Can I Still Register to Vote? Where Things Stand Less Than a Week From Election Day
In 2022, a Pew Research analysis found that, while the number had surged in recent election cycles, the number of eligible voters participating in US elections still lagged behind many other developed nations. In 2020, 62.8% of people eligible to vote took part in the US presidential election, behind the rates for national elections in places like France, Australia, India, South Korea, Mexico, Germany, Brazil and Israel. Registering new voters has long been a major goal of political organizers.
When is Election Day 2024?
Election Day is set to take place on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. General elections have been held on the first Tuesday in November since Congress made it official in 1845. As of Friday, Oct. 18, there's less than three weeks left until Election Day.
You may not have to wait until Nov. 5, however, to vote. You may have the option to vote before Election Day if your state has early voting. The method of early voting and the window of time when you can do it vary greatly depending on where you live, so check out our breakdown of early voting information by state
How do I register to vote locally?
Every state that requires voter registration offers the ability to register in person at an official designated location. The specific place that you need to visit to register varies, so the best way to get an answer is by calling either your state board of elections office or your local city or town government office. The site USA.gov can help direct you to the right office with its state and local election offices page.
How long do I have to register to vote?
States handle voter registration typically in one of three ways: In-person at an official designated location, by mail or online. Depending on your state, you might have access to all three options or just two. Your state of residence will also determine your registration deadline, after which you might not be able to vote in this year's general election.
Only one state - North Dakota - doesn't do voter registration at all. If you're a North Dakotan you have no deadline to worry about. Instead, you need to bring one of the valid pieces of ID to prove that you are eligible to vote.
For US citizens living abroad, the deadline for registration is the same as the state where they are eligible to vote. However, embassies have encouraged these citizens to complete their Federal Post Card Application well in advance, keeping in mind that transit to the US can sometimes take several weeks.
On Saturday, Oct. 26, the deadlines for all registration methods officially passed in both Massachusetts and New York. By the end of day on Monday, Oct. 28, deadlines passed in Colorado, Hawaii and Washington, though each of those states will allow you to register in person through Election Day. As of Wednesday, Oct. 30, the deadline for mail registration has also passed in all parts of New Hampshire. In all, deadlines have now passed in 48 states and Washington, DC, including the key battleground states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Some states where deadlines have passed might still have certain registration options available, including in-person voting all the way through Election Day. For more specific information about each state's options and deadlines, consult the complete list below.
Alabama: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for each option was Monday, Oct. 21.
Alaska: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for each option was Sunday, Oct. 6.
Arizona: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for each option was Monday, Oct. 7.
Arkansas: This state offers only in-person and by-mail voter registration; deadline for both was Monday, Oct. 7.
California: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for each option was Monday, Oct. 21. After this deadline, you can still register and vote provisionally as late as Election Day, but the vote won't be counted until your registration is verified.
Colorado: In-person, mail and online voter registration available . Deadline for online and mail was Monday, Oct. 28. In-person can be done up through Election Day.
Connecticut: In-person, mail and online voter registration available . Deadline for online and mail was Friday, Oct. 18. Same-day in-person registration and voting can be done during the early voting period and on Election Day.
Delaware: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for each option was Saturday, Oct. 12.
Florida: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for each option was Monday, Oct. 7.
Georgia: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for each option was Monday, Oct. 7.
Hawaii: In-person, mail and online voter registration available . Deadline for mail was Monday, Oct. 28. Online and same-day in-person registration and voting can be done through the early voting period and on Election Day, though after Oct. 28, you may need to cast a provisional ballot.
Idaho: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for each option was Friday, Oct. 11. In-person same-day registration and voting available during early voting and Election Day.
Illinois: In-person, mail and online voter registration available . Deadline for mail was Tuesday, Oct. 8; for online, it's Sunday, Oct. 20. In-person same-day registration and voting is available through early voting period and Election Day.
Indiana: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for each option was Monday, Oct. 7.
