During the 2020 general election, the absentee ballot drop box became an increasingly popular option for voters to submit completed mail ballots to election officials without using the mail. While some states had successfully used ballot drop boxes for years, the coronavirus pandemic jump-started the practice for much of the rest of the country, particularly after questions emerged about the U.S. Postal Service’s capacity to deliver absentee ballots reliably on time. Although a few states, such as Tennessee and Missouri, prohibited the use of ballot drop boxes, citing the risk of voter fraud, nearly 40 states had ballot drop boxes available during the 2020 general election, and voters’ use of ballot drop boxes was the highest of any election in American history.
Author: Axel Hufford