Delivery deadlines for absentee ballots are changing in some states in response to legal challenges, and questions have been raised about the number of days the United States Postal Service (USPS) may need to deliver ballots by mail. In this context, voters may seek an alternative to the mailing system for delivering absentee ballots.
Two alternatives for voters to consider are drop boxes and hand delivery to polling places or election offices. In most states, the website of the secretary of state and/or local or county election offices provide locations of drop boxes. The table below explains the policies for hand delivery to polling stations or election offices. This information is based on a review of state statutes and conversations with election officials across the U.S.
Hand Delivery Analysis: 50-State Table
| State | Ballot can be hand-delivered to polling place on election day | Ballot can be hand-delivered to early voting location during early voting period | Ballot can be hand-delivered to local clerk, board, or equivalent before election day | Ballot can only be returned by mail | Notes |
| AK | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Fax option in some areas | |
| AL | ✓ | ||||
| AR | ✓ | ||||
| AZ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| CA | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Some counties opt-out of early in-person voting | |
| CO | N/A | N/A | ✓ | All vote-by-mail state | |
| CT | ✓ | ||||
| DC | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| DE | ✓ | ||||
| FL | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Can be hand-delivered to assigned polling place only. | |
| GA | ✓ | Dropboxes provided during pandemic | |||
| HI | N/A | N/A | ✓ | All vote-by-mail state | |
| IA | ✓ | ||||
| ID | ✓ | ||||
| IL | ✓ | ||||
| IN | ✓ | ||||
| KS | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| KY | Dropboxes provided during pandemic | ||||
| LA | ✓ | ||||
| MA | ✓ | ||||
| MD | ✓ | ||||
| ME | ✓ | ||||
| MI | ✓ | ||||
| MN | ✓ | ||||
| MO | ✓ | See 10.22 news article | |||
| MS | ✓ | ||||
| MT | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| NC | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| ND | ✓ | Dropboxes provided during pandemic | |||
| NE | ✓ | ||||
| NH | ✓ | N/A | ✓ | If hand-delivering to polling place, must be delivered to voter’s precinct polling place. No in-person early voting in this state. | |
| NJ | ✓ | ||||
| NM | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| NV | ✓ | ||||
| NY | ✓ | ||||
| OH | Dropboxes provided during pandemic | ||||
| OK | ✓ | ||||
| OR | N/A | N/A | ✓ | Everyone receives a ballot by mail | |
| PA | ✓ | ||||
| RI | ✓ | ||||
| SC | ✓ | ||||
| SD | ✓ | ||||
| TN | ✓ | ||||
| TX | ✓ | ||||
| UT | N/A | N/A | ✓ | All vote-by-mail state | |
| VA | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| VT | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | If hand-delivering to polling place, must be delivered to voter’s precinct polling place. | |
| WA | N/A | N/A | ✓ | All vote-by-mail state | |
| WI | ✓ | ||||
| WV | ✓ | ||||
| WY | ✓ |