There are tools that can help you evaluate locations for drop boxes. The U.S. Census Bureau
Interactive Workforce Map is a tool that can help you visualize where residents of your
jurisdiction work or live to help you see where drop boxes might be particularly useful. Also, the
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is offering free enterprise-level access to
ESRI geospatial mapping software for all state, local, territorial, and tribal governments for 6
months.
In a COVID-19 environment, creative solutions may be required. Consider:
❏ Collocating a ballot drop box with drop boxes set up for taxes and public utilities.
❏ Partnering with businesses or locations that have already implemented social distancing
practices, such as grocery stores and banks.
A great example of using existing spaces comes from Madison, Wisconsin
. The city’s libraries
were shut down owing to COVID-19. The City Clerk’s office decided to capitalize on locations
that were already secure and located in places familiar to city residents. Working in partnership
with the library, they used the book drops from three of the city’s public libraries and turned
them into temporary ballot drop boxes. If you choose to do something similar, be sure to ask
questions about the library’s security to ensure ballots dropped off at library locations remain
secure at all times.
Timeline: The locations of drop boxes should be finalized in time to be included in the
instructions with your mail ballot packet—typically 80 days before the election.
Who can collect and drop off a mailed ballot on behalf of a voter?
Voters who are unable to return a ballot in person or get it to a postal facility in time for it to be
counted may, depending on state law, may be able to entrust the voted ballot to someone else
to help them deliver it—an agent or designee. Note that, as of March 30, 2020:
● Twenty-seven states permit an absentee ballot to be returned by a designated agent,
which can be a family member, attorney, or care provider.
● Nine states permit an absentee ballot to be returned by the voter’s family member.
● One state specifies that an absentee ballot can only be returned in person or by mail.
● Thirteen states do not expressly address this issue.
Some states that allow a designated agent to return a voted ballot on behalf of the voter restrict
the number of ballots that can be deposited by that person at one time in a drop box.
If you are considering the use of ballot drop boxes, you should review your existing laws and
requirements and determine whether emergency changes may be necessary. A full list of state
practices can be found at the National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) website listed in
the Additional Resources section.
3 | Page
Version 1.0 – Submit comments to
EISSA@CISA.DHS.GOV and it will be updated as necessary.