DAY |
PREC.
ELEC. or CENTRALCOUNTING BOARD |
|
|
|
| IA |
ELECTION
DAY |
ELECTION
BOARD |
| KS |
OPENING
OF POLLS (COUNTY) |
SPECIAL
ELECTION BOARD |
| KY |
BEG.
3PM ELECT. DAY |
COUNTY
BOARD OF ELECTIONS |
| LA |
AFTER
1PM BEFORE 8PM D.O.E. |
BOARD
OF ELECTION SUPERVISORS |
| ME |
CLOSE
OF POLLS OR PRIOR* |
ELECTION
CLERKS |
|
|
|
| MD |
10
am THURS. AFTER ELECTION DAY |
COUNTY
BOARD |
| MA |
ELECTION
DAY |
LOCAL
ELECTION OFFICIAL |
| MI |
CLOSE
OF POLLS/7AM OPTION |
PRECINCT
ELECTION or ABSENT VOTER BD |
| MN |
8PM
ELECTION DAY |
ELECTION
JUDGES |
| MS |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
PRECINCT
ELECTION MANAGERS |
|
|
|
| MO |
ELECTION
DAY (may prepare earlier) |
ELECTION
JUDGES BIPART. TEAMS |
| MT |
PRIOR
TO CLOSE/NOT BEFORE OPEN |
ABSENTEE
BALLOT COUNTING BOARD |
| NE |
TIME
SE T BY CO. ELECT. OFFICER |
ABSENT
VOTERS COUNTING BOARD |
| NV |
ELECTION
DAY |
ABSENTEE
BALLOT COUNTING BOARD |
| NH |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
PRECINCT
MODERATOR |
|
|
|
| NJ |
ELECTION
DAY |
COUNTY
BOARD OF ELECTIONS |
| NM |
7PM
ELECTION DAY |
ABSENTEE
VOTER PRECINCT BOARD |
| NY |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
INSP.
OF ELECT/ CENTRAL COUNTING |
| NC |
5PM
ELECTION DAY |
COUNTY
BOARD OF ELECTIONS |
| ND |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
ABSENTEE
BALLOT COUNTING BOARD |
|
|
|
| OH |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
SPECIAL
ELECTION JUDGES |
| OK |
7PM
ELECTION DAY |
COUNTY
ELECTION BOARD |
| OR |
UPON
DELIVERY OF POLL BOOKS |
ELECTION
OFFICIAL |
| PA |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
PRECINCT
ELECTION BOARD |
| RI |
9PM
ELECTION DAY |
STATE
BOARD OF ELECTIONS |
|
|
|
| SC |
7PM
ELECTION DAY |
ABSENTEE
POLL MANAGERS |
| SD |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
AB
BIT BOARD/PRECINCT CANV. BOARD |
| TN |
OPENING
OF POLLS |
CENTRAL
AB. BALLOT COUNT BOARD |
| TX |
ELECTION
DAY** |
EARLY
VOTING BALLOT BOARD |
| UT |
ELECTION
DAY OR MON. AFTER ELECT. |
ELECTION
JUDGES |
|
|
|
| VT |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
BIPARTISAN
ELECTION JUDGES |
| VA |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
ELECT
OFF/CENTRAL COUNT |
| WA |
8PM
ELECTION DAY & PRIOR TO CERT. |
CANVASSING
BOARD |
| WV |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
PRECINCT
ELECTION COMMISSIONERS |
| WI |
BETWEEN
OPEN AND CLOSE OF POLLS |
WARD
ELECTION INSPECTORS |
| WY |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
CNTY
CLERK OR 3 ELECTION JUDGES |
| STATE |
ENVELOPES
SIGNED BY WITNESS OR NOTARY |
CUT-OFF
FOR RECEIVING ABSENTEE BALLOTS |
| AL |
NOTARY
OR 2 WITNESSES |
CLOSE
OF POLLS ON ELECTION DAY |
| AK |
NOTARY
OR 2 WITNESSES |
NLT
10 DAYS AFTER ELECTION/15 OVERSEAS |
| AZ |
No |
7PM
ELECTION DAY |
| AR |
No |
7:30PM
ELECT/NLT 5PM 10 DAYS AFTER |
| CA |
No |
8PM
ELECTION DAY |
|
|
|
| CO |
No |
7PM
ELECTION DAY |
| CT |
No |
8PM
ELECTION DAY |
| DE |
NOTARY
OR WITNESS* |
NOON
DAY BEFORE ELECTION |
| DC |
No |
10
DAYS AFTER ELECTION** |
| FL |
ONE
WITNESS & ADDRESS |
7PM
ELECTION DAY |
|
|
|
| GA |
ONLY
IS ASSISTED (W) |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
| HI |
ONLY
IS ASSISTED (W) |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
| ID |
No |
8PM
ELECTION DAY |
| IL |
No |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
| IN |
No |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
|
|
|
| IA |
No |
CLOSE
OF POLLS/W POSTMARK NLT MON AFTER ELECTION |
| KS |
No |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
| KY |
No |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
| LA |
NOTARY
OR 2 WITNESSES |
MIDNIGHT
DAY BEFORE ELECTION |
| ME |
NOTARY
OR 2 WITNESSES^ |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
|
|
|
| MD |
No |
FRIDAY
WEEK AFTER ELECTION^* |
| MA |
No |
10
DAYS AFTER ELECTION FOR GENERAL |
| MI |
ONLY
IF ASSISTED (W) |
8PM
ELECTION DAY |
| MN |
NOTARY
OR 1 WITNESS |
LAST
MAIL DELIVERY ELECTION DAY |
| MS |
WITNESS |
|
|
|
|
| MO |
NOTARY* |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
| MT |
No |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
| NE |
WITNESS |
10AM
SECOND DAY AFTER ELECTION |
| NV |
No |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
| NH |
No |
5PM
DAY BEFORE ELECTION |
|
|
|
| NJ |
WITNESS
OR NOTARY |
8PM
ELECTION DAY |
| NM |
No |
7PM
ELECTION DAY |
| NY |
ONLY
IF ASSISTED (W) |
POSTMARKED
DAY BEFORE ELECTION |
| NC |
2
WITNESSES |
5PM
DAY BEFORE ELECTION |
| ND |
ONLY
IF ASSISTED (W) |
WITHIN
2 DAYS AFTER ELECTION |
|
|
|
| OH |
No |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
| OK |
NOTARY
OR WITNESS*, ^^ |
7PM
ELECTION DAY |
| OR |
No |
8PM
ELECTION DAY |
| PA |
ONLY
IF ASSISTED (W) |
5PM
FRIDAY BEFORE ELECTION |
| RI |
NOTARY
OR 2 WITNESSES |
9PM
ELECTION DAY |
|
|
|
| SC |
WITNESS |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
| SD |
No |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
| TN |
WITNESS
IF ASSISTED |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
| TX |
IF
UNABLE TO SIGN |
BEFORE
CLOSE OF POLLS^** |
| UT |
ONLY
IF ASSISTED (W) |
NOON
MONDAY FOLLOWING ELECTION |
|
|
|
| VT |
No |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
| VA |
WITNESS |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
| WA |
No |
NLT
10 DAYS |
| WV |
No |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
| WI |
WITNESS |
CLOSE
OF POLLS |
| WY |
No |
7PM
ELECTION DAY |
|
