Absentee ballot vs mail in voting

Absentee ballot and mail-in voting are often used interchangeably, but there is a subtle difference between the two. Here's a breakdown:

Absentee Ballot:

• An absentee ballot is a ballot that is cast by a voter who is unable to vote in person on Election Day due to a valid reason, such as:
  • Being out of town on Election Day
  • Having a disability that prevents them from voting in person
  • Being a member of the military or overseas
  • Having a religious observance that prevents them from voting in person
• Absentee ballots are typically requested by the voter and then mailed or faxed to the voter, who then completes and returns the ballot.
• The voter must provide a valid reason for requesting an absentee ballot, and the ballot must be received by the election office by a certain deadline.

Mail-in Voting:

• Mail-in voting, also known as vote-by-mail or all-mail voting, is a system where all eligible voters are automatically sent a ballot by mail, and they can then return it by mail or in person.
• In mail-in voting systems, voters do not need to provide a reason for requesting a ballot, and the ballot is typically sent to all registered voters.
• Mail-in voting systems often have a longer period for voters to return their ballots, and some states allow voters to track the status of their ballot online.

Key differences:

• Absentee ballots are typically requested by the voter, while mail-in voting systems send ballots to all eligible voters.
• Absentee ballots require a valid reason for requesting the ballot, while mail-in voting systems do not.
• Absentee ballots are typically returned by mail or fax, while mail-in voting ballots are returned by mail or in person.

It's worth noting that some states use a combination of both absentee and mail-in voting systems. For example, a state might allow voters to request an absentee ballot for a specific reason, while also sending mail-in ballots to all eligible voters.