How long does your mail take? Here's what to know before sending in your 2024 ballot
WASHINGTON − As 2024 approaches, voters are gearing up for the primary elections that will determine the Democratic and Republican presidential nominees. The general election will follow as the nation chooses the commander-in-chief.
Though the process for voting varies by state, most will allow voters to complete a ballot at home and mail it in within a specific date.
Eight states – California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Vermont and Washington – allow all elections to be conducted by mail. In other states, absentee ballots can be requested by visiting or calling the local board of elections. Some require a valid excuse to vote absentee, such as having a disability or being away on business travel.
But 35 states and the District of Columbia allow for "no-excuses absentee voting," in which voters can request a mail-in-ballot without a specific reason.
The U.S. Postal Service recommends completing your ballot and mailing it before Election Day or one week before your state’s deadline. But some states will accept ballots postmarked on Election Day that arrive within a specific time frame.
Here's what to know about mailing your ballot.
How long does it take standard mail to be delivered?
It takes three to five days to ship standard mail, according to the U.S. Postal Service. The time can vary, however, depending on from where the ballot is shipped, among other factors.
Completed ballots are handled as first-class mail service, regardless of whether they are prepaid by election officials or mailed with a stamp affixed by the voter. The only cases when completed ballots are not handled as first-class mail service is when the voter opts instead to pay for a premium service.
Unless your state or local election officials provide you with a prepaid return envelope, you should make sure postage is affixed to your return ballot envelope. The U.S. Postal Service requires election officials to inform voters of the postage required to return their ballots by mail.
There are also other options to choose from in some areas. Priority mail express means an envelope would arrive in one to two business days, and priority mail means it would arrive in one to three business days, according to the Postal Service. First-class mail means an envelope would arrive in one to five business days.
Some states, however, have ballot drop boxes, and many let you return your ballot in person at your local election office or another designated location.
Different states have different deadlines to mail in your ballot
The deadline for sending in a mail-in-ballot varies depending on where a voter lives.
For instance, in Virginia, a voter's ballot must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by the general registrar’s office by noon on the third day after the election, according to the state’s department of elections.
In New Hampshire, a key primary state, a person may vote absentee if they have a physical disability, cannot appear in public because of religious reasons or have been a victim of domestic violence, among other exceptions, according to the Secretary of State’s office. The clerk must receive a voter's ballot no later than 5 p.m. on Election Day.
Here's a list of mail-in-voting deadlines by state.
Contributing: Camille Fine
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How long does mail take? What to know before sending your 2024 ballot
