Already voted? Here’s how to track your mood by mail
It’s election day. Are you nervous because your mail-in ballot has been accepted? Worry less and use some online tools to track your voting progress.
Mail-in ballots are an increasingly common voting method in the US, with the COVID-19 pandemic leading to a surge in mail-in ballots as people look for more secure voting methods in the 2020 presidential election. had been steadily increasing for years, but according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Election Lab shot it up from about 23 million in the 2018 midterm elections to 43 million in 2020, before dropping to about 32 million in 2022.
While voting by mail is generally a safe and reliable method of voting, it is still subject to the vagaries and concerns that throw the entire postal system into disarray, and if a package is ever lost in transit, you Imagine how frustrating such a situation would be with something as vital as a vote. Don’t worry too much, though, because as with these packets, options exist to track the progress of your ballot, whether you use the postal system or an official ballot drop box. Read on for a full breakdown of where to go to see tracking in your state.
For more information about the 2024 election cycle, learn how to track results in swing states and can people see how you voted?
How can I track my ballot?
Ballot tracking options are state-by-state, though states tend to rely on a so-called service StemTrax to track your status, whether you dropped your ballot in the mail or in a drop box, or the US Postal Service to track your mail-in ballot. Please note that you may be required to enter certain personal information to use these tracking options, including your first and last name, your date of birth, and possibly your social security number.
Some states also require you to keep a tracking number found on the punched ballot, which you had to remove from your ballot before mailing it in. In some states, you must contact your local election office to track your mail-in ballot.
Here is the information needed to track your mail-in ballot in all 50 states and the District of Columbia:
For more information, learn how to see what’s currently on your ballot.