Absentee / Vote-by-Mail
In our 'Absentee/Vote-by-Mail' category of stories, we explore the experiences of voters who've encountered unique challenges when voting by absentee ballot or with vote-by-mail methods.
US.VOTE and our parent organization, U.S. Vote Foundation, are strong proponents of absentee voting and we provide services to voters seeking to partake in the process. Nevertheless, we are well aware that every voting process can bring new challenges to voters.
In these personal interviews, you'll get a sense of the issues that some voters have faced when navigating the absentee voting process, and how these issues were overcome. These voter stories can help alleviate concerns or address questions you may have had about voting by absentee ballot or by mail.
We invite you to explore the stories of voters who have exercised their fundamental right to vote through these safe, convenient methods.
Is it challenging to get to the polls due to your working hours? If you'll be busy working on Election Day and may need an absentee ballot, you'll relate to Julia's voter story.
As a free lance make-up artist who also holds another position in the cosmetic industry, Julia often cannot predict or schedule her working hours very far in advance. Her employment is subject to the wishes of her clients or the planning of her manager. While she enjoys the vibe of voting in person, Julia also does not want to miss out a voting whether due to opportunity or obligation. Take a look at the factors Julia is considering to see if voting by absentee ballot could be a preferred method for you.
Have you developed health concerns, mobility issues, or vision difficulties as you age? You may want to weigh your voting options as retirees Dave and Jane have.
Similar to Julia, Dave and Jane have enjoyed going to their polling location on Election Day but are planning strategically for the next decade. They are finding out if their state allows seniors to vote by mail or whether their state may require a qualified health condition to use an absentee ballot. Many Americans were introduced to the convenience of widespread voting accommodations such as drop boxes or absentee ballots being mailed to voters without applications during the height of the Covid pandemic in 2020 - and would like to know if these methods continue to be available. Dave and Jane's voting story covers voting over the lifespan and how our civic identities have changed.
Do you second guess voting by absentee ballot or by mail? Beth has been there.
It can be cathartic and reassuring to feed your ballot directly into a voting machine in person on Election Day. You can watch your vote being processed with your own eyes. If you send in your ballot through the mail or by drop box, it sometimes feels like a leap of faith even when you intellectually and experientially know your vote will be counted. But just to be clear - absentee voting is safe, easy, quick and secure - and you can even track your ballot through U.S. Vote Foundation if you like the satisfaction of having "eyes" on the process.
Beth was out-of-state at college and had been planning to vote with an absentee ballot through the mail. She knew absentee ballots are a reliable and excellent option for her, but she just couldn't be sure her envelope would arrive in time as Election Day inched closer. If you have a concern about missing a deadline for absentee voting after requesting a ballot, read about Beth's voting odyssey. And discover whether your state would permit you to vote in person if you have applied to vote by absentee or mail-in ballot.
Educate yourself about mail-in ballots and absentee ballots through these real life experiences to prepare yourself for this flexible option in our increasingly mobile, remote society.
If you have a question about mail-in or absentee voting that we haven't addressed, or would like to share your own voting story with this method of balloting, please reach out to the YES Campaign!
Can I Vote with a Ballot Forwarded to a Temporary Address?
Ellen Bowen
Request that your ballot be delivered to your temporary address when applying for your mail-in or absentee ballot. This request should be made through your election office, not the post office.
Include Your Temporary Address When Filling Out Your Ballot Application
There are many reasons you may need a mail-in or absentee ballot delivered to a temporary address. You may be away from home for an extended period due to personal, work, educational or family circumstances.
Can your ballot be sent to your current location when you are away from your voting residence? Yes, you may be eligible to have your ballot mailed to you if you meet state requirements and supply the mailing address on your ballot application.
Meet Ellen Bowen - USPS Could Not Forward Her Ballot
Ellen Bowen is a Florida resident who is the Site Director for the non-profit organization Food Rescue US South Florida. She is also the founder and editor of the popular food blog, MIAbites.com. Ellen is passionate about reducing food waste, providing for individuals experiencing food insecurity, and keeping edible food out of landfills where it produces methane gas.
As an active member of her community, Ellen was eager to vote in a special election in August 2024. She had applied for a mail-in ballot through her election office and was having her First Class Mail forwarded to her by the USPS at her summer residence.
Ellen was crestfallen to discover that the post office could not forward her election mail. She missed out on an election that would influence local issues of importance to her. In her conversation with U.S. Vote Foundation (US Vote), Ellen shares her experience to help inform other voters so that they position themselves to receive absentee/mail-in ballots for the general election on November 5, 2024.
