Here’s the earliest you can vote in each state

Concerns about Postal Service delays and the coronavirus are setting the stage for a surge in mail-in ballots and early voting in the crucial presidential election.

Officials and advocates across the country are encouraging residents to take steps ranging from voting by mail to voting in person early leading up to the Nov. 3 election.

On Friday, the first batch of ballots for the 2020 general election were sent out in North Carolina, where more than 500,000 residents have requested absentee ballots.

Here is the earliest you can vote either in person or by mail in each state.

Alabama

The state does not offer early in-person voting, but absentee voters can request or cast their ballots in person or by mail beginning Sept. 9.

Alaska

Absentee and early voters can cast their ballots in person or by mail starting Oct. 19.

Arizona

Early and mail-in voting will begin Oct. 7.

Arkansas

Absentee ballots and early voting will be available Oct. 19.

California

Beginning Oct. 5, all voters will receive a vote-by-mail ballot that can be returned immediately. Early voting will be available in several counties starting Oct. 27.

Colorado

Mail-in ballots will be sent starting Oct. 9. Early voting begins on Oct. 19.

Connecticut

Absentee ballots will be mailed beginning Oct. 2. Connecticut does not offer in-person early voting.

Delaware

Absentee ballots will be sent by mail no later than Oct. 30. There is no in-person early voting in Delaware.

District of Columbia

All registered voters will be mailed a ballot starting the first week of October. Those ballots can be filled out and returned immediately. Early voting starts Oct. 27.

Florida

Mail ballots will be sent to eligible voters starting Sept. 24. Early voting will be available starting Oct. 24.

Georgia

Absentee ballots will be mailed beginning Sept. 15. Early voting starts Oct. 12.

Hawaii

Voters will automatically receive a ballot by mail on or around Oct. 16. 

Idaho

Absentee ballots will be mailed to voters starting Oct. 12. Early voting varies by county but starts as early as Oct. 19.

Illinois

Early voting will begin Sep. 24, the same day absentee ballots will start being mailed out.

Indiana

Approved absentee voters should receive ballots after Sept. 19. Early voting commences on Oct. 6.

Iowa

Absentee ballots will be available for mail submission or in-person drop-off starting Oct. 5.

Kansas

Residents can vote in-person or by absentee ballot as early as Oct. 14.

Kentucky

Absentee ballots will be mailed starting in mid-September. Early voting begins Oct. 13.

Louisiana

Early voting will begin Oct. 20. Parishes will be sending eligible absentee voters ballots starting around the third week of September.

Maine

Absentee ballots will be available for mail submission or in-person drop-off beginning Oct. 4.

Maryland

Absentee ballots can be downloaded and sent starting on Oct. 13. Early voting in person starts Oct. 26.

Massachusetts

Early voting begins Oct. 17.

Michigan

Early voting starts Sept. 24, the same day voters can request absentee ballots.

Minnesota

Early in-person and absentee voting will commence on Sept. 18.

Mississippi

Early voting and absentee ballots will be available no later than Sept. 21.

Missouri

Mail-in and absentee ballots will be sent to eligible voters starting Sept. 22. There is no early in-person voting, but voters can vote absentee in person.

Montana

Voters can submit absentee ballots in person as soon as Oct. 5. There is no early in-person voting, but voters can vote absentee in person.

Nebraska

Mail-in ballots will be sent starting Sept. 28. Early in-person voting at county election offices will commence on Oct. 5.

Nevada

Absentee and vote-by-mail ballots will be sent to voters starting in late September. Early voting begins Oct. 17.

New Hampshire

There is no early voting in New Hampshire, but voters can vote absentee in person. The state urges voters to request absentee ballot applications as soon as possible.

New Jersey

Mail ballots will be sent to all registered voters by Oct. 5.

New Mexico

Absentee ballots can be submitted as early as Oct. 6. In-person early voting starts Oct. 17.

New York

Early voting commences on Oct. 24, the same day absentee ballots can start being dropped off in person at an early voting poll site.

North Carolina

Both early and absentee voters may cast their ballots starting Oct. 15.

North Dakota

Absentee and vote-by-mail ballots will be sent starting Sept. 24. Early in-person voting availability varies by county but starts as early as Oct. 19.

Ohio

Early in-person voting begins Oct. 6, the same day absentee ballots can be sent.

Oklahoma

Absentee ballot drop-off is available starting Oct. 29, the same day early in-person voting begins.

Oregon

All voters automatically receive mail-in ballots, which should be mailed no later than Oct. 20 and can be filled out and sent immediately.

Pennsylvania

Voters can submit mail-in and absentee ballots as soon as Sept. 14. There is officially no in-person early voting in Pennsylvania. However, beginning Sept. 14 voters can request, fill out and submit a mail-in or absentee ballot during a single in-person visit to a county elections office.

 

Rhode Island

In-person early voting begins Oct. 14. The state does not specify exactly when mail ballots will be sent.

South Carolina

Absentee voters can drop off ballots at county offices starting Sept. 28, but there is otherwise no in-person early voting in South Carolina.

South Dakota 

Absentee voters may submit their ballots via mail or in-person beginning Sept. 18, but there is otherwise no early voting in-person in South Dakota.

Tennessee

Absentee ballots will be sent to voters starting Sept. 18. In-person early voting begins Oct. 14.

Texas

Vote-by-mail ballots will be sent starting in September. In-person early voting begins Oct. 13.

Utah  

Mail-in ballots will be sent to all voters starting Oct. 13. Early in-person voting can start as early as Oct. 20 but varies by county.

Vermont

Absentee ballots will be available no later than Sept. 21. There is no in-person early voting.

Virginia

Both absentee and in-person early voting begin Sept. 18.

Washington

Mail-in ballots will be sent to voters starting Oct. 16. There is no in-person early voting.

West Virginia

Absentee ballots will be mailed out starting Sept. 18. In-person early voting begins Oct. 21.

Wisconsin

Voters can drop off “in-person absentee” ballots starting Oct. 20.

Wyoming

Ballots can be requested for absentee voters starting Sept. 18. There is no early in-person voting in Wyoming, but voters can vote absentee in person.