North Dakota absentee and mail ballot guide
North Dakota absentee ballot overview
Absentee ballots and mail ballots are the same thing, and the process for getting one is straight forward.
- Request your ballot by the deadline
- Receive your in ballot in the mail
- Return your ballot by the deadline
North Dakota absentee deadlines
- Earliest day to apply: January 1
- Request deadline (online): N/A
- Request deadline (by mail): Received 1 day before Election Day
- Request deadline (in person): 1 day before Election Day
- Deadline to return your ballot (by mail): Postmarked 1 day BEFORE Election Day
- Deadline to return your ballot (in person): Received 1 day BEFORE Election Day
North Dakota absentee ballot rules
Any North Dakota resident can request an absentee ballot and vote by mail.
North Dakota online ballot request
North Dakota does not allow you to request your ballot online.
North Dakota by-mail ballot request
- Download the North Dakota absentee ballot application.
- Fill out all of the required fields.
- Print the application.
- Sign and date your application. This is very important.
- Mail or hand-deliver your completed application directly to your local election office as soon as possible, but no later than the deadline.
- If it’s close to the deadline, call your local election office and see if they will let you submit your application via email or fax.
- Your application must be received 1 day before Election Day .
North Dakota in-person ballot request
- Visit your local election office.
- Ask the clerk to give you an absentee ballot application.
- Fill out all of the required fields.
- Sign and date your application.
- The deadline to apply in person is 1 day before Election Day .
After you receive your ballot
- Carefully read and follow the instructions, and fill out all required fields.
- Sign and date the outside envelope.
- Mail or hand-deliver your ballot to your local election office. You can also hand-deliver your ballot to a state-provided drop box. Please check with your local election office if your county has a drop box. You can use our Find Out Where To Vote tool to find an official drop box.
- If you mail your ballot, it must be postmarked 1 day BEFORE Election Day .
- If you hand-deliver your ballot, it must be received 1 day BEFORE Election Day .
- If you miss the deadline – or forget to sign the outside envelope – your vote will not be counted.
North Dakota absentee ballot ID requirements
- ID required when requesting a mail-in ballot: You must include your North Dakota driver's license number, state ID number, or tribal ID number on your absentee ballot application. If you do not have one of these numbers, or if your ID has expired, you must include a photocopy of another government issued document that shows your name and your current North Dakota address. The signature that you provide on your application will be compared to the signature on your ballot affidavit envelope.
- ID required when returning a mail-in ballot: You must include your North Dakota driver's license, state ID, tribal ID, or a long term care ID. If you do not have a valid ID you can provide a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, check, or document issued by the federal, state, local, or tribal government.
North Dakota absentee ballot tracker
Track your ballot here: North Dakota absentee ballot tracker
North Dakota absentee ballot curing
Ballot curing is the process of resolving any problems with your absentee or mail ballot to ensure that your vote is counted. After tracking your ballot, contact your local election office to fix any issues that have been noted.
- Your ballot will be rejected if you forget to sign it or if the signature does not match the one that the state has on file for you.
- You must make corrections by 10:00 am on the 6th day after Election Day for your vote to count.
North Dakota emergency ballots
Some states have special procedures that allow you to obtain an emergency ballot if a medical or other emergency occurs after the standard absentee ballot application window.
Emergency Ballot RulesIf you have an emergency on Election Day, you may designate someone to request a ballot on your behalf. The completed ballot must be returned by 4PM Election Day to be counted.
- Emergency ballot request starts Election Day
- Emergency ballot request ends 4PM Election Day
- Emergency ballot return deadline is 4PM Election Day
Contact your local election office
Local election office
Contact your local election office if you have questions.
Statewide election office
This is the statewide agency that is ultimately responsible for North Dakota elections. You can contact them with questions, but your local election office will probably respond faster.
North Dakota Secretary of State State of North Dakota 600 E Boulevard Avenue Dept 108 Bismarck ND 58505-0500
External resources
- North Dakota voter status lookup
- North Dakota absentee ballot tracker
- North Dakota polling place locator