Who may Request an Absentee Ballot?
- To receive a mail-in absentee ballot for an election, a voter or the voter’s near relative (spouse, brother, sister, parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, mother-in-law, father-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, stepparent, or stepchild) or legal guardian must use the State Absentee Ballot Request Form to request the ballot.
Assistance Requesting an Absentee Ballot
- Voters who are blind or disabled, or who cannot read or write may receive assistance in completing the request form.
- If the assistance is provided by someone other than a near relative or legal guardian, that person’s name and address must be listed on the State Absentee Ballot Request Form.
Returning the Absentee Ballot Request Form
- Completed request forms may only be delivered to the county board of elections by one of the following:
- the voter
- the voter’s near relative or verifiable legal guardian
- a member of a multipartisan assistance team (MAT) Page
- U.S. Postal Service or designated delivery service authorized pursuant to 26 U.S.C. § 7502(f).
- Forms returned by any other person will not be processed.
- Forms cannot be faxed or emailed.
- A signed and completed State Absentee Ballot Request Form must be received by the county board of elections office no later than 5:00 PM on the Tuesday prior to the date of the election for which the ballot is being requested.
- Requests that are received after the absentee request deadline will not be deemed timely, regardless of any postmark date.
- Requests forms that are delivered by the deadline to the State Board will be considered timely. In the interest of ensuring that county boards of elections are able to promptly process voters’ absentee requests, we strongly recommend that forms be submitted to the appropriate county board of elections.
2020 Deadlines for Requesting an Absentee Ballot
- March Primary Election: Tuesday, February 25, 2020 by 5 p.m.
- April Second Primary Election (Non-Federal): Tuesday, April 14, 2020 by 5 p.m.
- May Second Primary Election (Federal): Tuesday, May 5, 2020 by 5 p.m.
- November General Election: Tuesday, October 27, 2020 by 5 p.m.
Invalid Absentee Ballot Requests
- A request for absentee ballots is not valid if any of the following apply:
- The completed written request is not on the State Absentee Ballot Request Form.
- The completed written request is completed, partially or in whole, or signed by anyone other than the voter, the voter's near relative or verifiable legal guardian, or a MAT member.
- The written request does not contain all of the required information.
- The completed written request is returned to the county board by someone who is not authorized to return the request.
Copying & Distributing Absentee Ballot Request Forms
- It is permissible to make copies of the Absentee Ballot Request Form for distribution.
- It is not permissible for candidates, campaigns, individuals or groups to create their own absentee ballot request form.