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Arizona
Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 16-549
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Supervised absentee available for voters who are ill or have disabilities.
The county recorder or other local officer in charge of elections may appoint “special election boards” for voters who are ill or have a disability. The board consists of two members, one from each of the two major political parties. Members of these boards are reimbursed for travel expenses and receive compensation by the county’s board of supervisors.
Individuals confined as the result of a continuing illness or physical disability and unable to go to the polls on Election Day and do not want to use the mailed early ballot procedure may make a request to the officer in charge of elections by 5 p.m. on the second Friday before the election. The ballot is delivered to the elector in person by the special election board. The manner and procedure of voting is the same as for other early voting by mail. The marked ballot in the sealed envelope is handed to the special election board, which then delivers it to the officer in charge of elections.
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Colorado
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-7.5-113
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If a group residential facility does not have USPS mailboxes and more than seven mail ballots are sent to the facility, a committee shall deliver and return the ballots to the office of the clerk and recorder. The committee consists of one employee of the county clerk and recorder and a representative from each of the major political parties.
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Connecticut
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 9-159q, § 9-159r
Accessible Voting Options | Connecticut Secretary of State
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If 20 or more of the patients in any institution (veterans’ health care facility, residential care home, health care facility for the handicapped, nursing home, rest home, mental health facility or assisted living facility) in the state are electors, absentee ballots voted by such electors shall be voted under the supervision of the registrars of voters or their designees of the town in which the institution is located.
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Florida
Fla. Stat. § 101.655
Accessible Voting for Persons with Disabilities | Florida Division of Elections
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Administrators of nursing homes or assisted living facilities may request supervised voting for absent electors. The written request must be submitted to the supervisor of elections no later than 28 days before the election. The supervisor of elections is required to provide supervised voting if five or more voters are on the list the administrator provides in the request. The supervisor of elections may provide supervised voting in the facility even in the absence of a request if they choose, but they must notify the facility administrator.
The supervisor of elections shall designate supervised voting teams to provide the service to facilities. Each supervised voting team shall consist of at least two people who are representatives of different political parties. The supervised voting team delivers the ballots to the absent electors and jointly supervises the voting of ballots at the facility. Voters may receive assistance from the two members of the team if they request it. After the ballots have been marked by voters, the supervised voting team delivers the ballots to the supervisor of elections.
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Georgia
Ga. Code § 21-2-384
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Supervised absentee for voters confined to hospitals only.
An elector who is confined to a hospital on a primary or election day to whom an absentee ballot is delivered by the registrar or absentee ballot clerk shall then and there vote the ballot, seal it properly and return it to the registrar or absentee ballot clerk.
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Guam
3 Guam Code Ann. § 10107.1
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Supervised absentee available for ill or disabled voters.
In supervised absentee voting (referred to as homebound voting in Guam) for ill or disabled voters, the local election commission “shall deliver a ballot to any qualified elector [with illness or physical disability] applying in person or by telephone; provided, however, that such applicant shall complete and subscribe the application [to vote absentee] ... said ballot shall be immediately marked, enclosed in the ballot envelope, placed in the affidavit envelope and immediately returned to the Commission.”
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Illinois
Ill. Rev. Stat. ch. 10, § 5/19-12.2
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Physically incapacitated electors can vote through supervised absentee voting using mail voting procedures or on the premises of a veteran’s home, hospitals, facilities.
Voters may make an application to the local election authority at least five days before the election to vote through supervised absentee. This voting shall be conducted either on the Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday immediately before the election.
The election authority selects a panel of two election judges who schedule a time to come to the facility to conduct voting. The judges conducting the voting must be from different political parties and are compensated at least $25.00 for conducting vote by mail voting in the facilities. To the maximum extent feasible, voting booths or screens shall be provided to insure the privacy of the voter. Once voters have completed their ballots, they seal it in an envelope and sign it. The election judges bring the sealed envelope to the election authority’s office. The ballots are counted like vote-by- mail ballots.
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Indiana
Ind. Code § 3-11-10-25
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Supervised absentee voting is available for injured, ill or disabled voters. An absentee voter board appointed by the county election board shall visit voters who are voting by absentee ballot because of illness or injury, are disabled or because they are caring for a confined person at a private residence. The board is composed of two members and visits the voter’s place of confinement or the residence of the voter with disabilities.
