You may need to show indentification at the poll if:
- You registered to vote by mail after January 1, 2003 and you have never
voted in a primary or general election in your county of residence
- Your registration is inactive
- You have moved from the address where you are registered to vote
- Your right to vote is challenged
- The precinct election officials do not know you
You can use any of these forms of identification:
- Current and valid photo ID card
- Copy of a current document that shows your name and address, such as: a
utility bill, bank statement, government check, or paycheck
Applications for absentee ballots can be obtained online in a PDF format, or mailed upon request from the Secretary of State.
You can also request a ballot by mailing the application to the county
auditor/commissioner of elections in the county where you are registered.
If the application is received so late that it is unlikely that the absentee
ballot can be returned by mail in time to be counted on Election Day, the commissioner
shall enclose with the absentee ballot a statement to that effect. You can also
hand deliver the ballot on Election Day before the polls close.
When requesting an absentee ballot, state your name, voting address, the address
to which your ballot should be sent, and sign the request. Absentee votes may
be cast in person at your county election office (county auditor) as soon as
ballots are available.
For a request to be processed, your county auditor must receive the completed request form by 5:00 pm on the Friday before the election.
Only one person may request a ballot on each request form. Two or more people
cannot share a request form. You must use a separate request form for each election
for which you are requesting a ballot. Ballots for primary and general elections
will be available at least 40 days before the election. If the auditor receives your request more than 40 days
before the election, your request will be filed and your ballot will be mailed
when they are available. The auditor will mail you a ballot either within 24
hours of receiving your request form, or within 24 hours of when the ballots
become available.
In order for the ballot to be counted, the carrier envelope must be received
in the commissioner's office before the polls close on Election Day. Otherwise,
the envelope should be clearly postmarked by an officially authorized postal
service no later than the day before the election, and received by the commissioner no later than noon on the
Monday following the election.
If you are a qualified elector who becomes a patient or resident of a hospital
or health care facility within three days prior to the date of an election,
you may request an absentee ballot during that period or on Election Day.
Overseas citizens and U.S. military personnel can find information on how to register to vote and request an absentee ballot at the Overseas Vote Foundation.
