CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Who pays for the postage on your absentee mail-in ballot?
According to the United States Postal Service, your ballot will be delivered regardless of the postage you use.
North Carolina does not provide prepaid postage for absentee mail-in ballots and federal law does require proper postage, which also helps ensure timely processing and delivery by the Postal Service.
You should make sure the appropriate postage is affixed to your return ballot envelope, so there are no worries about your ballot making it to the election office in time.
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North Carolina State Board of Elections says to put $0.55 worth of postage (that's the amount of a first-class stamp) on your ballot return envelope.
If you don't pay for it, someone will have to.
USPS states, "short-paid and unpaid absentee balloting materials must never be returned to the voter for additional postage. Postage is collected from the election office upon delivery or at a later date."
In South Carolina, things work a little differently.
South Carolina Election Commission officials told WCNC Charlotte that this year, "prepaid postage is being provided on all absentee ballot return envelopes. This started for the June Primary Runoffs and is continuing through the General Election."
Once you have mailed your absentee ballot, you can track it in both of the Carolinas. You use the same tool you use to check your registration status.
If you're looking for other ways in North Carolina to track your absentee mail-in ballot, try the Voter Search Tool or the Ballottrax system. In South Carolina, you can track your absentee mail-in ballot through scvotes.gov.