More Americans are expected to vote by mail in the upcoming presidential election than in any previous U.S. election, due to changes made by states in response to the pandemic.
In fact, more voters are likely to cast their ballots by mail than go to the polls in person. But most voters have also not voted by mail before, and that can lead to some uncertainty about what’s ahead in the coming months.
It’s estimated more than 80% of voters will be eligible to get a ballot in the mail for the upcoming election, according to an analysis by The Washington Post.
If past voting patterns hold, close to 80 million mail ballots could be submitted across the country, which would more than double the number returned by mail in 2016.
Below are some common questions about voting by mail nationwide and specifically in the D.C. area.