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Iowa
Iowa Code § 53.22
Absentee Voting at Health Care Facilities | Iowa Secretary of State
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If a voter applies for an absentee ballot and is a resident or patient in a health care facility, assisted living program or hospital, their ballot shall be delivered by two special precinct election officers. The two special precinct election officers are appointed by the election board commissioner and must be members of each political party. They are compensated by the county at the same rate as other temporary election workers. The special precinct election officers travel together in the same vehicle and are present when the voter casts their absentee ballot. Voters casting a ballot in this manner are not subject to the voter ID requirements. The officers may assist the voter with their ballot upon request from the voter. The officers put the voted and sealed ballots in a sealed container, which they return to the county commissioner on the same day.
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Kansas
Kan. Stat. Ann. § 25-2812
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County election officer may contact the administrator at nursing facilities, assisted living facilities and hospital-based long term care units no later than 60 days before the election to request that voters be offered the opportunity to vote via supervised absentee voting. The administrator has the option to agree or decline. The special election board is appointed and trained by the county election official and must have at least two members. To the extent practicable, the members of the board shall not all be affiliated with the same political party. Members of the special election board deliver ballots to voters in facilities which agree to participate in the program and may help voters if needed. Once a ballot is completed, it is sealed in an envelope or deposited in a locked ballot box. The special election board delivers the ballots and materials to the county election official.
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Louisiana
La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 18:1333
Voting Programs for Voters with Disabilities, Senior Citizens and Nursing Home Residents | Louisiana Secretary of State
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A voter in a nursing home or veterans home who wishes to vote through the program must apply to the registrar of voters at least 30 days before the election. Upon reviewing the application, the registrar shall inform the applicant of the time that a deputy registrar or other qualified person selected by the registrar of the date that they will appear at the nursing home to allow the voter to cast a ballot.
On the specified day for nursing home early voting, the registrar goes to the nursing home and brings the necessary voting supplies for the voter to cast an absentee by mail ballot. The voter presents the assigned number on the absentee application confirmation letter from the registrar; upon confirming the number, the registrar hands the envelope containing the absentee-by-mail ballot to the voter.
The voter may request assistance from the registrar, otherwise, the registrar goes away while the voter marks the ballot. The voter seals their marked ballot in the mail ballot envelope, signs the accompanying certificate and seals the envelope. The voter then places the sealed absentee mail ballot envelope into the locked metal ballot box that the registrar brought with them.
Once the registrar returns to their office, they unlock the metal box and remove the absentee-by-mail ballots from the box and processes the ballots in the same manner as other early voting or absentee ballots.
The registrar may use the same voting procedures, machines and equipment used in early voting (not just mail/absentee voting) to conduct voting for nursing homes if they choose.
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Maine
Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 21-A, § 753-B(5)
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The municipal clerk shall designate one time during the 30 days prior to an election where the clerk will be present at qualifying facility—meaning licensed nursing homes, licensed residential care facility and licensed assisted living programs with a capacity of six or more residents—to conduct absentee voting by residents. “The clerk shall designate which areas in these facilities constitute the voting place, the voting booth and the guardrail enclosure.”
Residents of facilities may cast absentee ballots in this way but are not required.
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Maryland
Md. Election Code Ann § 2-202
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Local boards must “administer voter registration and absentee voting for nursing homes and assisted living facilities.” The exact procedure for administering absentee voting is established by the state.
Note: While Maryland’s procedure in statute is vague, a 2014 memo from the department of health states that “for facilities with more than 50 residents, representatives of the local board of elections are available to visit the facility and offer in-person voter registration and absentee voting.”
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Massachusetts
Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 54, § 91B, § 92
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For voters who are patients in a designated health care facility—defined as a hospital or clinic, long-term care facility, nursing home, a “rest home” for the elderly, or any institution for disabled or mentally ill individuals (ch. 111, § 25B)—their ballot shall be delivered in person by a registrar, assistant registrar or absent registration officer. After the voter marks their ballot, they seal it in the envelope and sign the affidavit on the envelope. The voter then returns the voted ballot to the election official who delivered it to them; the official shall then return it to the clerk’s office.
