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Can I vote by mail in Arkansas?
Only with a qualifying reason.
You need an approved reason, such as travel, illness or disability, age, or work. Check your state's list. If you don't qualify, early in-person voting is usually an option.
- Voter registrationMon, Oct 5Passed
(mail or in person; no online registration)
- NextAsk for your mail ballot. Your request must arrive byTue, Oct 272 days
Ask now: a request on the last day leaves no time to mail the ballot back.
Request it on the official site ↗Track my ballot ↗
Missed the request deadline?
- Any voter applying in person, or through a Designated Bearer (anyone you choose) or a care-facility administrator. Deadline: Fri, Oct 30, close of business. Application delivered in person to the County Clerk; the voted ballot back by close of business the same Friday. source
- Patients in an Arkansas hospital or licensed long-term or residential care facility, through an Authorized Agent. Deadline: Tue, Nov 3, 1:30 p.m. (application); voted ballot by 7:30 p.m.. The agent files the application with the County Clerk plus an affidavit from the facility's administrator, and delivers the voted ballot. source
- Mail it byTue, Oct 272 days
USPS says allow 7 days. Your ballot must be received by Tue, Nov 3. After this date, use a drop box or return it in person.
- Returning it:
Received by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day if mailed; by close of business Oct. 30 if delivered in person.
Dropping it off? There are no public drop boxes here, so the mail or an election office is your route.
Who can return it for you: A person you designate may return it. A Designated Bearer (anyone you choose) may deliver your ballot, for no more than 2 voters per election and only in the 15 days before the election, to the County Clerk by close of business Friday Oct. 30. An Authorized Agent for hospital and care-facility patients may deliver until 7:30 p.m. Election Day. Bearers show photo ID and sign a register under oath. No drop boxes. source
- Election DayTue, Nov 39 days
If your ballot gets flaggedDeadline: Mon, Nov 9 · 15 days
If your ballot was flagged
- Read the letter, email or text from your county. It says what's wrong.
- Only a missing ID copy can be fixed: your ballot is held as provisional and counts if you show acceptable ID to the county clerk or election commission by noon on Monday, Nov. 9. There is no cure for a signature or witness problem. Deadline: Mon, Nov 9 · 15 days
- Call your county election office. You can say:
Hi, I voted by mail and my ballot was flagged. What do I need to do to fix it, and by when? Can I do it today?
Trouble voting? Free, nonpartisan hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE · 888-VE-Y-VOTA · 888-API-VOTE · 844-YALLA-US
Where are you with your ballot?
Where are you with your ballot?
Will your ballot count in Arkansas?
Will your ballot count in Arkansas?
- Is this your first time voting by mail?
- Have you moved since you last voted?
- Has your signature changed much since you registered?
Why ballots get rejected in Arkansas, and how to avoid it
- Extra step in your state: a witness must sign the envelope. This is the #1 reason ballots get tossed where it applies.
- 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.
Voting in person insteadpolling place, early voting, ID
Polling place and sample ballot: Your state's voter portal shows where you vote in person, what's on your ballot, and your registration status, all from your address. Open the voter portal
Open now through Mon, Nov 2. Locations and hours
You must show an accepted photo ID. Without one you can cast a provisional ballot, but it only counts if you bring ID back to the election office within a few days.
Accepted: Photo ID issued by the US, Arkansas or an accredited AR post-secondary institution (driver's license, state photo ID, concealed-carry license, passport, college ID/badge, military ID, photo public-assistance card, free voter verification card); expired no more than 4 years Without one: Provisional ballot; counted only if you return to the county board of election commissioners or county clerk by 12:00 noon on the Monday following the election with qualifying ID. Long-term-care-facility residents are exempt.
More about your statepermanent list, counting, alerts
Arkansas cannot start counting mail ballots until Election Day itself, so results take longer than you might expect. Results are certified Wed, Nov 18.
- Military or overseas. You're covered by federal law (UOCAVA), which usually gives you longer deadlines and electronic delivery. Use the Federal Post Card Application to register and request a ballot in one step. If your ballot doesn't arrive, the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot is your backup. FVAP.gov
- College student. You can register at your school address or your family's, not both. If you're registered back home and away at school, request a mail ballot from home early; campus mail is slow. Some states require a specific reason for students to vote absentee, so check your state's rule above. Student voter guide
- Disability or need help marking a ballot. Every state must offer an accessible way to vote. Most have an accessible mail-ballot option you can mark on a screen reader or your own device, and all allow a person of your choice (not your employer or union rep) to assist. Ask your county election office for the accessible absentee ballot. If illness, a hospital stay or a disability keeps you from the polls AFTER the request deadline, most states still have a way to get you a ballot: see "Missed the request deadline?" under your state's dates, and "Who can return it for you" for whether a family member or helper may carry it back. EAC: voters with disabilities
- Moved recently. Your registration is tied to your address. If you moved within your state, update it before the registration deadline; if you've moved across state lines, register in the new state. Moved after the deadline? Many states let you vote at your old precinct one last time or update in person; call your county. vote.gov
- Past felony conviction. Rules vary widely: some states restore rights automatically on release, others after probation or parole, a few require a separate process. Don't assume you can't vote. Check your state before the registration deadline. NCSL: restoration of voting rights
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Verified against the official page 2026-09-11. Rule checked 2026-09-09. Deadlines checked 2026-09-09. Request deadlines are "received by," not postmarked. The official site wins if anything differs. Spot something wrong? We check every report against the state's own page and fix errors as soon as they're reported. Email fix@ballotbymail.org or use the report form.