Your Questions About Voting in the 2026 Midterm Elections, Answered
What’s the difference between absentee voting and vote-by-mail?
Absentee voting and vote-by-mail both allow voters to cast ballots without visiting a polling site. This can be done by returning a ballot by mail, at a dropbox, or in person, depending on state law. The terms vary by state, but a key difference is often whether voters must request a ballot or receive one automatically.
In states where vote-by-mail exists, all active registered voters are automatically delivered a vote-by-mail ballot to their registered address. Eight states—California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, and Washington—conduct elections this way.
In states without universal vote-by-mail programs, individuals must request absentee ballots ahead of time. There are often deadlines and rules that voters must meet in order to participate in the program, and some states may require individuals to have an excuse in order to be eligible for an absentee ballot. —Anna Gordon
