Editing Early voting (section)

==North America==
===Canada===
{{Main|Elections in Canada}}
In Canada, elections are administered by [[Elections Canada]]. Early in-person voting is called '''advance polls''', which are held on the 10th, 9th, 8th and 7th days before election day at designated advance-poll stations. Canadian voters may locate the date, hours, and address of their advance-poll station at the Elections Canada website, on their voter information card, or by telephoning Elections Canada.<ref name=ElectionsCanada>[https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=vot&dir=vote&document=index&lang=e Ways to vote], Elections Canada (last accessed December 4, 2022).</ref> About 4.9 million Canadians cast advance votes in the [[2019 Canadian federal election|2019 election]], and almost 5.8 million Canadians cast ballots during the four advance-poll dates of the [[2021 Canadian federal election|2021 election]], setting a record.<ref>[https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/mail-in-voting-deadline-1.6173854 Canadians set new record at advance polls, hundreds of thousands of votes expected to arrive by mail], CBC News (September 15, 2021).</ref>

Canadians may also vote, upon application, at Elections Canada local offices (established during election seasons in every [[Electoral district (Canada)|riding in Canada]]), or by mail. Ballots cast via these methods are termed "special ballots."<ref name=ElectionsCanada/> Historically, voting by mail has been fairly rare in Canada; of the 18.4 million total votes in the 2019 Canadian election, slightly under 50,000 voters cast ballots by mail, with most of these ballots coming from [[Canadian diaspora|Canadians living abroad]].<ref>David Ljunggren, [https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/mail-in-voting-set-soar-canada-election-could-undermine-trudeau-new-democratic-2021-08-17/ Mail-in voting set to soar in Canada election, could undermine Trudeau, New Democratic Party], Reuters (August 17, 2021).</ref> Voting by mail in Canada increased during the 2021 election, with more than 1.1 million special ballots received (including from [[Canadian Forces]] servicemembers, Canadians living abroad, Canadians away from home on election day, and incarcerated Canadians); of this total, about 99,988 special ballots were not counted because they arrived after the receipt deadline (6 p.m. on election day), did not have a voter signature, or had some other problem.<ref>Marie Woolf, [https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/elections-canada-votes-not-counted-1.6499013 Almost 100,000 mail ballots not counted in federal election: Elections Canada], [[The Canadian Press]] (June 23, 2022).</ref>

===United States ===
{{Main|Elections in the United States}}

[[File:Barack Obama casts an early vote in the 2016 election (cropped).jpg |thumb|President [[Barack Obama]] participating in early voting for the [[2016 United States elections|2016 elections]]]]
[[File:Absentee voting sign, Fairfax County, Virginia.jpg|thumb|upright|Sign indicating an early/absentee voting station in Fairfax County, Virginia]]
[[File:Early voting at Bauer Drive Community Recreation Center.jpg|thumb|right|Early voting in Rockville, Maryland]]
[[File:Ballot drop box 2020.jpg|thumb|upright=0.7|Ballot drop box at a public library in California, 2020]]

The period since 2000 has seen a significant expansion in the number of U.S. states offering options to vote before Election Day, the percentage of the total population with those options, and the portion choosing to exercise those options. In the [[2000 United States presidential election|2000 general election]], 40% of all voting-age citizens lived in states with at least one early-voting option. A July 2024 study by the [[Center for Election Innovation & Research]] found that nearly 97% of all voting-age citizens will live in states offering at least one option to vote before [[2024 United States presidential election|the 2024 election]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=The Expansion of Voting Before Election Day, 2000–2024 |url=https://electioninnovation.org/research/expansion-voting-before-election-day/ |access-date=2024-09-06 |website=The Center for Election Innovation & Research |language=en-US}}</ref>

In the 2000 election, 14% of ballots were cast before Election Day. For 16 years the percentage increased steadily—21% in 2004, 31% in 2008, 33% in 2012, and 40% in 2016—before jumping to 69% in 2020 during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], then returning to the long-term trend with 50% in the 2022 midterm elections.<ref name=":0" />

As of 2024, 47 states, the [[District of Columbia]], [[American Samoa]], [[Guam]], [[Puerto Rico]], and the [[U.S. Virgin Islands]] offer in-person voting before [[Election Day]].<ref name="EarlyIPVoting">[https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/early-voting-in-state-elections.aspx Early In-Person Voting], [[National Conference of State Legislatures]] (last updated September 6, 2024).</ref> Of the 47 states that allow early in-person voting, eight have all-mail voting. In these states, each eligible, registered voter is sent a ballot, which can either be returned by mail, or dropped off at designated site during the early voting period.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 28, 2024 |title=Table 18: States With Mostly-Mail Elections |url=https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/table-18-states-with-all-mail-elections |website=National Conference of State Legislatures}}</ref>