US.VOTE
Ellen, thank you so much for joining U.S. Vote Foundation today to share your voter story.
Ellen Bowen
Thank you. I'm thrilled to be able to talk a little bit about the upcoming election.
US.VOTE
You're going to help a lot of voters because you found yourself in a little bit of a pickle, and that's what we're going to ask you about today.
Ellen Bowen
Ok.
US.VOTE
With You're Eligible Situations - the YES Campaign - we find people who have barriers to voting and show them how to overcome any obstacle in their way.
Ellen Bowen
That's great.
US.VOTE
Let's start at the beginning - about where you're registered and what happened when you tried to get your ballot forwarded.
Ellen Bowen
To begin, I'm a registered Florida voter. But I do spend much of my summer months out of the state either vacationing or at a temporary address. For the last five years, I've always forwarded my mail to my temporary address.
What I found is that this year there is an upcoming primary with a couple of important referendums. My husband and I didn't get our ballot. We've been getting our mail, but for whatever reason we did not get that ballot.
So I started to research and find out where it was. I emailed our local elections office to really find out why we didn't get our mail. I discovered that there is a little known statute in the State of Florida that prevents the United States Postal Service from forwarding election ballots.
US.VOTE
So does this mean you're not going to be able to vote in the primary?
Ellen Bowen
It means I am not able to vote in the primary or in the referendums because by the time I discovered this, the deadline had already passed to be able to submit the mail-in ballot.
US.VOTE
So what do you think voters need to know about your situation?
Ellen Bowen
I think voters need to know - and this could be snowbirds, absentee, college students - it could be anyone that is traveling - if they are planning to vote in the election and they want either an absentee or a mail-in ballot, they need to make sure they have the correct "mail to" address.
They can't rely on their mail being forwarded or the United States Postal Service.
I think the most important thing is that it can't hurt to apply to vote by mail even if you think you are going to be back at your permanent address. Just make sure that if it looks like you're going to be back home, that you do adjust that address. I think in a lot of cases, and we've done in this in the past, we'll apply for vote by mail. But we know we're going to be in Florida anyway. And you can still vote in person or vote early even if you've requested a mail-in ballot. You just can't vote twice, obviously.
If you've requested a mail-in ballot, and they send it to you, you just throw it out. You can still vote in person or early if you are in your district to be able to vote.
US.VOTE
The rules for that are different in different states.
Ellen Bowen
Interesting.
US.VOTE
Of course on US Vote, we do actually have a really handy chart that shows by state if you can vote in person if you have requested an absentee ballot or a mail-in ballot. In the case of Florida, if you don't have the ballot - let's say you showed up to go vote and you don't turn [the mail-in or absentee ballot] in. Your local election official will just have to verify that the mail-in ballot has not been cast.
In some other states, they might have you vote by provisional ballot. There are all different rules. But people should definitely take a moment to look that up. And plan in advance so that they can still vote in person if they requested an absentee ballot.
I think one of the things I hear you saying is: Plan Ahead.
Ellen Bowen
That's really the key.
US.VOTE
Look up your state's election dates and deadlines.
You can track your ballot.
I think even a phone call if you're confused or concerned to make sure that your voice counts.
Ellen Bowen
I was actually pleased because I did email my local election office to say why didn't I get the ballot. That's how I found out that there was this Florida statute. I couldn't find it anywhere else online. But they did reply with an email telling me that this Florida statute does prevent the USPS from forwarding election materials - which included government election materials, not just promotional flyers.
US.VOTE
I'm so glad you found out now.
Ellen Bowen
Me too!
US.VOTE
That way we can get the message out to people who won't be back in Florida or other states before the election. Some people don't return until after Thanksgiving. So I think it's really important that you're sharing your story.
Ellen Bowen
Thank you. I'm glad that I can share it.
Voters like Ellen Bowen who may be at a temporary address at election time benefit from US Vote's Voter Accounts. You can securely store your voting information in case you need to generate a ballot request or register on the go. You can also sign up for voter alerts to make sure you don't miss deadlines to apply for mail-in or absentee ballots.
Featured Voting Resources
- Can I Vote in Person if I Have a Mail-In or Absentee Ballot?
- What is the Deadline to Request a Mail-in/Absentee Ballot in My State?
- Track My Ballot
- Contact My Election Office
- What Are My Ballot Return Options?
- What Are the Different Ways I Can Vote in My State?
- Request My Absentee Ballot Now
- Set Me Up to Vote From Overseas
