Frequently Asked Questions: Vote by Mail

Only a household member, family member, or caregiver can drop off your ballot for you at a mailbox, drop box, or polling place. By law, no one else is permitted to drop off your ballot.

“Caregiver” means a person who provides medical or health care assistance to the voter in a residence, nursing care institution, hospice facility, assisted living center, assisted living facility, assisted living home, residential care institution, adult day health care facility or adult foster care home.

“Family member” means a person who is related to the voter by blood, marriage, adoption or legal guardianship.

“Household member” means a person who resides at the same residence as the voter.

Yes, you can bring your ballot to another state and mail it from there. Just be sure to mail in time – it must arrive at your county recorder’s office by 7 pm on Election Day to be counted.

No. Just sign it and date it. Adding your phone number to the ballot envelope as well in the space provided is recommended – although doing so is optional, it makes it easier for county election officials to contact you if there’s an issue, such as with your signature.

After it is signed and sealed, put it in the mail at least one week or more before Election Day, or drop it off at any polling place in your county.

The United States Postal Service will not forward your ballot, even if the rest of your mail is being forwarded.

If you are already on the vote by mail list, you should contact your county recorder to make a one-time request for your ballot to be sent to your temporary address instead of the existing address on file.

If you don’t normally vote by mail, you can use this form to request to receive a one-time mail ballot at your temporary address.

If you vote by mail, you can contact your county recorder and ask them to send you a replacement ballot; the deadline to do so is 11 days from Election Day. Alternatively, you can go to an in-person polling place – your mail ballot will be canceled, and you will be able to vote with a regular in-person ballot.

Contact your county recorder and ask them to send you a replacement ballot; the deadline to do so is 11 days from Election Day. Alternatively, you can go to an in-person polling place – your mail ballot will be canceled, and you will be able to vote with a regular in-person ballot.

Contact your county recorder and ask them to send you a replacement ballot; the deadline to do so is 11 days from Election Day. Alternatively, you can go to ay in person polling place – your mail ballot will be canceled, and you will be able to vote using a regular in person ballot instead. Please also call the Election Protection Hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE – that will help identify whether there are systematic problems with ballots not being delivered.

At home, you can take pictures or videos of any part of the voting process, including your completed ballot. You are permitted to post these photos publicly or share them with others.