An absentee ballot is used by people who would like to receive a ballot in the mail. An absentee ballot, which is also called a mail-in ballot, can be returned by mail or by dropping it in an official election drop box.
In Virginia, if you want to return an absentee ballot by mail, it must be postmarked on or before the Election Day AND received by your local voter registration office by noon on the third day following the election.
If you plan on casting an absentee ballot for the November 3, 2026 elections, your absentee ballot must be postmarked by November 3, 2026 AND received by your local voter registration office by noon on November 6, 2026.
Here are three ways to make sure your absentee ballot gets counted:
- Go to the counter of any post office and ask the person working there to put a manual postmark on your absentee ballot.
- Put your absentee ballot in the drop box at your local voter registration office. Your county, city, or town may also have other drop boxes available; check the instructions provided in your absentee ballot mailing.
- Take it to your voting location, or polling place, on Election Day.
If you need to use a regular mailbox to return your absentee ballot, plan on doing it EARLY, at least two weeks before Election Day. For the November 3, 2026 elections, you should mail your ballot on or before October 20, 2026. Earlier is better!
To learn more about absentee ballots and voting by mail, visit our Casting a Ballot page.
Did you know? When you put a ballot, a letter, or something else in the mail, the post office stamps the envelope (or the package) with a date. This date is called a postmark. The postmark may be stamped on the envelope by a person or by a machine, either at your post office or at a building in another city or town that is used to process mail. The date on the postmark may be later than the day you dropped the envelope at your post office.
