Absentee Voting By Mail

If a registered voter is unable to vote in person either at the Election Commission during early voting or at his/her polling precinct on election day, he/she may vote by mail. The voter must apply for an absentee ballot and must cite a valid legal reason for doing so.

Who is eligible to vote by mail?

In order to obtain an absentee ballot by mail, you must be a registered voter and must be one of the following:

Over 65 years of age; Outside of the county during early voting and on election day; A student outside of the county; Disabled; A caretaker; or A commercial driver. (Please be certain to include your CDL number on your absentee ballot request).

** If you are serving in the military and will be outside of the county during the election, or if you are a citizen residing overseas, you are also eligible to vote by mail. Please see Military & Overseas Voters for more information.

How Do I Apply To Vote By Mail?

You must submit a request to vote by mail to the Election Commission in writing. You may mail or fax your request; e-mailed requests will not be accepted. You may write out your request on any piece of paper, or you may print out a pre-formatted Absentee By-Mail Voting Request.

You must include the following information in your request:

1. Name (as registered)
2. Residence Address in Montgomery County
3. Mailing Address
4. Date of Birth
5. Social Security Number
6. Election and Election Date
7. Reason for Voting Absentee (If you are a commercial driver, please include your CDL number)
8. For primary elections, include a party preference
9. Voter Signature

You must apply to vote by mail in this way separately for each election that you will need to vote absentee.

** If you will need to vote by mail in every election due to medical reasons, you may be eligible to become a Permanent Absentee Voter.

When Should I Apply To Vote By Mail?

The Election Commission will accept your request to vote by mail as early as ninety (90) days and as late as seven (7) days before any election.

Please keep in mind that voting by mail takes some time. The Election office must mail your ballot, you must complete and return your ballot by mail, and the Election office must receive your completed ballot on or before Election Day for your vote to count (an Election-Day postmark is not sufficient). Please plan the timing of your request accordingly.