Share of voters casting ballots by mail has steadily risen since 1996 % ofU.S. voters who cast a ballot by mail
Some states are expanding access to voting by mail amid ongoing fears over the coronavirus outbreak. But while the share of Americans casting votes by mail has risen in recent presidential election cycles, it remains relatively low overall, and there’s wide variation across the country when it comes to the percentage of voters who have used this method.
Overall, the share of voters who cast ballots via mail-in methods increased nearly threefold between 1996 and 2016 – from 7.8% to nearly 21%, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of the Census Bureau’s voter supplement data.
Share of voters casting ballots by mail  | has steadily risen since 1996  | % ofU.S. voters who cast a ballot by mail  | 20.9  | 18.5  | 16.4  | 12.9  | 10 1  | 7.8  | 1996  | 2000  | 2004  | 2008  | 2012  | 2016  | Source: Pew Research Center analysis of 1996 2016 Current  | Population Survey November Supplements (IPUMS and U.S. Census  | Bureau).  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 