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This resource is intended to reflect permanent state law. Many states have made changes to election policies that will only be in effect for the 2020 election. Please see Absentee and Mail Voting Policies in Effect for the 2020 Election for more information.
Our organization does not run elections and cannot provide legal advice. If you are a voter looking for assistance, please contact your local election official. You can find your local election official's website and contact information by using this database from the US Vote Foundation.
This table is part of NCSL’s Voting Outside the Polling Place report.
For all-mail elections, all registered voters are sent a ballot in the mail. The voter marks the ballot, puts it in a secrecy envelope or sleeve and then into a separate mailing envelope, signs an affidavit on the exterior of the mailing envelope and returns the package via mail or by dropping it off.
Ballots are mailed out well ahead of Election Day, and thus voters have an “election period,” not just a single day, to vote. All-mail elections can be thought of as absentee voting for everyone. This system is also referred to as “vote by mail.”
- Five states—Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah and Washington—allow all elections to be conducted by mail.
- Three states—California, Nebraska and North Dakota—permit counties to opt into conducting elections by mail.
- Ten states allow specific small elections to be conducted by mail.
- Six states permit all-mail elections for certain small jurisdictions.
The four tables below show which states allow which types of all-mail elections.
Table 18a: States That Conduct All Elections by Mail
| State |
Statute |
| Colorado |
CRS §1-5-401 |
| Hawaii |
Hawaii Stat. §11-101 |
| Oregon |
ORS §254.465 |
| Utah |
Utah Code Ann. §20A-3a-302 |
| Washington |
Rev. Code of Wash. 29A.40.010 |
Table 18b: States That Allow Counties to Choose to Conduct Elections by Mail
| State |
Statute |
| California |
Cal. Elect. Code §§4005-4008
Cal. Elect. Code §3005
Cal. Elect. Code §4000 |
| Nebraska |
Neb. Rev. Stat. §32-960
Neb. Rev. Stat. §32-952
Certain ballot measure elections can also be conducted by mail. |
| North Dakota |
ND Cent. Code §16.1-11.1-01 et seq. |
Table 18c: States That Allow Certain Small Elections to Be Conducted by Mail
| State |
Statute |
| Alaska |
Alaska Stat.§15.20.800 |
| Arizona |
Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. §16-409, §16-558 |
| California |
Cal. Elect. Code §§4005-4008
Cal. Elect. Code §3005
Cal. Elect. Code §4000 |
| Florida |
Fla. Stat. §101.6102 |
| Kansas |
Kan. Stat. Ann. §25-432 |
| Maryland |
Md. Election Code §9-501 |
| Missouri |
Mo. Rev. Stat. §115.652 et seq. |
| Montana |
MCA 13-19-101 et seq. |
| New Mexico |
N.M. Stat. §1-24-3
N. M. Stat. Ann. § 1-6-22.1 |
| Wyoming |
Wyo. Stat. 22-29-115 |
Table 18d: States That Allow Elections in Certain Small Jurisdictions to Be Conducted by Mail
| State |
Statute |
| California |
Cal. Elect. Cde §§4005-4008
Cal. Elect. Code §3005
Cal. Elect. Code §4000 |
| Idaho |
Idaho Code §34-308 |
| Minnesota |
Minn. Stat. §204B.45 |
| Nevada |
Nev. Rev. Stat. §293.213 |
| New Jersey |
NJRS §19.62-1 |
| New Mexico |
N.M. Stat. §1-24-3
N. M. Stat. Ann. § 1-6-22.1 |