Last Minute Ballot Drop Off and Ballot Tracking
One week left to vote!
Here's everything you need to know to submit your absentee ballot in time to be counted.
The 2022 midterm election will be held on Tuesday, November 8th. And if you’re anything like the 65 million Americans who voted by mail in the 2020 general election, then you too may be submitting an absentee ballot this year. In fact, experts predict that over 60 million will vote by mail-in or absentee ballot this year.
Hopefully, you’ve already requested, received, and voted your absentee ballot. But if you haven’t done one or all of those things, we’ll walk you through your options below:
- Request: If you haven’t yet requested your absentee ballot – and you don’t live in one of the eight states that send all registered voters one in the mail – then, in some states, you still have time to visit your local election office in person and request one.
- Deadlines: Check out your state’s deadlines to request and pick up an absentee ballot. Note, too, whether your state offers no-excuse absentee voting or if it requires you to first provide a reason as to why you can’t vote in person on Tuesday.
- Ballot Drop Off: If you have your absentee ballot in hand, and already completed your selections for office, you often have options on how to return it, including at a drop box, in-person at a local election office or early vote center, and through the mail – and please consider the fastest, most direct way.
- Rest assured that most states permit you to post a complete ballot in the mail so long as it’s postmarked by Nov. 8 (and received by a certain date).
How You Can Track Your Ballot:
Once you’ve returned your ballot, you can track your ballot receipt and counting. All states (except for Mississippi and Wyoming) and the District of Columbia offer ballot-tracking services. Check as often as you like!
Where's My Ballot: Look Up and Go to My State's Ballot Tracking System
A final note about ballot counting: we may not receive statewide and nationwide results of the election on Nov. 8 after the polls close. Administrators will be working hard to open, assess, and count absentee and in-person ballots. Doing a thorough job can sometimes take extra time!
For any other questions, check out US Vote’s - Voter Help Desk! We’re here to make sure you have all the answers on absentee voting so you can cast a ballot that gets counted!