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When states can begin processing and counting absentee/mail-in ballots, 2020

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This article covers subjects specific to the 2020 general election. It has not been updated to reflect subsequent developments.
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This article lists the dates on which states can begin processing and counting absentee/mail-in ballots for the 2020 general election. These dates, which reflect permanent statutory law, are estimated. They may be temporarily revised as state and local policymakers respond to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak in the United States.[1]

Background

Upon receiving completed absentee/mail-in ballots, election officials must first process the ballots before they can be counted. Processing generally entails verifying voter signatures and physically preparing ballots for tabulation. Processing practices can vary widely from state to state. Counting entails the actual tabulation of votes (and processing ballots through tallying machines).

When states can begin processing and counting absentee/mail-in ballots

Presidential battleground states

See also: Presidential battleground states, 2020

The map below highlights absentee/mail-in ballot processing and counting start dates for the 12 presidential battleground states identified by Ballotpedia. Hover over a state to view specific details.

State-by-state overview

In 17 states, statutes or 2020-specific rules allow for absentee/mail-in counting to begin before Election Day:

  • Arizona
  • Colorado
  • Delaware
  • Florida
  • Hawaii
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Louisiana
  • Maryland
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada
  • New Jersey
  • North Carolina
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • Texas[2]
 In 16 states, statutes or 2020-specific rules allow for absentee/mail-in counting to begin on Election Day before polls close:
  • Alabama
  • Arkansas
  • Connecticut
  • Georgia
  • Indiana
  • Michigan
  • Ohio[3]
  • Pennsylvania
  • South Carolina
  • Tennessee
  • Utah
  • Virginia
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin
  • Wyoming
  • Vermont[4]

In 17 states, statutes or 2020-specific rules say absentee/mail-in ballots cannot be counted until after polls close on Election Day or have that effect:

  • Alaska
  • California
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Kentucky[5]
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • Minnesota
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • New Hampshire
  • New Mexico[6]
  • New York
  • North Dakota
  • Rhode Island
  • South Dakota
  • Washington