The duration, start date, and end date of the early in-person voting period varies from state to state, from a low of five days to a high of 50 days; the average number of days of early in-person voting is 23.<ref name="EarlyIPVoting" /> Some states give discretion to local election officials (sometimes [[county clerk]]s) to add certain days of early voting.<ref name="EarlyIPVoting" />

Of states that permit early in-person voting (excluding the eight states that have "all-mail" elections), 23 states and D.C. allow some weekend early voting (on Saturdays, Sundays, or both).<ref name=EarlyIPVoting/>   
   
The [[National Conference of State Legislatures]] provides up-to-date information on each state's laws with links to relevant election statutes.<ref name=EarlyIPVoting/>

As of 2024, only three states do not currently offer in-person early voting: [[Alabama]], [[Mississippi]], and [[New Hampshire]].<ref name=EarlyIPVoting/><ref>[https://ctmirror.org/2022/11/09/ct-early-voting-in-person-ballot-question/  CT approves early voting ballot question, paving path to new law], ''CT Mirror'' (November 9, 2022).</ref>

In addition to (or in lieu of) in-person early voting, all states offer [[absentee ballot]]s (also called mail-in ballots) to some or all voters, with significant differences among states. As of 2024, 36 states and D.C. offer either "no-excuse absentee voting" (in which any qualified voter may cast an absentee ballot without an excuse) or conduct all elections by mail; in the remaining states, an absentee ballot will only be provided to a voter with a valid excuse.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 20, 2023 |title=Table 1: States with No-Excuse Absentee Voting |url=https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/table-1-states-with-no-excuse-absentee-voting |access-date=September 6, 2024 |website=National Conference of State Legislatures}}</ref> Absentee ballots are often returned to election offices by mail (see [[postal voting in the United States]])<ref name="NCSLVotingatHome">[https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/absentee-and-early-voting.aspx Voting Outside the Polling Place: Absentee, All-Mail and other Voting at Home Options], [[National Conference of State Legislatures]] (last updated July 7, 2022).</ref> but some states offer "in-person absentee voting" (in which the voter requests, completes, signs, and submits the  absentee ballot at a polling place). The voting experience for in-person absentee balloting is similar to the early-voting experience.<ref name=EarlyIPVoting/>

{| class="wikitable sortable" 
! colspan = 4 | Percent of votes cast by in-person early voting or absentee/mail-in voting in U.S. presidential elections
|-
! Year
! Early votes
! Source
! Remarks
|-
|[[2020 United States presidential election|2020]]
|64.04%
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=2020 General Election Early Vote Statistics |url=https://electproject.github.io/Early-Vote-2020G/index.html |access-date=2023-10-28 |website=electproject.github.io}}</ref>
| [[COVID-19]]
|-
| [[2016 United States presidential election|2016]] || 36.6% ||<ref>{{cite web |first=Michael P. |last=McDonald |author-link=Michael P. McDonald |url=http://www.electproject.org/early_2016 |title=2016 November General Election Early Voting |publisher=United States Elections Project |access-date=October 26, 2020 |archive-date=September 25, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160925203106/http://www.electproject.org/early_2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|
|-
| [[2012 United States presidential election|2012]] || 31.6% ||<ref>{{cite news |first=Michael P. |last=McDonald |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/a-modest-early-voting-ris_b_3430379 |title=A Modest Early Voting Rise in 2012 |work=Huffington Post |date=December 6, 2017 |orig-year=June 12, 2013 |access-date=October 26, 2020 }}</ref>
|
|-
| [[2008 United States presidential election|2008]] || 30.6% ||<ref name="gmu-evs">{{cite web|url=http://elections.gmu.edu/Early_Voting_2008_Final.html |title=(Nearly) Final 2008 Early Voting Statistics |date=May 1, 2010 |first=Michael |last=McDonald |publisher=Department of Public and International Affairs, [[George Mason University]] |access-date=October 30, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120730081609/http://elections.gmu.edu/Early_Voting_2008_Final.html |archive-date=July 30, 2012 }}</ref>
|
|-
| [[2004 United States presidential election|2004]] || 22% ||<ref name=Pew>{{cite web |first1=Drew |last1=DeSilver |first2=A.W. |last2=Geiger |url=https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/10/21/for-many-americans-election-day-is-already-here/ |title=For many Americans, Election Day is already here |website=Fact Tank |publisher=Pew Research Center |date=October 21, 2016 |access-date=October 26, 2020 }}</ref>
|
|-
| [[2000 United States presidential election|2000]] || 16% ||<ref name=ap2008sep21>{{cite news |url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iXAkBilVhjbpsgAAHfgp6kGEShvwD93B66680 |title=A third of electorate could vote before Nov. 4 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080925103100/http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iXAkBilVhjbpsgAAHfgp6kGEShvwD93B66680 |archive-date=September 25, 2008 |first1=Stephen |last1=Ohlemacher |first2=Julie |last2=Pace |date=September 21, 2008 |agency=[[Associated Press]] }} Article copies: [https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=5849955 ABC News], [https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080921/ap_on_el_pr/early_voting Yahoo News].</ref>
|
|-
| [[1992 United States presidential election|1992]] || 7% ||<ref name="gmu-evs"/> ||
|}

