Absentee Voting
To vote absentee, you must be a registered voter and meet one of the following criteria:-
Students, their spouses and dependents residing with them
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Members of the Armed Forces, Merchant Marines, Red Cross, USO, government employees, their spouses and dependents residing with them
- Overseas citizens
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For reasons of employment will not be able to vote on election day
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Physically disabled persons
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Persons on vacation
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Persons age 65 or older
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Persons admitted to the hospital as emergency patients on day of election or at least four days prior to the election
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Electors with a death or funeral in the family within 3 days before the election
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Persons confined to a jail or pre-trial facility pending disposition of arrest or trial
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Persons attending sick or physically disabled persons
- Persons serving as jurors in a state or federal court on election day
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Certified poll watchers and poll managers
Absentee Deadlines:
- Voters can begin applying as early as January 1 to vote absentee for any election held during that same year.
- If applying by mail, the county voter registration office must receive your application no later than 5:00 p.m., four days prior to the election. For Tuesday elections, this deadline falls on Friday.
- You may vote absentee in person at your county voter registration office up until 5:00 p.m. on the day before the election.
- All mail-in absentee ballots must be received by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day to be counted.
- Your completed absentee ballot must be placed in the "Ballots Herein" envelope provided with your absentee ballot. The "Ballots Herein" envelope will then be placed inside a "Return Envelope" which you must sign and have witnessed before returning.
- Voters may request an absentee ballot in person, by phone (except authorized representatives), by mail, or by contacting your county voter registration office in the county in which you are registered. County Voter Registration Contact Information.
- The voter, a member of the voter's immediate family, or the voter's authorized representative may request the absentee ballot application. An authorized representative is a registered voter who, with a voter's permission, can request an absentee ballot application on behalf of a voter who qualifies because of illness or disability. Candidates and paid campaign workers may not serve as authorized representatives.
- Voters admitted to the hospital as an emergency patient on the day of the election or within four days of the election can have an immediate family member apply and carry a ballot to the voter.
- To have your absentee ballot returned by a person other than yourself, it is necessary for the absentee voter to compete an "Authorization to Return Absentee Ballot Form". The absentee voter completes Part I, and the person returning the ballot completes Part II of the form. Candidates and paid campaign workers may not return absentee ballots unless they are an immediate family member of the voter.
- Voters unable to write because of physical handicap or illiteracy, may receive help in applying for and marking their ballot. The voter must make his/her mark and have the mark witnessed by someone chosen by the voter.
- For more information regarding voter registration and absentee voting, contact your County Voter Registration Office.