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Minnesota
Minn. Stat. § 203B.11
Voting from a Nursing Home or Hospital | Minnesota Secretary of State
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The municipal clerk must designate election judges to deliver absentee ballots to eligible voters who are residents of a health care facility, hospital, licensed nursing home, licensed home care provider, licensed hospital provider, licensed community residential setting or veterans home.
Two election judges, each of whom is affiliated with a different major political party, deliver the ballot to voters; they must travel in the same vehicle together to the site and both must be present when the voter marks the absentee ballot. The judges may assist the voter upon the voter’s request. The judges deposit the return envelope containing the marked absentee ballots into a sealed container and return them to the clerk on the same day the ballots are delivered and marked.
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Missouri
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 115.287(2)
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If a voter is confined in an intermediate care facility, residential care facility, or skilled nursing facility on election day, the local election authority shall appoint a team to deliver, witness the signing of, and return a voter’s absentee ballot application and ballot. The appointed team must consist of two registered voters, one from each political party. If the election authority receives 10 or more requests from the same address, they shall appoint a team to deliver and witness the voting and return of absentee ballots by the residents of the facility.
Both designated team members must be present during the delivery, signing, voting and return of the absentee ballot or application.
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Nebraska
Neb. Rev. Stat. § 32-944
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The election commissioner or county clerk may train registered voters to act on behalf of the commissioner or clerk in administering a ballot to residents of nursing homes or hospitals who have requested ballots. Ballots shall be administered by two registered voters from different political parties.
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New Hampshire
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 657:17-b
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The clerk, assistant clerk, or clerk pro tem may deliver absentee ballots to residents of nursing homes or elder care facilities. They shall ensure the process of receiving, marking and returning the absentee ballots” of residents is fair, private, and properly handled.
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New York
N.Y. Election Law § 8-407
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When 25 or more applications for absentee ballots come from a single nursing home or residential health care facility, nursing home, adult care facility or veterans’ facility, the county board of elections shall conduct supervised absentee voting. If a resident is in such a facility, this is the only method they may use to cast an absentee ballot.
The board of elections shall appoint one or more bipartisan boards of inspectors, each with two inspectors. A board of inspectors attends each facility that qualifies with 25 or more ballots (or other facilities with less ballots, but those are at the discretion of the board of elections) no sooner than 13 days before the election. The board of inspectors brings the absentee ballots to residents of the facilities along with one or more portable voting booths.
The inspectors deliver each ballot to each individual resident who has applied for a ballot. Voters may use the portable voting booths to cast their vote. Residents may request help from the members of the inspector board or another individual.
After they complete their ballot, the voter seals it in the absentee envelope and returns it to the inspectors. The board of inspectors takes the sealed envelopes containing marked ballots and returns them to the board of elections upon the completion of their duties.
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North Carolina
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 163-226.3(a)(4)
8 N.C. Administrative Code 16.0101 to 16.0105
Assistance for Voters in Care Facilities | North Carolina State Board of Elections
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Each county board of elections shall train and authorize a multipartisan team to assist voters with absentee ballots who are in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes or resting homes. The team consists of at least two members who have different political party affiliations. The team is available to help residents and patients of facilities in requesting and casting absentee ballots, including requesting mail-in ballots, serving as witnesses to mail-in absentee voting, or otherwise assist in process of mail-in absentee voting.
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Ohio
Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3509.08
Special Voting Circumstances | Ohio Secretary of State
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Supervised absentee voting is available for voters with physical disability, illness or infirmity. A qualified elector may apply in writing to the county board of elections for an absentee ballot if they are unable to travel to the election booth on election day on account of their illness, physical disability, or infirmity.
The absentee ballot may be mailed directly to the applicant’s voting residence or place of confinement, or the election board may designate two board employees from the two major political parties to deliver the ballot to the elector and returning it to the board. Board employees may assist an incapacitated voter in marking their ballot if they are unable to do so and upon the voter’s request. The two members must both be present for the delivery, marking, assistance and return of all the ballots.
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Oklahoma
Okla. Stat. tit. 26, § 14-115
Voters Confined to a Nursing Home or Veteran's Center | Oklahoma State Election Board
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Upon a request from a voter confined to a nursing facility or veterans’ home, the absentee voting board shall deliver ballots and materials to each registered voter confined to a nursing facility or veterans’ home.
