Suppose I vote by mail and then die before election day.

[Talitha]

Does my vote still count?

[BlueTsunami2018]

1. I'm pretty sure it does.

It would be no different than hitting the vote button in the booth and dropping dead immediately. That vote counts.

[Lefta Dissenter]

2. Not in Wisconsin.

You need to be hanging on through Election Day! (Or until, at least)

[Mad_Machine76]

3. What possible justification do they use to disregard a vote

just because a person who cast a vote early died before the election? That's crazy.

[Irish_Dem]

6. Because on election day the person no longer exists?

[Mad_Machine76]

15. But they existed when they voted

Right?

[Irish_Dem]

18. We are getting into Schrodinger's Cat territory.

[Mad_Machine76]

34. Yup LOL

Getting a little philosophically heavy. Still doesn't make complete sense to me.

[Ms. Toad]

30. No. Voting happens on a single day.

Absentee voting, mail in ballots, etc. are merely convenience-based policies for certain (sometimes very limited) groups of voters who are unable to show up at the polls on election day. If you aren't old enough the day before the election, you can still (generally) mark and submit the ballot the day before the election through whatever mechanism exists for absentee voting. In like manner, if you no longer exist on the day of the election you are ineligible to vote.

That said, if there is in-person absentee voting, most jurisdictions use ballot boxes that tally the votes as they are submitted - and there is no way to back out a specific vote if the person dies after submitting a ballot.

In some states, however, advance tallying isn't permitted - and the ability to screen out newly dead voters is one reason for that.

[unblock]

10. Well, the same logic is used to let a 17-year old vote early

They're eligible to vote based on their status as of Election Day.

So if they're 18 by Election Day, then they can register and vote early even if they're still only 17.

[Mad_Machine76]

16. But with early/absentee voting

they've already cast their vote. Why should it suddenly be discounted because they're now dead? They voted all the same.

[unblock]

17. 17 year olds aren't legal to vote

Eligibility is based on status as of Election Day.

So the good news is you can vote early provided you age into eligibility. 18 by Election Day is what matters.

But if you're dead on Election Day, it doesn't count because you weren't eligible on Election Day.

It's consistent, anyway.

[Dan]

28. That might be right, but the total number would be statistically insignificant.

[unblock]

32. Well yeah I think this whole thread is a matter of trivial curiosity

[Yavin4]

27. What if you die at 12:01 AM on Election day?

Does that count?

[hlthe2b]

4. Some states, yes. Per Ballotpedia:

https://ballotpedia.org/What_happens_if_someone_votes_by_mail-in_ballot_or_absentee_ballot_and_subsequently_passes_away_before_Election_Day%3F_(2020)

States that allow these ballots to be counted
Arkansas
Connecticut
Idaho
Florida
Maryland
Massachusetts
Minnesota
Montana
New Mexico
North Dakota

States that do not allow these ballots to be counted
Colorado
Delaware
Hawaii
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kentucky
Mississippi
Missouri
New Hampshire
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
South Dakota
Tennessee
Virginia
Wisconsin

How absentee/mail-in ballots are processed and counted varies from state to state. In the case of a voter who casts a valid absentee/mail-in ballot, but then dies prior to election day, state laws are split. Ten states specifically allow those ballots to be counted, 16 states prohibit counting those ballots, and the remaining 24 states have no specific laws on the topic, according to research from the National Conference of State Legislatures.[1][2]

Several factors complicate state laws on the question. Sometimes, by the time death records are updated and election officials can be notified of those updates, the short window to count ballots has passed. Additionally, once a ballot has been removed from its envelope it cannot be traced back to an individual voter.[3]

In the states where no specific laws have been enacted, one assumes the vote would count unless someone launches a challenge-- Likely requiring a court to decide.

[Renew Deal]

23. There's the practical issue of informing the board of elections about the death.

Would a vote be disqualified 2-3 weeks after it's counted in a race where someone died the day before the election? I'm guessing this matters more in a race that is tied or has a 1 vote margin

[Ms. Toad]

31. They couldn't trace it back, even if they wanted to.

Once the identifying information (stub, ballot envelope, etc.) is removed, there is no way to fish the specific ballot back out.

[unblock]

5. Depends on the state and here's the list:

Note this is for 2020, laws may have changed since then.

https://ballotpedia.org/What_happens_if_someone_votes_by_mail-in_ballot_or_absentee_ballot_and_subsequently_passes_away_before_Election_Day%3F_(2020)

States that allow these ballots to be counted
Arkansas
Connecticut
Idaho
Florida
Maryland
Massachusetts
Minnesota
Montana
New Mexico
North Dakota

States that do not allow these ballots to be counted
Colorado
Delaware
Hawaii
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kentucky
Mississippi
Missouri
New Hampshire
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
South Dakota
Tennessee
Virginia
Wisconsin

[LiberalFighter]

7. Depends on where you live

[ColinC]

8. Yes. Because you voted before you die. Same as if you die on election day after you vote

[Arne]

9. Seems it would be imposable to get that information.

How do obituaries cross that quickly into vote counts?

[unc70]

12. Deaths are reported automatically to boards of election

It is how one prevents voting by dead people (usually done by family member).

[CrispyQ]

11. Also, if you mail your ballot make sure you know your state's rules on postmark eligibility.

In Colorado it's not good enough to have your ballot postmarked by Election Day. Your ballot must be received at an election office or precinct or ballot box by 7PM on Election Day.

Google your Secretary of State's voting pages & also your local county pages.

[Kaleva]

13. Depends on your final destination.

[displacedvermoter]

14. Does that mean Jimmy Carter

has to remain with us until after November 5 so his vote for Harris counts?

[jimfields33]

19. Good question. Georgia isn't on the list at all.

[displacedvermoter]

21. Anything to keep him around his a good thing!

[jimfields33]

24. Definitely. It's funny. The older I get even 100 doesn't seem old.

lol.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

20. Yes

[tavernier]

22. What about Georgia?

Wonder if Jimmy Carter is voting early?

[Talitha]

25. Thanks for your input, everyone!

First off, I didn't know it varied by state - it'd be easier for all of us if rules could be nationalized, wouldn't it?

Basically, I was just wondering if the death scenario would give the Repugs reason to invalidate some of the votes. So I guess it can, depending on where you live.

And TBH - in opening the discussion, I had President Carter in mind too. I pray he stays with us long enough to vote AND watch the inauguration. As Biden would say, "God love him."

[Silent Type]

26. Think it would count, besides doubt election board will know you've passed within a few weeks.

[marble falls]

29. I guess you're not a Republican, a lot of them seem to die and then send in their mail-in ballots.

[doc03]

33. Trump will dig you up and have you executed if he wins. nt