State Policies That Impact Rural Voters
Although there are no federal laws specifically addressing the needs of rural voters, the 2002 Help America Vote Act (HAVA) required the U.S. Election Assistance Commission to produce a report on the factors affecting election administration in rural and urban areas.
On the state level, every election administration law can be considered in terms of how it may impact rural voters, including the policy considerations below.
Voter Registration Options
When registering to vote, rural voters may prefer the option of registering while completing other tasks in the population center closest to them. This could include offering registration opportunities at government agencies more likely to be found in rural areas or same-day registration allowing rural voters to register and vote on Election Day without having to make a prior trip. Online voter registration could allow rural voters to register from wherever they can access their state's online voter registration portal. Broadband availability, however, may be limited in rural regions. Without reliable access to the internet, communications with election officials (such as online voter registration, online requests for absentee/mail ballots and communications about missing ballots) can be difficult.
Registering at a Nontraditional Housing Location
Registering to vote involves the geographic location of a voter's residence. Most cities, towns and suburban areas have traditional addresses with a number and a street name. However, in some rural areas nontraditional addresses using descriptions and landmarks, or homes with no address at all, are common. If a voter's residence is difficult to identify, it can be hard for election officials to register and assign a voter to a precinct. The National Mail Voter Registration Form and many state voter registration forms allow voters in rural areas who do not have a street address to draw a map of where they live.
Early In-Person Voting
Rural voters sometimes have to travel long distances over unreliable roads to polling places on Election Day, making it potentially more convenient for them to have different voting options. Early in-person voting could allow rural voters more opportunities to get to a polling location or voting center, possibly allowing them to cast their ballot while they are conducting other business. Vote centers allow voters to cast their ballot at any polling place within the jurisdiction, allowing voters to choose the polling place that is most convenient for them rather than requiring them to vote at a single assigned location.
No-Excuse Absentee or Mostly Mail Voting
In states that offer no-excuse absentee voting, voters can request an absentee ballot if that option is more convenient for them than going to a polling place. Similarly, mostly mail voting provides all registered voters with a paper ballot to vote at home. Voters may return their ballot through the mail or at a designated drop box or polling location, while in-person voting options may still be available.
In states that allow no-excuse absentee mail voting or who conduct mostly mail elections, laws on how and when ballots can be returned could impact rural voters. Some states have ballot collection laws that specify who can return an absentee/mail ballot on behalf of a voter. It is not uncommon in rural areas for neighbors to help each other with errands, including returning a ballot. But this practice may be prohibited in states that only permit the voter, someone from the voter's household, a mail carrier or an election official to collect voted ballots.
While voters living in towns or cities typically receive mail directly to their homes, voters in more rural areas might use P.O. boxes at either a post office or a commercial site in the nearest town. These boxes may be in short supply and are sometimes shared by several family members or neighbors, creating potential difficulties in ensuring that rural voters are reliably receiving absentee/mail ballots and election information. Mail delivery can also take longer in rural areas. Longer postal transit time could mean absentee/mail ballots aren't returned to the election office in time to be counted.
Some states allow absentee/mail ballots to be counted if they arrive after Election Day as long as they are postmarked by that day. Some states accept ballots that are postmarked by Election Day and received within a certain period of time after. Some states also provide drop boxes as a way for voters to return ballots, a potentially convenient option.
Some states allow voters to track the status of their absentee/mail ballot online or through receipt of an email or text notification from an election office. In these states, voters may be notified when their absentee ballots are sent to them and when the voted ballot is received. Additionally, rural voters who cast provisional ballots may benefit from options to submit verification to election officials remotely so they do not have to make additional trips in person. These options could include, for example, submitting a copy of their identification by email, text or mail.