All states · Nonpartisan. No account. No cookies.
Can I vote by mail in Idaho?
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.
- Voter registrationFri, Oct 23Passed
Same-day registration is available in person.
- Mail request must be receivedFri, Oct 23, 5 p.m.Passed
Missed the request deadline?
- Voter physically unable to vote in person on Election Day because of an emergency requiring hospitalization that began after 5 p.m. Oct. 23 (the 11th day before), who has not already requested an absentee ballot. Deadline: Mon, Nov 2, 5 p.m.. Emergency Situation Absentee Ballot Application (SOS form) filed with the county clerk, signed personally; clerk coordinates ballot delivery to the hospital; ballot must be returned to the county clerk's office by 8 p.m. Election Day. source
- NextFill it in, sign the envelope, and get it in the mail 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:
Must arrive at your county elections office by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Postmarks don't count, so mail it as early as you can.
Dropping it off? Drop-off is run by your county or town rather than the state, so locations vary. county elections office.
Who can return it for you: Only certain people may return it for you. Only a relative (by blood, marriage or adoption, within the fifth degree), a member of your household, or your caregiver may carry your ballot, and each may carry no more than 6 voted ballots in an election. A caregiver may not if you are under care for memory or cognitive impairment. Anyone else who collects or carries another voter's ballot commits a crime (Idaho Code 18-2324, added 2024). It must reach the county elections office by 8 p.m. Election Day; the law doesn't say whether a helper may use a drop box. source
- Election DayTue, Nov 39 days
If your ballot gets flagged
If your ballot was flagged
Idaho has no statewide process to fix a flagged mail ballot. Call your county election office right away and ask whether you can still vote another way, such as in person.
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
Good to know in Idaho Hospitalized after Oct. 23? You can still get an emergency absentee ballot through 5 p.m. Nov. 2. A new absentee request is needed each calendar year, and you add postage to the return envelope if mailing.
Where are you with your ballot?
Where are you with your ballot?
Will your ballot count in Idaho?
Will your ballot count in Idaho?
- 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 Idaho, and how to avoid it
- 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 Fri, Oct 30. Exact days vary by county. Locations and hours
Bring a photo ID. If you don't have one there's a fallback, usually signing an affidavit or having your signature checked, and your ballot still counts that day.
Accepted: Idaho driver's license or ID card; U.S. passport or federal photo ID card; tribal ID card; Idaho concealed-weapons license issued by a county sheriff Without one: Sign a Personal Identification Affidavit (name, address, sworn under penalty of perjury); ballot is issued and tabulated with all other ballots, no follow-up.
More about your statepermanent list, counting, alerts
Idaho cannot start counting mail ballots until Election Day itself, so results take longer than you might expect. Results are certified Wed, Nov 25.
- 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
Add these dates to my calendarPrintable one-pagerText this to myselfEmail it
Verified against the official page 2026-09-10. 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.
Idaho in the news
Today
Earlier
- Deadline for Idaho voters to request absentee ballot for general election is Oct. 23IdahoIdaho Capital Sun