Voters must mark the ballot in the presence of the absentee voting board. Insofar as possible, the voting procedure shall be the same as if the voter were casting a vote in person at a precinct. Voters may request assistance from the absentee voting board to mark their ballot, seal their envelope, or complete the affidavit. The voter places their completed ballot in the envelope and signs the affidavit on the envelope with both board members witnessing. The envelope is returned by the absentee voting board to the secretary of the county election board on the same day that the affidavit was signed.
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Rhode Island
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-20-14
Nursing Home Mail Ballot Program | Rhode Island Board of Elections
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The state board of elections shall appoint as many bipartisan pairs of supervisors as are necessary to attend each hospital, rest home, nursing home or similar facility in the state starting 20 days before the election.
The pairs supervise the casting of votes by residents using mail ballots and provide assistance, if necessary, to ensure the proper marking, sealing, and mailing of voted ballots.
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South Dakota
S.D. Codified Laws § 12-19-9.1
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At any nursing facility, assisted living center or hospital from which there might reasonably be expected to be five or more absentee applications, representatives of the county auditor’s office shall be present to assist residents in voting using the absentee procedure. On the date and time determined by the county auditor and communicated to the facility administrator, representatives of the auditor’s office shall deliver the ballots and assist facility residents who desire assistance in voting, utilizing the absentee procedure.
The state board of elections sets rules for procedures in conducting absentee voting and securing and collecting completed ballots from the nursing facility, assisted living center or hospital. Identification and affidavit requirements are waived for absentee votes completed in this manner.
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Tennessee
Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-6-601
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The county commissioner shall send two absentee voting deputies, one from the majority party and one from the minority, to the nursing home, assisted care living facility or “home for the aged” for the purpose of processing, assisting, and attesting absentee ballot applications & ballots.
This procedure is the only one permissible for voters who are full-time residents of nursing homes and cannot leave the premises. However, if they are able to go in person for early voting, they may do so.
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Vermont
Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 17, § 2538
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Supervised absentee voting is available for voters with a disability, illness or injury. For voters who indicated on their application that they are voting absentee due to their disability, illness or injury, the board of civil authority or town clerk shall designate “justices of the peace” in pairs (from different political parties). These pairs deliver early voter absentee ballots to each applicant. The voter marks their ballot; a justice of the peace may help them if they are physically unable to do so. The voter returns their completed ballot to the justices, who then deliver them to the town clerk
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West Virginia
W. Va. Code § 3-3-5c
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“Emergency absentee ballot” procedures are available for voters with disabilities, UOCAVA voters and first responders. In addition to these voters, the county commission may adopt a policy extending the emergency absentee voting procedures to voters in nursing homes, hospitals, or other facilities.
Under the emergency absentee ballot procedures, the county commission appoints a set of emergency absentee ballot commissioners consisting of two people from different political party affiliations. The emergency absentee ballot commissioners are compensated in the same manner as election commissioners or poll clerks. After receiving an emergency ballot request from the voter, the emergency absentee ballot commissioners deliver the materials to the voter, wait for them to complete the ballot and application then return the materials to the official supervising absentee voting. The emergency absentee ballot commissioners sign an oath that only the voter marked the ballot.
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Wisconsin
Wis. Stat. § 6.875
Voting in Care Facilities | Wisconsin Elections Commission
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If there are at least five registered voters in the facility and one or more applications for absentee ballot were submitted from a facility, the municipal clerk or local board of elections shall dispatch at least two special voting deputies to the residential home or nursing facility to conduct absentee voting for resident electors. The two deputies must be affiliated with different political parties.
The deputies bring absentee ballots to the residents of the facility and present them to each voter who submitted an application. Deputies also supply applications on site.
The “home or facility shall be treated as a polling place.” Voting is conducted in the presence of deputies. Deputies may offer assistance to the elector. Deputies seal the absentee ballot envelopes inside a carrier envelope and seal the carrier envelope and sign their names on the seal. They place the envelope in a ballot bag or container and deliver that bag or container to the clerk/board of election commissioners within 18 hours after visiting the facility.
At any residential care facility or qualified retirement home where a municipality dispatches special voting deputies to conduct absentee voting in person under this section, the procedures prescribed in this section are the exclusive means of absentee voting in person inside that facility or home for electors who are occupants of the facility or home.
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