Voting by Mail or Absentee Voting

Absentee voting by mail is available if you meet the requirements for voting by mail and provide acceptable identification.  The last day to request an absentee ballot is 12 days before the election. You can return your absentee ballot request form through the mail, in person at your local elections office, or online.

Voted ballots must be received by 6 pm (close of polls) on Election Day in order to be counted. You can sign up to track your absentee ballot at Indiana Voters .  Absentee ballots begin being counted on Election Day.

Request an absentee ballot:

On-Line Absentee Voting Applications 

Call the Tippecanoe Board of Elections - 765-423-9303 or email electionboard@tippecanoe.in.gov

Identification and Criteria Requirements

You Must Have a Reason for Requesting to Vote by Mail

Indiana requires that you must provide a reason why you wish to vote absentee. If you voted absentee last election, you still have to apply for a new absentee ballot for the coming elections in 2023.   Past applications don't carry-forward.
 

To vote absentee, you would need to declare one or more of these to be true (to the best of your knowledge on the day that you fill out the form):

1. You have a specific, reasonable expectation that you will be absent from the county on Election Day during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open (6 am until 6 pm).
2. You have a disability.
3. You are at least 65 years of age.
4. You will have official election duties outside of your voting precinct.
5. You are scheduled to work at your regular place of employment during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open.
6. You will be confined due to illness or injury or you will be caring for an individual confined due to illness or injury during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open.
7. You are prevented from voting because of a religious discipline or religious holiday during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open.
8. You are a participant in the state's address confidentiality program.
9. You are a member of the military or a public safety officer.
10. You are a "serious sex offender" as defined in Indiana Code 35-42-4-14(a).
11. You are prevented from voting due to the unavailability of transportation to the polls.
12. You are unable to vote at the polls due to religious observance or holiday.

Your Must Provide Valid Voter Identification

State law changed on July 1, 2023 requiring that voters provide a valid form of identification with their absentee voting application.   

You have two options to satisfy this requirement:

Option 1: Provide your Indiana driver's license number or Indiana identification card number OR the unique identification number on your registration record OR the last four digits of your social security number.

Option 2: Enclose a photocopy of your valid Indiana driver's license, Indiana identification card, or other proof of identification the complies with the state's photo ID law.

Indiana law allows that your application may be challenged but it must be done in a very specific way and is relatively rare in Tippecanoe county.   From the Election Handbook:

A county election board member or absentee ballot voter board member may challenge an absentee ballot application by filing an affidavit. The Indiana Election Division prescribes the form of the affidavit (ABS-20). The affidavit must contain a brief statement of the facts indicating that:

1. the applicant is not a voter of the precinct according to the voter registration record;
2. the application contains a false statement; or
3. the application has not been properly executed or filed in accordance with state or federal law.
   

If the absentee voter board member or county election board member files a challenge affidavit (ABS-20) and the two absentee board members cannot agree on whether to approve or deny the application, the absentee voter board members shall refer the application to the county election board for determination.   If someone calls you or attempts to challenge your request for an absentee ballot we recommend you request a copy of the completed ABS-20 form.

When Will I Get My Ballot?

The date a county election board begins mailing absentee ballots is important.  After the initial push of mailing ballots out to absentee applications on file, a county must transmit an absentee ballot on the day of the receipt of the application. However, if a voter’s absentee application is challenged or the voter’s registration is in pending status, then the ballot may not be sent until the challenge is resolved or the voter’s registration status becomes active.