MAKE SURE YOUR VOTED BALLOT ARRIVES IN TIME TO BE COUNTED…

An important part of the absentee voting process is voting and returning your ballot in time to be counted.  In order to do this, citizens should carefully review all balloting and envelope instructions provided by the state.  In addition, to successfully vote and return a ballot citizens must also comply with ballot return deadlines and postmark requirements.  Correctly meeting all requirements and deadlines will help ensure your ballot arrives in time to be counted in the November 7, 2000, general election.

Important Note: When mailing your voted ballot, please ask the mail clerk to hand stamp the ballot envelope so that a date is clearly visible.  The dated postmark will help ensure that the Local Election Official can make a proper determination of timely mailing.  Generally, if a state allows late counting of ballots, the ballot envelope must have been postmarked by a specified period. 

Remember: If your Ballot does not arrive in a timely manner, you may be able to use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB, SF-186).

The following list provides state-by-state deadlines for returning the voted ballot and/or postmark requirements.  Please follow all state requirements when returning the voted ballot for the November 7, 2000, general election.

Alabama: The Voted Ballot must arrive by 5:00 P.M. on

November 6, 2000.

Alaska: The Voted Ballot must be postmarked by

November 7, 000 and sent by mail service equal to first

class. Voted Ballots mailed from outside the United States

including APO and FPO addresses must be returned by

November 22, 2000. Voted Ballots mailed stateside must

be returned by November 17, 2000.

American Samoa: The Voted Ballot must arrive by close

of polls on November 7, 2000.

Arizona: The Voted Ballot must arrive by 7:00 P.M on

November 7, 2000.

Arkansas: The Voted Ballot must be postmarked by

November 7, 2000 and arrive by 5:00 P.M on November

17, 2000.

California: The Voted Ballot must arrive by the close of

polls (8:00 P.M) on November 7, 2000.

Colorado: The Voted Ballot must arrive by 7:00 P.M on

November 7, 2000.

Connecticut: The Voted Ballot must arrive before the

close of polls on November 7, 2000.

Delaware: Voted Ballots arriving by Noon on November 6,

2000 will be counted in their entirety (full ballot). Ballots

for Federal offices received after Noon on November 6,

2000 but before the close of polls on November 7, 2000

will be counted.

The District of Columbia: The Voted Ballot must be

postmarked by midnight on November 7, 2000 and arrive

by November 17, 2000.

Florida: The Voted Ballot must be received by the close of

polls on November 7, 2000. The Federal office portion of a

ballot mailed from outside the United States will be

counted if it is postmarked (or dated) by November 7, 2000

and received by November 17, 2000.

Georgia: The Voted Ballot must arrive by 7:00 P.M on

November 7, 2000.

Guam: The Voted Ballot must arrive by 8:00 P.M on

November 7, 2000.

Hawaii: The Voted Ballot must arrive by the close of polls

on November 7, 2000.

Idaho: The Voted Ballot must arrive by 8:00 P.M on

November 7, 2000.

Illinois: The Voted Ballot must arrive in sufficient time for

it to be delivered to polling place by 7:00 P.M on November

7, 2000.

Indiana: Ballot must arrive in sufficient time for it to be

delivered to the precinct election board before the close of

polls on November 7, 2000. It is recommended that the

ballot be returned by November 4, 2000.

Iowa: Ballot must be postmarked by November 6, 2000 and

arrive by noon on November 13, 2000.

Kansas: Ballots must arrive by close of polls on November

7, 2000.

Kentucky: Ballots must arrive by the close of polls on

November 7, 2000.

Louisiana: Ballots must arrive by November 7, 2000.

Maine: Ballots must arrive by the close of polls on

November 7, 2000.

Maryland: Ballot must be postmarked by November 6,

2000. Ballots mailed from outside the United States must

be received by 4:00 PM on November 17, 2000.

Ballots mailed stateside must be received by 4:00 PM on

November 8, 2000.

Massachusetts: Ballots mailed from within the US must

arrive by 8:00 PM on November 7, 2000. Ballots mailed

from outside the United States must be received by the

close of polls (8:00 P.M.) on November 7, 2000 to be

counted in their entirety. The Federal office portion of a

ballot mailed from outside the Unites States will be counted

if it is postmarked by November 7, 2000 and received by

November 17, 2000.

Michigan: Voted Ballot must arrive before the close of

polls on November 7, 2000.

Minnesota: Voted Ballot must arrive by the close of polls

on November 7, 2000.

Mississippi: Voted Ballot must arrive by 5:00 P.M. on

November 6, 2000.

Missouri: Voted Ballot must arrive before 7:00 P.M. on

November 7, 2000.

Montana: Voted Ballot must arrive by 8:00 P.M. on

November 7, 2000.

Nebraska: Voted Ballot must be received by 10:00 A.M.

on November 9, 2000.

Nevada: Voted Ballot must arrive by 7:00 P.M. on

November 7, 2000.

New Hampshire: Voted Ballot must arrive by 5:00 P.M.

on November 7, 2000.

New Jersey: Voted Ballot must arrive by the close of

polls on November 7, 2000.

New Mexico: Voted Ballot must arrive before the close

of polls on November 7, 2000.

New York: Voted Ballot must be postmarked by

November 6, 2000 and be received by November 14,

2000.

North Carolina: Voted Ballot must be returned by 5:00

P.M. on November 6, 2000.

North Dakota: Voted Ballot must be postmarked by

November 6, 2000. Ballots received before the

canvassing board meets will be counted (canvassing

board meets from 3 - 6 days after the election).

Ohio: Voted Ballot must arrive by the close of polls on

November 7, 2000.  Ballots mailed from outside the United States will be counted if signed

and postmarked by the close of polls on November 7,

2000 and received by November 17, 2000.

Oklahoma: Voted Ballot must arrive by 7:00 P.M. on

November 7, 2000.

Oregon: Voted Ballot must arrive by 8:00 P.M. on

November 7, 2000.

Pennsylvania: Voted Ballot must arrive by 5:00 P.M. on

November 3, 2000.

Puerto Rico: Voted Ballot must be postmarked by

November 7, 2000 and be received before 3:00 P.M. on

November 7, 2000.

Rhode Island: Voted Ballot must arrive by 9:00 P.M. on

November 7, 2000

South Carolina: Voted Ballot must arrive by the close

of polls on November 7, 2000.

South Dakota: Voted Ballot must arrive by the close of

polls on November 7, 2000.

Tennessee: Voted Ballot must arrive by the close of polls

on November 7, 2000

Texas: Voted Ballot must be received by the close of

polls on November 7, 2000. Ballots mailed from outside

the United States will be counted if postmarked by 7:00

P.M. on November 7, 2000 and received by November

12, 2000.

Utah: Voted Ballot must be postmarked by November 6,

2000 and be received by Noon on November 13, 2000.

Vermont: Voted Ballot must arrive by the close of polls

on November 7, 2000.

Virginia: Voted Ballot must arrive by the close of polls

on November 7, 2000.

Virgin Islands: Voted Ballot must be postmarked by

November 7, 2000 and be received by November 17,

2000.

Washington State: Voted Ballot must be postmarked by

November 7, 2000 and be received by November 22,

2000.

West Virginia: Voted Ballot must arrive by the close of

polls on November 7, 2000. However, ballots arriving

before the start of canvassing with a U.S. postmark on

or before November 7, 2000 will be counted (start of

canvassing is 3 to 5 days after the election).

Wisconsin: Voted Ballot must arrive by the close of

polls on November 7, 2000.

Wyoming: Voted Ballot must arrive by the close of

polls on November 7, 2000.