In the midst of primary season, voters may wonder about the laws that govern how and when states count absentee/mail-in ballots.
Every state provides a method for voters to cast ballots without visiting a physical polling place, but policies for counting those ballots differ from state to state.
State laws prescribe when election officials can begin processing absentee/mail-in ballots, which involves taking administrative steps required to prepare ballots for tabulation. Which activities are allowed during processing also vary from state to state, as does when election officials can begin counting ballots. Some states have deadlines for completing the count of absentee/mail-in ballots.
