Any North Dakota voter can vote absentee (vote-by-mail), and no excuse is required. You can return your absentee ballot request form through the mail, in person, by fax, or as a scanned attachment to an email. The last day to request an absentee ballot is 1 day before the election.
Voted absentee ballots must be postmarked the day before the Election Day or delivered in-person by 5pm the day before Election Day.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE ABSENTEE?
Any North Dakota voter can vote absentee.
HOW DO I REQUEST AN ABSENTEE BALLOT?
You can fill out the absentee ballot application online, print, sign and submit it to your county auditor, or you can print the application form, complete, sign, and submit it.
Some counties are designated by their Board of County Commissioners as vote by mail counties. If a county is not a vote by mail county, it is an absentee county. The only difference between vote by mail counties and absentee counties is how the voter receives their application for a ballot.
- In vote by mail counties, the county auditor mails an absentee ballot application to all eligible voters.
- In absentee counties, voters must request the application for an absentee ballot from their county auditor.
You are never mailed a ballot without first requesting one. Make sure you have valid North Dakota ID information to apply for an absentee ballot.
WHAT IS THE DEADLINE TO REQUEST AN ABSENTEE BALLOT?
The deadline to request an absentee ballot is 1 day before Election Day.
WHAT IS THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING MY COMPLETED ABSENTEE BALLOT?
Absentee ballots must be postmarked the day before Election Day, or you can drop it off in person to your county auditor or in your county’s secure ballot drop box by 5pm the day before Election Day.
DO I HAVE TO REQUEST AN ABSENTEE BALLOT EACH YEAR?
Yes, you must request an absentee ballot each calendar year. You can indicate on your absentee ballot application which elections within the calendar year for which you’d like an absentee ballot mailed to you.
WHEN ARE MAIL BALLOTS MAILED OUT TO VOTERS WHO HAVE REQUESTED THEM?
Absentee ballots are available by the 40th day before the election. You may live in a county using mail ballot elections (at least one polling place must be open on Election Day). In these counties, a mail ballot application is required to be sent to every active voter between the 50th and 40th day before the election.
HOW DO I COMPLETE MY ABSENTEE BALLOT?
After you receive your absentee ballot, you can:
- Vote your ballot with a blue or black pen.
- Place your ballot in the provided ballot secrecy envelope.
- Put your secrecy envelope inside the return envelope and seal it.
- Sign and date the back of the return envelope.
- Return your ballot by mail using the proper amount of postage or in-person to your county auditor or in your county’s secure ballot drop box.
When your county auditor receives your completed absentee ballot, they will review your signature on the return envelope to verify that it matches the signature on the absentee ballot application you submitted. When verified, your voter record is updated to indicate that you have returned a ballot.
HOW DO I RETURN MY ABSENTEE BALLOT?
You can return your completed absentee ballot by mail, in-person to your county auditor, or drop it off in your county’s secure ballot dropbox.
- By Mail: Ballots must be postmarked by the day before Election Day. Postage will be paid by the voter.
- In Person: You can hand deliver your absentee ballot to the county auditor or county elections office by 5pm local time the day before Election Day. Look up the address for your county courthouse.
- Ballot Drop Box: Secure absentee ballot drop boxes are provided in each county for voters who wish to deliver their absentee ballot directly to the county. Ballots must be placed in the dropbox by 5pm local time the day before Election Day. Check for your county’s drop box by entering your address in the state’s Polling Place Locator.
HOW CAN I TRACK MY ABSENTEE BALLOT?
You can sign up to track your absentee ballot on the Secretary of State’s website.
WHAT IF I REQUESTED AN ABSENTEE BALLOT BUT WANT TO VOTE IN PERSON?
As long as you haven’t submitted your absentee ballot, you can vote in person using a regular ballot.
HOW DO I REQUEST A BALLOT BY MAIL AS AN OVERSEAS OR U.S. MILITARY VOTER?
Overseas citizens and U.S. military personnel can find information on how to register to vote and request a mail ballot at the Overseas Vote Foundation.
Request your Ballot