When states can begin processing and counting absentee/mail-in ballots
State Absentee/mail-in ballot processing can begin Absentee/mail-in ballot counting can begin Electoral College votes U.S. House delegation Statutory citation Additional sources
Alabama 7 a.m., 11/3/2020 7 a.m., 11/3/2020 9 7 Eighteenth Supplemental State of Emergency Link
Alaska 10/27/2020 8 p.m., 11/3/2020 3 1 Alaska Stat. §15.20.201
Arizona 10/20/2020 10/20/2020 11 9 Ariz. Stat. §16–550, §16-551
Arkansas 10/27/2020 8:30 a.m., 11/3/2020 6 4 A.C.A. § 7-5-416
California 10/5/2020 8 p.m., 11/3/2020 55 53 Cal. Elec. Code § 15101
Colorado Upon receipt 10/19/2020 9 7 C.R.S.A. § § 1-7.5-107.5
Connecticut 10/27/2020 11/3/2020 7 5 Conn. Gen. Stat. § 9-150a Link
Delaware 10/30/2020 10/30/2020 3 1 15 Del. C. § 5510
District of Columbia Not specified 8 p.m., 11/3/2020 3 N/A (no voting members) D.C. Mun. Regs. Tit. 3, § 808
Florida 10/12/2020 10/12/2020 29 27 F.S.A. § 101.68
Georgia Upon receipt 7 a.m., 11/3/2020 16 14 O.C.G.A. § 21-2-386
Hawaii Upon receipt 10/24/2020 4 2 HRS § 15-9, §11-152 Link
Idaho Upon receipt 8 p.m., 11/3/2020 4 2 Idaho Code §34-1005, §34-1008
Illinois Within 2 days of receipt 7 p.m., 11/3/2020 20 18 10 ILCS 5/19-8
Indiana Upon receipt 12 p.m., 11/3/2020 11 9 IC 3-11.5-4-12, 3-11.5-5-3
Iowa 11/2/2020 11/2/2020 6 4 Iowa Code §53.23
Kansas Not specified Not specified ("ballots may be counted prior to Election Day, but final tabulation shall not be completed until Election Day"} 6 4 K.S.A. § 25-1134
Kentucky 9/21/2020 Not specified ("counting begins after all absentee ballots have been processed") 8 6 KRS § 117.087 Link
Louisiana Not specified Not specified ("counting may begin before Election Day but no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day") 8 6 LSA-R.S. 18:1313
Maine 10/30/2020 8 p.m., 11/3/2020 4 2 21-A M.R.S.A. § 759 Link
Maryland Not specified 10/1/2020 10 8 MD Code, Election Law, § 11-302 Link
Massachusetts Upon receipt 8 p.m., 11/3/2020 11 9 M.G.L.A. 54 § 95
Michigan 11/2/2020 (in cities and townships with at least 25,000 people) 11/3/2020 16 14 MCLS §168.765 et seq. Link
Minnesota 10/27/2020 8 p.m., 11/3/2020 10 8 M.S.A. §203B.121
Mississippi 7 a.m., 11/3/2020 7 p.m., 11/3/2020 6 4 Miss. Code Ann. § 23-15-639 Link
Missouri 10/29/2020 7 p.m., 11/3/2020 10 8 V.A.M.S. 115.300
Montana Upon receipt 11/2/2020 3 1 Mont. Code Anno., § 13-13-241
Nebraska 10/26/2020 8 a.m. Central, 7 a.m. Mountain; 11/2/2020 5 3 Neb. Rev. Stat. §32-1027
Nevada Upon receipt 10/19/2020 6 4 Nev. Stat. §293.325, §293.333
New Hampshire 1 p.m., 11/3/2020 11/3/2020 (after polls close; polling hours vary) 4 2 N.H. Rev. Stat. § 659:49
New Jersey Upon receipt 10/24/2020 14 12 N.J.S.A. 19:63-17, 19:63-22 Link
New Mexico 10/20/2020 or 10/30/2020 ("If more than 10,000 absentee ballots are sent, they may be opened and inserted into an electronic voting machine two weeks before Election Day. If fewer than 10,000 absentee ballots are sent, processing may begin four days before the election." 7 p.m., 11/3/2020 5 3 N. M. S. A. § 1-6-14
New York Upon receipt 11/6/2020[7][8] 29 27 Election Law § 9-209
North Carolina Not specified 10/20/2020 15 13 N.C.G.S.A. § 163-234
North Dakota 11/2/2020 11/3/2020 (after polls close; polling hours vary) 3 1 NDCC, 16.1-07-12
Ohio Not specified Not specified ("absentee ballots may be scanned prior to the election") 18 16 Ohio Rev. Code § 3509.06
Oklahoma Not specified Not specified ("prior to Election Day with approval by the secretary of the state election board") 7 5 26 Okl. St. Ann. § 14-125
Oregon 10/27/2020 10/27/2020 7 5 O.R.S. § 254.478, § 260.705
Pennsylvania 7 a.m., 11/3/2020 7 a.m., 11/3/2020 20 18 25 P.S. § 3146.8
Rhode Island 10/20/2020 8 p.m., 11/3/2020 4 2 R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-20-26, §17-22-1
South Carolina 9 a.m., 11/2/2020 9 a.m.,11/3/2020 9 7 S.C. Code § 7-15-420 Link
South Dakota Not specified 7 p.m., 11/3/2020 3 1 SDCL § 12-19-10, § 12-19-46
Tennessee Upon receipt 11/3/2020 11 9 Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-6-202, § 2-6-303, § 2-6-304
Texas Upon receipt 11/3/2020 ("when the polls open on Election Day; in a jurisdiction with more than 100,000 people, counting can begin at the end of the early voting by personal appearance period") 38 36 V.T.C.A., Election Code § 87.0241, § 87.041
Utah Not specified (varies by county; can begin before Election Day)[9] 11/3/2020[9] 6 4 U.C.A. § 20A-3-309
Vermont 11/2/2020 11/3/2020 3 1 17 V.S.A. § 2546a
Virginia Not specified 11/3/2020 13 11 VA Code Ann. § 24.2-709.1, § 24.2-712
Washington Upon receipt 8 p.m., 11/3/2020 12 10 RCWA 29A.40.110, 29A.84.730
West Virginia 11/3/2020 11/3/2020 5 3 W. Va. Code, § 3-3-8
Wisconsin 7 a.m., 11/3/2020 7 a.m., 11/3/2020 10 8 W.S.A. 6.88
Wyoming 11/3/2020 11/3/2020 3 1 W.S § 22-9-121

More on voting on November 3

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Absentee/mail-in voting

Click on your state below for relevant
elections information:
http://ballotpedia.org/STATE_elections,_2020

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Footnotes

  1. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "VOPP Table 16: When Absentee/Mail Ballot Processing and Counting Can Begin," August 25, 2020
  2. ↑ Texas allows jurisdictions with more than 100,000 people to begin counting after the end of early voting. All other jurisdictions wait until Election Day.
  3. ↑ See below: Ohio allows absentee/mail-in ballots to be scanned before Election Day but statute explicitly states this may only occur if the scanner can operate without tabulating or counting the votes on the ballots scanned.
  4. ↑ See below: Absentee/mail-in ballots may be deposited into the tabulator the day before the election. The tabulator is then turned on Election Day.
  5. ↑ See below: Kentucky statute allows absentee/mail-in ballots to be counted after all are processed. Kentucky is allowing absentee/mail-in ballots to be counted if they are postmarked on Election Day and received by Nov. 6.
  6. ↑ See below: New Mexico allows ballots to be inserted into vote-counting machines, registered, and retained before Election Day, but those ballots are not counted until after polls close.
  7. ↑ Syracuse.com, "Election 2020: Why is New York waiting until mid-November to open some ballots?" October 28, 2020
  8. ↑ [https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/10/13/us/politics/when-votes-counted.html The New York Times, "How Quickly Will Your Absentee Vote Be Counted? A State-by-State Timeline," October 21, 2020]
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Doug Kronaizl, Phone correspondence with the Utah Office of the Lieutenant Governor," Oct. 30, 2020
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