Absentee voting is available if you meet any of the criteria below. The last day to request your ballot varies, as does the deadline to return the voted ballot. You can sign up to track your absentee ballot on your Secretary of States website. Absentee ballots begin being counted on Election Day. Please see below for more information.

To be qualified to vote an absentee ballot, you must meet one of the following criteria:

• You will be unavoidably absent from your polling site on Election Day (the law does not require you to give a reason)
• You will be unable to attend your polling site on election day due to illness or physical disability
  • This includes those with concerns regarding COVID-19*
• You are a member of the U.S. armed forces, merchant marines or the spouse or a dependent family member
• A U.S. citizen domiciled in Arkansas but temporarily living outside the territorial limits of the United States

Requesting and Returning your Absentee Ballot:

You can obtain an application for an absentee voting ballot from your county clerk who may mail or fax you an application, or you can fill out an absentee ballot request form here.

The deadline to submit your absentee ballot is varies depending on how you return the application to the county clerk:

• In-person by you: by close of business the Friday BEFORE the election
• By designated bearer: by close of business the Friday BEFORE the election
• By mail or by fax: 7 days before the election
• By authorized agent: 1:30 pm on Election Day

The deadline to submit your ballot also depends on your method of delivery:

• In-person by you: by close of business the Friday BEFORE the election.
• By mail: by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day
• By designated bearer: by close of business the Friday BEFORE the election.
• By authorized agent: 7:30 p.m. on Election Day

Separate applications for absentee ballots are needed for every election.

Voter ID Needed for Absentee Voting:

If you are voting absentee, you must provide a copy of one of the following forms of ID:

• An Arkansas driver's license
• An Arkansas state ID
• An Arkansas concealed carry handgun license
• A U.S. passport
• A U.S. military ID document
• A student or employee ID card issued by a postsecondary educational institution
• A public assistance ID card with photo issued by Arkansas or the federal government
• A voter ID card with photo issued by the County Clerk
• Detailed  list of Verification of Voter Registration ID requirements

You do not need to provide ID when voting absentee if you are:

• A uniformed service member or marine on active duty who is absent from the county because of active duty or service
• The spouse or dependent of a uniformed service member or marine, who is away from the county due to the active duty or service of the uniformed service member or merchant marine
• Residents of a long-term care or residential care facility. These voters must provide a letter or other document from the facility's administrator that the voter is a resident of the facility

Voting in Person after Requesting an Absentee Ballot:

Those who requested an absentee ballot but end up voting in person: A poll worker will provide you with a provisional ballot at your polling location if you do not bring your mailed absentee ballot with you, which will be counted after your county elections official has confirmed you are registered to vote and did not vote more than once in that election.

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.