North Dakotans planning to vote absentee in the June 9 primary election should act quickly to meet recently updated deadlines, election administrators say.

Over the past year, North Dakota moved to mirror an executive order signed by President Donald Trump that says absentee ballots sent by mail cannot be counted after Election Day, even if they are postmarked before then.

Mercer County Auditor Carmen Reed said that means a previous statewide grace period no longer applies.

“The postmark doesn’t matter,” Reed said, adding that ballots must arrive no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day to be counted.

Absentee ballots will not be accepted at polling sites on Election Day. But voters can drop them off at county auditors’ offices or designated drop boxes on or before Election Day if they are concerned about the mail-in window closing.

The Trump executive order is facing a legal challenge. The League of Women Voters has warned the new deadline will negatively affect disenfranchised voters, including Native Americans.

Reed said local races in next week’s primary also deserve close attention because they can have a direct effect on voters’ lives.

“Those that live in a city, this is your chance to vote for your mayor, your councilman,” Reed said.

The North Dakota secretary of state’s website has a portal where voters can access a sample ballot and see what they will be voting on. Voters can enter either their state-issued ID number or address information to learn more.

Source: Public News Service