VICE NEWS SPECIAL REPORT

Uncounted: The Voting Access Project

Nationwide, nearly 21,000 polling stations have closed since 2016, a VICE News investigation has found. Of the 45 states that have in-person voting, 40 eliminated polling stations — many in response to the coronavirus pandemic. This could mean long drives and long lines for voters on Election Day—and it might keep some people from voting at all.

The US Eliminated Nearly 21,000 Election Day Polling Locations for 2020

Exclusive VICE News analysis shows a 20% cut in election locations nationwide, and much deeper cuts in California, Maryland, Kentucky, New Jersey, and North Dakota.

By: Cameron Joseph, Rob Arthur / Illustrations: Corin Trachtman

Almost 21,000 Election Day polling places have been eliminated heading into the 2020 U.S. election, a drastic dip in voting locations driven by a heavy shift to mail voting, coronavirus-related consolidations, cost-cutting measures, and voter suppression.

VICE News obtained data from all 50 states and Washington, D.C., on the number of physical polling locations they will have in place on November 3, and compared their numbers to how many sites they had in 2016 and 2012.

What emerged was a patchwork of cuts large and small across the country. Many states made these cuts as they were expanding mail voting — 23 states made it easier to vote by mail this year because of COVID. But the overall trend is clear: Most states are eliminating polling locations, a trend that could disproportionately impact poor, young and non-white voters.

Of the 45 states that weren’t using mail voting exclusively before the 2020 election, 40 of them have decreased the number of Election Day voting locations from 2016. Of those 40 states who made cuts, 35 are not sending mail ballots to everyone, and 19 require many voters to take it upon themselves to apply for a mail ballot application. The five states that refused to allow mail voting for most people all cut voting sites, including the emerging swing state of Texas.

The net result of all of these changes: A 20% dip in polling places across the country from 2016, and a 22% drop since 2012. And while the coronavirus pandemic has accelerated this trend, it didn’t create it: There were more than 3,000 fewer polling locations in 2016 than in 2012.

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VICE News gathered polling place information from every state between late September and mid-October. Totals may shift by Election Day as states add or remove polling locations.

States Summary

The states with the deepest cuts in Election Day voting locations have done so in response to the coronavirus. But while some made it much easier to vote by mail by sending all voters a ballot, others didn’t take that step.

Alabama

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

1,765 (-179)

-9%

Voters have to seek out their own mail ballot application.

Yes

Alaska

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

366 (-76)

-17%

Voters have to seek out their own mail ballot application.

Yes

Arizona

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

785 (-502)

-39%

All registered voters get mail ballot applications.

Yes

Arkansas

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

872 (-564)

-39%

Voters have to seek out their own mail ballot application.

Yes

California

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

3,780 (-10,119)

-73%

All registered voters get mail ballots.

Yes

Colorado

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

n/a

n/a

Vote by mail pre-pandemic.

Yes

Connecticut

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

648 (-96)

-13%

All registered voters get mail ballot applications.

No

Delaware

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

274 (-71)

-21%

All registered voters get mail ballots.

Yes

Florida

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

4,640 (-249)

-5%

Voters have to seek out their own mail ballot application.

Yes

Georgia

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

2,361 (-180)

-7%

Voters have to seek out their own mail ballot application.

Yes

Hawaii

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

n/a

n/a

Vote by mail pre-pandemic.

n/a

Idaho

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

697 (-136)

-16%

Voters have to seek out their own mail ballot application.

Yes

Illinois

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

5,448 (829)

18%

Voters have to seek out their own mail ballot application.

Yes

Indiana

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

1,955 (-433)

-18%

Most people can't vote by mail.

Yes

Iowa

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

1,235 (-440)

-26%

All registered voters get mail ballot applications.

Yes

Kansas

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

1,068 (-122)

-10%

Voters have to seek out their own mail ballot application.

Yes

Kentucky

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

815 (-1650)

-67%

Voters have to seek out their own mail ballot application.

Yes

Louisiana

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

2,064 (-97)

-4%

Most people can't vote by mail.

Yes

Maine

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

523

0%

Voters have to seek out their own mail ballot application.

Yes

Maryland

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

320 (-1,284)

-80%

All registered voters get mail ballot applications.

