What Notaries need to know about notarizing absentee and mail-in ballots
You might be surprised to learn that only a few states — including Alaska, Alabama, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and South Dakota — have notarization requirements for mail-in or absentee ballots. Alaska requires absentee ballots to be signed in the presence of a witness, who must either be 18 years of age or older or an official authorized to administer oaths (which would include a Notary). Maine requires notarization only for absentee ballots that will be delivered or mailed by certain third parties other than the voter. Mississippi requires absentee ballot applications to be notarized, and most ballots must be completed in the presence of an authorized witness such as a Notary. Minnesota and North Carolina — states that normally have a notarization requirement — have suspended notarization requirements for mail-in voting for the November 2020 election (see “COVID-19 ballot complications” below for more details.)