US polls: Misleading claim of losing vote if mail-in ballot arrives after Nov 3 circulates
22 states will accept the vote as long as they are postmarked no later than polling day.
AFP – Social media posts circulating ahead of Election Day advise Americans to drop off their ballots or cast it in person, warning they risk losing their vote if their mail-in ballot arrives after November 3. This is misleading; while some states will not be counting ballots received after that date, 22 states will accept them as long as they are postmarked no later than polling day.
“Voters: Please drop off your ballots in person at a drop-off station, or get yourself to the polls for early voting,” advised Elizabeth Gilbert, author of the bestseller “Eat, Pray, Love,” in a October 30 Facebook post. “Even if your mail-in ballot is postmarked today, if it arrives after Election Day, it will be thrown out. Discounted. Ignored,” she adds.Similarly, the liberal-leaning Facebook page “The Other 98%” warned in a October 26 post that “the Supreme Court ruled that mailed-in ballots sent *before Election Day* can be legally thrown away and not counted.”
The posts lack important context. Both refer to emergency rulings on mail-in voting delivered by the Supreme Court on October 26 and 29, which blocked ballot deadline extension in Wisconsin, but allowed it in North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
In all three cases, local authorities had asked for ballots to be counted when received up to three days (Pennsylvania), six days (Wisconsin), or nine days (North Carolina) after Election Day.
The rulings could be subject to further review and a potential reversal by Election Day. Although Pennsylvania will count votes received after November 3, they will be set aside in case the rules change upon review.
As of October 31, AFP noted 22 states that count ballots received at least one day after November 3 (Texas), and right up to November 23 (Washington).
Where ballots will count after Election Day
Alaska: postmarked by November 3, received no later than November 13
California: postmarked by November 3, received no later than November 20
District of Columbia: postmarked by November 3, received no later than November 13
Illinois: postmarked by November 3, received no later than November 17
Iowa: postmarked by November 2, received no later than November 9
Kansas: postmarked by November 3, received no later than November 6
Kentucky: postmarked by November 3 by 6:00pm, received no later than November 6 by 6:00pm
Maryland: postmarked by November 3, received no later than November 13 by 10:00am
Massachusetts: postmarked by November 3, received no later than November 6
Minnesota: postmarked by November 3, received no later than November 10
Mississippi: postmarked by November 3, received no later than November 10
Nevada: postmarked by November 3, received no later than November 10
New Jersey: postmarked by November 3, received no later than November 10 by 8:00pm
New York: postmarked by November 3, received no later than November 10
North Carolina: postmarked by November 3, received no later than November 12 by 5:00pm
Ohio: postmarked by November 2, received no later than November 13
Pennsylvania: postmarked by November 3, received no later than November 6 by 5:00pm
Texas: postmarked by November 3 by 7:00pm, received no later than November 4 by 5:00pm
Utah: postmarked by November 2, received no later than county canvass day, between one and two weeks after Election Day
Virginia: postmarked by November 3, received no later than November 6 by 12:00pm
Washington: postmarked by November 3, received no later than November 23, a Washington State elections officer told AFP by phone
West Virginia: postmarked by November 3, received no later than November 9
Where ballots won’t count after Election Day
Alabama: postmarked by November 2, received no later than November 3 by 12:00pm
Arizona: received no later than November 3 by 7:00 pm
Arkansas: received no later than November 3 by 7:30 pm
Colorado: received no later than November 3 by 7:00 pm
Connecticut: received no later than November 3 by 8:00 pm
Delaware: received no later than November 3 by 8:00 pm
Florida: received no later than November 3 by 7:00 pm
Georgia: received no later than November 3 by 7:00 pm
Hawaii: received no later than November 3 by 7:00 pm
Idaho: received no later than November 3 by 8:00 pm
Indiana: received no later than November 3 by 12:00pm
Louisiana: received no later than November 2, by 4:30pm
Maine: received no later than November 3 by 8:00 pm
Michigan: received no later than November 3
Missouri: received no later than November 3 by 7:00 pm
Montana: received no later than November 3 by 8:00 pm
Nebraska: received no later than November 3 by 8:00 pm CT and 7:00pm MT
New Hampshire: received no later than November 3 by 5:00 pm
New Mexico: received no later than November 3 by 7:00 pm
North Dakota: received no later than November 2, by 12:00pm
Oklahoma: received no later than November 3 by 7:00 pm
Oregon: received no later than November 3 by 8:00 pm
Rhode Island: received no later than November 3 by 8:00 pm
South Carolina: received no later than November 3 by 7:00 pm
South Dakota: received no later than November 3
Tennessee: received no later than November 3 by close of polls
Vermont: received no later than November 2, by close of business
Wisconsin: received no later than November 3 by 8:00 pm
Wyoming: received no later than November 3 by 7:00 pm
In Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Indiana, voters need a reason beyond fear of Covid-19 to request a mail-in ballot.
Last-minute appeals over procedures may change rules by November 3.