Yes

Massachusetts

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

1,340 (-39)

-3%

All registered voters get mail ballot applications.

Yes

Michigan

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

3,378 (+439)

15%

All registered voters get mail ballot applications.

Yes

Minnesota

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

2,272 (-596)

-21%

Voters have to seek out their own mail ballot application.

Yes

Mississippi

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

1,628 (-188)

-10%

Most people can't vote by mail.

No

Missouri

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

2,233 (-388)

-14%

Voters have to seek out their own mail ballot application.

No

Montana

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

347 (-16)

-4%

All registered voters get mail ballots (most counties).

Yes

Nebraska

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

933 (-115)

-11%

Voters have to seek out their own mail ballot application.

Yes

Nevada

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

194 (-235)

-55%

All registered voters get mail ballots.

Yes

New Hampshire

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

244 (-65)

-21%

Voters have to seek out their own mail ballot application.

No

New Jersey

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

1,541 (-1,675)

-52%

All registered voters get mail ballots.

Yes

New Mexico

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

481 (-37)

-10%

Voters have to seek out their own mail ballot application.

Yes

New York

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

5,085 (-147)

-3%

All registered voters get mail ballots.

Yes

North Carolina

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

2,634 (-42)

-4%

Voters have to seek out their own mail ballot application.

Yes

North Dakota

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

109 (-50)

-58%

All registered voters get mail ballot applications.

Yes

Ohio

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

3,459 (-860)

-20%

All registered voters get mail ballot applications.

Yes

Oklahoma

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

1,938 (-97)

-5%

Voters have to seek out their own mail ballot application.

Yes

Oregon

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

n/a

n/a

Vote by mail pre-pandemic.

Yes

Pennsylvania

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

9,154 (-5)

-0.1%

Voters have to seek out their own mail ballot application.

Yes

Rhode Island

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

461 (0)

0%

Voters have to seek out their own mail ballot application.

Yes

South Carolina

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

1,979 (-207)

-9%

Voters have to seek out their own mail ballot application.

Yes

South Dakota

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

490 (-37)

-7%

All registered voters get mail ballot applications.

Yes

Tennessee

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

1,741 (-354)

-17%

Most people can't vote by mail.

Yes

Texas

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

5,830 (-389)

-6%

Most people can't vote by mail.

Yes

Utah

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

n/a

n/a

Vote by mail pre-pandemic.

n/a

Vermont

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

259 (-244)

-49%

All registered voters get mail ballots.

Yes

Virginia

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

2,394 (-423)

-15%

Voters have to seek out their own mail ballot application.

Yes

Washington

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

n/a

n/a

Vote by mail pre-pandemic.

n/a

West Virginia

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

1,347 (-87)

-6%

Voters have to seek out their own mail ballot application.

Yes

Wisconsin

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

2,408 (-78)

-3%

All registered voters get mail ballot applications.

Yes

Wyoming

Polling Places (2016-2020):

Percent Change (2016-2020):

Vote By Mail:

Early In-Person Voting:

189 (-26)

-12%

All registered voters get mail ballot applications.

Yes

Download data from all 50 states

SEE THE DATA

The US Eliminated Nearly 21,000 Election Day Polling Locations for 2020

Exclusive VICE News analysis shows a 20% cut in election locations nationwide, and much deeper cuts in California, Maryland, Kentucky, New Jersey, and North Dakota.
By: Cameron Joseph, Rob Arthur
10.21.20

Trump's DOJ Used Civil Rights Law to Shut Down More Than 100 Polling Stations

Until Trump, the Department of Justice rarely investigated polling stations for violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act. Now they’re being closed in nine states.
Rob Arthur
10.21.20

‘It’s Very Much a Racial Issue’: Why Georgia Has Slashed Hundreds of Polling Places in the Last 4 Years

The wave of closures came after a 2013 U.S. Supreme Court decision that gutted a key provision of the 1965 Voting Rights Act meant to ensure fair voting practices in states with a history of racially-motivated voter suppression.
Emily Green
10.21.20

Indigenous Voters Are Getting Hit Hard By Polling Station Cuts in North Dakota

North Dakota cut 60% of its polling stations in the name of COVID and the shift to vote-by-mail. Now Indigenous people 50-mile treks to a post office.
Anya Zoledziowski
10.21.20