Voter Registration, Early Voting, Polling Places, and Voter ID
Do not wait until the last minute to mail voter registration forms, send back ballots, or use the mail for any other elected-related matter. Give yourself an extra week.
Use the following resources to register to vote, update voter registration, find a local polling place, learn voting identification requirements, and get early voting and absentee ballot information.
We cannot answer your questions. Contact your state or county election officials.
Online Registration and Vote by Mail
Every American should have access to online registration and vote by mail. Unfortunately, many states do not provide them. Each state has its own rules for administering elections.
Four states do not provide no-excuse absentee voting. They are Alabama, Connecticut, Mississippi and New Hampshire.
Eleven states require absentee ballots to be notarized, have a witness signature, or be submitted with a copy of an ID. If not done properly, ballots can be tossed.
In seven states in-person voting is the only option unless a voter qualifies for approved reasons. These states are Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.
Currently, eight states use an all vote by mail process. They are California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, and Washington state. Oregon was the first state to do so after a 1998 ballot measure passed by a margin of 69.4% to 30.6%.
State with the most flexible voting procedures are California, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. States with the most rigid voting procedures are Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
Voter Registration: Get Registered or Check Registration
Make Your Vote Count: Absentee and Early Voting
You may be eligible to vote prior to the election as an absentee or early voter and about one-third of all Americans casting a ballot use these options. For details, select your state below. You should call your local election office if anything is unclear to you.
Find Your Polling Place
Many states offer online services that help you look up your local voting Website. Other sites list contact information for local election officials who are trained to help you find your polling place. Select your place of residence below.
Know What Kind of ID to Bring
Since 2010, many more states require photo IDs to vote. The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) requires photo ID for those who register by mail and did not provide identification at the time. Study the requirements in your state carefully since a mistake can prevent you from voting or force you to vote with a provisional ballot.