There are 73 days left until Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 5, but most Americans will vote before then, just like they did in the last two elections.
Early voting starts on Sept. 6 for some people, with seven key states sending out ballots in the same month. This means the next few months are more of an “election season” than a countdown to a single day.
In the past, early voting was mainly for military members or people who were sick. However, in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many states expanded early voting options.
That year, 71% of voters cast their ballots before Election Day—30% voted early in-person, and 41% by mail. Early voting remained popular in the 2022 midterms, with 57% of voters voting before Election Day.
Voting early is safe and secure. After the 2020 election, recounts, investigations, and lawsuits found no widespread fraud.
There are two main ways to vote early: early in-person voting and voting by mail. With early in-person voting, you cast your ballot at a voting center before Election Day.
With voting by mail, you receive a ballot in the mail and send it back. Some states, like California and Colorado, vote mostly by mail, while others allow anyone to request a mail ballot.
In 14 states, you need a reason to vote by mail, such as being sick or out of town on Election Day.
Different states start processing and counting ballots at different times, so results might be delayed.
Here are some key early voting dates:
- Sept. 6: North Carolina starts sending absentee ballots.
- Sept. 16-30: Several battleground states, including Pennsylvania, Georgia, Wisconsin, and Michigan, begin sending out mail-in ballots or start in-person early voting.
- October: More states will open early voting, including in-person voting in places like Michigan, Maine, California, and Georgia.
For the most up-to-date information on voting, visit Vote.gov or your state’s election website.
September Deadlines
In-person early voting in bold.
Sept. 6
- North Carolina – Absentee ballots sent to voters
Sept. 16
- Pennsylvania – Mail-in ballots sent to voters
Sept. 17
- Georgia – Absentee ballots sent to military & overseas
Sept. 19
- Wisconsin – Absentee ballots sent
Sept. 20
- Arkansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Utah, Wyoming – Absentee ballots sent to military & overseas
- Minnesota, South Dakota – In-person absentee voting begins
- Virginia – In-person early voting begins
- Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia – Absentee ballots sent
Sept. 21
- Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Oregon, South Carolina, Washington – Absentee ballots sent to military & overseas
- Indiana, New Mexico – Absentee ballots sent
- Maryland, New Jersey – Mail-in ballots sent
Sept. 23
- Mississippi – In-person absentee voting begins & absentee ballots sent
- Oregon, Vermont – Absentee ballots sent
Sept. 26
- Illinois – In-person early voting begins
- Michigan – Absentee ballots sent
- Florida, Nevada – Mail-in ballots sent
- North Dakota – Absentee & mail-in ballots sent
Sept. 30
- Nebraska – Mail-in ballots sent
October Deadlines
Oct. 4
- Connecticut – Absentee ballots sent
Oct. 6
- Michigan – In-person early voting begins
- Maine – In-person absentee voting begins & mail ballots sent
- California – In-person absentee voting begins & mail ballots sent
- Montana – In-person absentee voting begins
- Nebraska – In-person early voting begins
- Georgia – Absentee ballots sent
- Massachusetts – Mail-in ballots sent
Oct. 8
- California – Ballot drop-offs open
- New Mexico, Ohio – In-person absentee voting begins
- Indiana – In-person early voting begins
- Wyoming – In-person absentee voting begins & absentee ballots sent
Oct. 9
- Arizona – In-person early voting begins & mail ballots sent
Oct. 11
- Colorado – Mail-in ballots sent
- Arkansas, Alaska – Absentee ballots sent
Oct. 15
- Georgia – In-person early voting begins
- Utah – Mail-in ballots sent
Oct. 16
- Rhode Island, Kansas, Tennessee – In-person early voting begins
- Iowa – In-person absentee voting begins
- Oregon, Nevada – Mail-in ballots sent
Oct. 17
- North Carolina – In-person early voting begins
Oct. 18
- Washington, Louisiana – In-person early voting begins
- Hawaii – Mail-in ballots sent
Oct. 19
- Nevada, Massachusetts – In-person early voting begins
- Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Idaho, North Dakota, South Carolina, Texas – In-person early voting begins
- Colorado – Ballot drop-offs open
Oct. 22
- Hawaii, Utah – In-person early voting begins
- Missouri, Wisconsin – In-person absentee voting begins
Oct. 23
- West Virginia – In-person early voting begins
Oct. 24
- Maryland – In-person early voting begins
Oct. 25
- Delaware – In-person early voting begins
Oct. 26
- Michigan, Florida, New Jersey, New York – In-person early voting begins
Oct. 30
- Oklahoma – In-person early voting begins
Oct. 31
- Kentucky – In-person absentee voting begins
