With approximately 60 days remaining until Election Day on Nov. 5, the first mail-in ballots are set to be delivered to voters this week. The initial batch of ballots is typically sent out to military and overseas voters, as required by federal law at least 45 days before an election. However, some states begin the process earlier.
North Carolina, a crucial battleground state in this election season, will start sending mail-in ballots to all voters who request them on Friday, Sept. 6. This information was confirmed by the State Board of Elections.
Voter registration deadlines vary across states, with most falling between eight and 30 days before the election according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. In Georgia, one of this year’s prominent presidential battlegrounds, the deadline is Oct. 7.
Apart from mail-in ballots, all early voting states offer some form of in-person voting with varying rules and dates. Early in-person voting will commence as early as Sept. 20 in certain states.
Pennsylvania will begin mailing out its ballots for the general election on Sept. 16—50 days prior to Election Day—making it another crucial state in determining electoral outcomes.
In addition to Pennsylvania, other states that send out mail-in ballots more than 45 days before the election include Arkansas, Delaware, Kentucky, Minnesota, North Carolina (already mentioned), South Dakota Tennessee West Virginia and Wisconsin.
On the other hand Alabama Idaho Indiana Louisiana Michigan New Jersey Oklahoma Rhode Island Texas Virginia and Wyoming will start mailing their respective ballots exactly 45 days prior to Election Day.
In North Carolina specifically Robert F Kennedy—who recently endorsed Trump for president—will remain on the ballot despite efforts for removal by some parties according to an announcement made by The State Board of Elections last month.
The first presidential debate is scheduled for Sept.10 between President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris—the Democratic Party’s nominee—with subsequent debates yet uncertain due to recent statements made by Trump regarding his concerns about bias at ABC network where he suggested he might pull out but later confirmed his attendance via Truth Social platform while also proposing a debate hosted by Fox News which was declined by Harris’ camp.