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Voting by mail in North Dakota
Yes. Anyone can request a mail ballot. Any registered voter can request a mail (absentee) ballot, no reason needed. There's a deadline, so request early. New for 2026: your ballot must ARRIVE by the close of polls on Election Day. North Dakota eliminated its postmark rule (HB 1165), so mailing it on time is no longer enough. No voter registration in North Dakota; bring valid ID. Absentee voting begins Sept. 24.
Key dates
| Mail ballot request received by | Mon, Nov 2 |
| Early in-person voting | Thu, Sep 24 – Mon, Nov 2 |
| Mail your ballot by | Tue, Oct 27 (USPS: allow 7 days) |
| Election Day | Tue, Nov 3 |
| ID at the polls | ID required (photo not necessary). Without one: Vote a set-aside ballot; the voter must present or update a valid form of ID with the election official (in person or electronically) within 13 days after the election, before the county canvassing board meets, or the ballot is not counted. |
| Return rule | Must be RETURNED by close of polls on Election Day. North Dakota removed its postmark rule for 2026 (HB 1165), so a ballot postmarked in time but arriving later is not counted. Use a drop-off or the county auditor if it is close. |
| Fix a flagged ballot by | Mon, Nov 16 |
| Missed the request deadline? | Voters kept from voting in person on Election Day by an emergency: by Tue, Nov 3, 4 p.m. (voted ballot back at the county auditor). |
| Who can return it for you | The official source doesn't say whether someone else may carry it; ask your county. The SOS says return by mail, county drop box, or in person to the county auditor (not a polling place), and that only you sign the envelope; it doesn't say whether someone else may carry it. The law regulates agents only for picking up ballots (up to 4 voters). |
Steps
- Request your ballot now. Don't wait for the deadline.
- Confirm your registration and mailing address while you're at it.
- When it arrives, fill it out in blue or black ink and sign the envelope.
- Return it by drop box or in person if you can. Mail it at least a week early if not.
- Track it on your state's tracker until it shows received.
Don't get rejected
- Sign the envelope the way you signed your voter registration or driver's license. Your state compares them.
- Use the secrecy sleeve if one is included, then the return envelope. Don't tape anything.
- Keep the phone and email on your registration current. If there's a problem, that's how they reach you to fix it.
https://www.sos.nd.gov/elections/voter/elections-currentpast
https://vip.sos.nd.gov/AbsenteeTracker.aspx
https://vip.sos.nd.gov/WhereToVote.aspx
ballotbymail.org/state/nd
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Rules checked 2026-09-09; deadlines checked 2026-09-09. Sources: NCSL, Vote.org, CEIR, state election offices. The official site wins if anything differs. Free to copy and post.