States adopted early voting at different times. For example, Florida officially began early voting in 2004,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?mode=View%2520Statutes&SubMenu=1&App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=101.657&URL=CH0101/Sec657.HTM|title=Statutes & Constitution:View Statutes: Online Sunshine |website=www.leg.state.fl.us|access-date=March 29, 2016}}</ref> and voters in [[Maryland]] approved a constitutional amendment in November 2008 to allow early voting, starting with the primary elections in 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elections.state.md.us/voting/early_voting.html |title=Early Voting |publisher=Elections.state.md.us |access-date=October 29, 2012}}</ref> Early voting was first used in [[Massachusetts]] for the [[2016 Massachusetts general election|general election of November 2016]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/ele16/early-voting_16/ev16idx.htm |title=2016 Early Voting Statistics |website=sec.state.ma.us |access-date=November 6, 2018}}</ref> New York began early voting in 2019, as a result of a state law requiring eight days of early voting throughout the state.<ref>{{cite news |first=Jill |last=Ryan |url=http://www.wshu.org/post/cuomo-signs-early-voting-bill-law |title=Cuomo Signs Early Voting Bill Into Law |publisher=WSHU Public Radio |date=January 25, 2019 |access-date=October 26, 2020}}</ref><ref>['I love early voting': NY voters sound off on first day of casting ballots in general election]</ref>

In 2022, Connecticut was one of just four remaining states without early in-person voting. In November 2022, Connecticut voters approved a constitutional amendment authorizing the state legislature to enact early in-person voting. In May 2023, the Connecticut House and Senate passed H.B. 5004, which was signed into law by Governor [[Ned Lamont]] on June 7, 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 7, 2023 |title=AN ACT IMPLEMENTING EARLY VOTING. |url=https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2023&bill_num=5004&utm_source=Blumenthal&utm_campaign=829c6ef3a7-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2023_02_09_09_26_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-bb948aa8d0-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D |access-date=September 17, 2024 |website=Connecticut General Assembly}}</ref>

The [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States]] led many states both to reduce the number of polling stations for the [[2020 United States elections]] and to relax requirements for both mail-in and early voting, including mailing applications to all active registered voters and providing drop-boxes for ballots.<ref>{{cite news |first=Quinn |last=Scanlan |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/states-changed-rules-voting-amid-coronavirus-pandemic/story?id=72309089 |title=Here's how states have changed the rules around voting amid the coronavirus pandemic |work=ABC News |date=September 22, 2020 |access-date=October 26, 2020 }}</ref> In the November 2020 elections, about 26% of votes nationwide were cast by early in-person voting, as compared to 46% of votes cast by mail/absentee ballot and 28% of votes cast in Election Day in-person voting.<ref>Charles Stewart III,''[https://electionlab.mit.edu/sites/default/files/2020-12/How-we-voted-in-2020-v01.pdf How We Voted in 2020: A First Look at the Survey of the Performance of American Elections]'', MIT Election Lab (December 15, 2020).</ref>

After the [[attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election]], following false claims of widespread voter fraud in the election by [[Donald Trump]], Republican lawmakers initiated a push to restrict early voting (see [[Republican efforts to restrict voting following the 2020 presidential election]]).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Wines|first=Michael|date=27 February 2021|title=In Statehouses, Stolen-Election Fact Fuels a G.O.P. Drive to Rewrite Rules|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/27/us/republican-voter-suppression.html|website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>

In 2020, [[MTV]] founded the campaign for "[[Vote Early Day]]" as a civic holiday to celebrate the concept of early voting, directed primarily at young people.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Morin |first=Rebecca |title=Vote Early Day effort launches to get more people, especially young voters, to the polls |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/03/10/vote-early-day-effort-launches-get-more-people-young-voters-polls/5002061002/ |access-date=2023-11-02 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Voting Early Is Easier Than Ever — So We're Making It A Holiday |url=https://www.mtv.com/news/o4q24a/vote-early-day-what-to-know |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221001110402/https://www.mtv.com/news/o4q24a/vote-early-day-what-to-know |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 1, 2022 |access-date=2023-11-02 |website=MTV |language=en}}</ref> The MTV program partnered with businesses and nonprofits, and its advantage being that it isn’t ‘owned’ by any one entity.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vote Early Day |url=https://www.hyperakt.com/work/vote-early-day |access-date=2023-11-02 |website=Hyperakt |language=en}}</ref>