Are absentee ballots same as mail in
In the United States, "absentee ballots" and "mail-in ballots" are often used interchangeably, but there is a subtle difference between the two.
Absentee Ballots:
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 a civilian living overseas
- Being a student or worker living away from their home district
To request an absentee ballot, voters typically need to fill out an application and provide a valid reason for why they cannot vote in person. The application is usually submitted to the voter's local election office, and the ballot is then mailed to the voter.
Mail-in Ballots:
A mail-in ballot, on the other hand, is a ballot that is automatically sent to all registered voters in a particular jurisdiction, usually through a vote-by-mail system. In this system, all voters are automatically registered to receive a ballot, and they can then choose to vote by mail or in person.
In some states, mail-in ballots are also referred to as "all-mail" or "universal vote-by-mail" systems. In these systems, voters do not need to request an absentee ballot or provide a reason for why they cannot vote in person.
Key differences:
The main differences between absentee ballots and mail-in ballots are:
- Absentee ballots require a valid reason for not being able to vote in person, while mail-in ballots are automatically sent to all registered voters.
- Absentee ballots are typically requested by the voter, while mail-in ballots are sent to all voters as part of a vote-by-mail system.
- Absentee ballots may have specific deadlines for requesting and returning the ballot, while mail-in ballots may have different deadlines or no deadlines at all.
It's worth noting that some states use a combination of both systems, where voters can request an absentee ballot or opt-in to a vote-by-mail system.