Mainers can now request absentee ballots for this November’s presidential election

By Nick Song, Maine Public

Mainers can now request their absentee ballots for November’s general election. State law allows voters to request ballots beginning three months before Election Day on Nov. 5.

Maine offers no-excuse absentee voting, meaning all voters can cast their ballot absentee without providing a reason. Mail-in ballots will be sent to voters in early October — 30 days before Election Day.

In the most recent presidential election, more than 60 percent of Maine voters voted absentee in the 2020 general election during the COVID-19 pandemic. Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said absentee voting in a typical presidential election year normally comprises 25 percent to 35 percent of ballots cast.

“A lot of Maine voters prefer to vote on Election Day,” Bellows said. “We don’t care how you vote — [we want you to] just vote. Absentee voting can be a great way to ensure that nothing interferes with your ability to cast your ballot in this very important presidential election.”

Bellows said the state allows in-person absentee voting at town and city halls, adding the process includes safeguards to ensure fairness and transparency.

“Every absentee ballot must be returned in its absentee ballot return envelope that is signed by the voter and indeed has the information of the voter on that envelope. That’s a safeguard for clerks to be able to check those returned ballots against the valid requests,” Bellows said.

Voters can use Maine’s online absentee ballot tracker to check whether election clerks have received and accepted their ballot. Poll workers will not begin counting the absentee ballots until Nov. 5.

This article appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.