US States Launch Early Voting and Mail-In Ballots

Election authorities across several states began distributing mail-in ballots and launching early voting processes on September 24 for the November 3 general election. In Illinois, in-person voting opened in Lake, Kane, Will, and McHenry counties, though DuPage County temporarily suspended its launch due to technical issues. Chicago will begin early voting on October 1, expanding to all 50 wards by October 19.

These efforts follow a September 14 ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States, which blocked a United States Postal Service rule issued via a Donald Trump executive order that sought to restrict mail-in balloting. The court also rejected a challenge regarding the counting of late-delivered votes.

In California, the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk began mailing sample ballots in 19 languages, with official Vote by Mail ballots scheduled for distribution starting October 1. Meanwhile, the Government of Michigan made no-reason absentee ballots available to all registered voters, with early in-person voting mandated to begin October 24 in most jurisdictions.

Across these regions, the United States Postal Service and local officials are urging voters to mail their ballots well in advance of the deadline—ranging from seven to 15 days—to ensure they are received and counted by Election Day.