With Election Day just over two weeks away, you may be wondering if you are able to cast your ballot from the comfort of your own home.
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – With Election Day just over two weeks away, you may be wondering if you are able to cast your ballot from the comfort of your own home.
While it would be convenient to vote online, that right is only available for a select group of people. The majority of voters can only vote in-person or by absentee/mail-in ballot.
However, the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act allows military service members and their family members who are stationed overseas or away from their residence, as well as some U.S. citizens living overseas to cast their ballots electronically for local and national elections based on a state’s e-voting laws.
Depending on the state, eligible voters can vote through a secure online portal or by returning their ballots by fax or email.
Some online portals allow voters to mark and return their ballots entirely online, while others require the voter to print their ballot, fill it out and upload it as a PDF.
Not all states allow ballots to be returned electronically. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 31 states along with Washington, D.C. and the Virgin Islands allow certain voters this right.
In some states, people with disabilities can also cast their ballots electronically, including via an online portal.
Why can’t everyone vote online?
Experts point to several reasons why most people are not allowed to vote online, including privacy and security.
Election officials can identify the person who returned the ballot electronically, which means that ballots cannot be fully anonymous.
Another concern is cybersecurity. Federal agencies warn that returning ballots electronically could be vulnerable to cyberattacks, including hacking that could change a person’s vote or prevent ballots from going through.
Additionally, electronic ballots can’t be audited because there is no paper record. They are also harder to authenticate. Some states have different requirements for verifying the identity of a voter who cast their ballot online.
For example, Alaska requires a voter to send in two authentication documents that must be printed and signed by the voter and a witness.
Advocates argue that expanding online voting to other Americans could increase voter turnout. However, concerns over the privacy and security of online platforms continue to hinder online voting expansion efforts.