Iowa: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for each option was Monday, Oct. 21. In-person same-day registration and voting is also available during the early voting period and Election Day.
Kansas: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for each option was Tuesday, Oct. 15.
Kentucky: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for each option was Monday, Oct. 7.
Louisiana: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for in-person and mail was Sunday, Oct. 6; for online, it was Wednesday, Oct. 16.
Maine: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for online and mail was Tuesday, Oct. 15; in-person can be done all the way through Election Day.
Maryland: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for each option was Tuesday, Oct. 15; in-person same day registration and voting can be done during early voting period and Election Day, with proof of address.
Massachusetts: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for each option was Saturday, Oct. 26.
Michigan: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for mail and online was Monday, Oct. 21; in-person available all the way through 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Minnesota: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for mail and online was Tuesday, Oct. 15; in-person same-day registration and voting is available through Election Day.
Mississippi: In-person and mail only , no online; deadline for both options was Monday, Oct. 7.
Missouri: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for each option was Wednesday, Oct. 9.
Montana: In-person and mail only , no online; mail must have been postmarked by Sunday, Oct. 7, and received by Wednesday, Oct. 9; in-person available through early voting period and Election Day.
Nebraska: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for mail and online was Friday, Oct. 18; in-person deadline was Friday, Oct. 25.
Nevada: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for mail and in-person was Tuesday, Oct. 8; for online, it's Thursday, Oct. 31; in-person same-day registration and voting is also available during early voting period and Election Day.
New Hampshire: In-person and mail only, no online; deadline for mail is between Wednesday, Oct. 23, and Wednesday, Oct. 30, depending on where you live; in-person can be done all the way through Election Day, with valid photo ID.
New Jersey: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for each option was Tuesday, Oct. 15.
New Mexico: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for mail and online was Tuesday, Oct. 8; in-person available through early voting period and Election Day.
New York: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for online and in-person was Saturday, Oct. 26; mail must be postmarked by Monday, Oct. 21, and received by Saturday, Oct. 26.
North Carolina: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; mail and online deadline was Friday, Oct. 11; mail could have been accepted if received by Wednesday, Oct. 16; in-person same-day registration and voting available through early voting period, ending Saturday, Nov. 2.
North Dakota: This state doesn't require registration, only one of the following forms of valid ID : state driver's license; state non-driver's license; tribal ID or tribal letter; or a long-term care certificate.
Ohio: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for each option was Monday, Oct. 7.
Oklahoma: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for each option was Friday, Oct. 11.
Oregon: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for each option was Tuesday, Oct. 15.
Pennsylvania: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for each option was Monday, Oct. 21.
Rhode Island: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for each option was Sunday, Oct. 6; in-person same-day registration and voting is available on Election Day, but only for years with a presidential election.
South Carolina: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for each option was Monday, Oct. 14. These deadlines were extended from earlier in the month due to the recent impact of Hurricane Helene .
South Dakota: In-person and mail only, no online; deadline for both options was Monday, Oct. 21, by 5 p.m.
Tennessee: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for each option was Monday, Oct. 7.
Texas: In-person and mail only, no online; deadline for both options was Monday, Oct. 7.
Utah: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for mail and online was Friday, Oct. 25; in-person same day registration and voting is available through the early voting period and on Election Day, but if this is done after Oct. 25, it must be a provisional ballot.
Vermont: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; each option available through Election Day; if your online or mail registration hasn't been processed by then, however, you may need to complete another application at your polling place.
Virginia: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for mail and online was Tuesday, Oct. 15; in-person same-day registration and voting is available through early voting period and Election Day.
Washington: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for online and mail was Monday, Oct. 28; in-person same-day registration and voting is available through early voting period and Election Day.
Washington, DC: In-person, mail and online voter registration available . Deadline for online and mail was Tuesday, Oct. 15. Same-day in-person registration and voting can be done through the early voting period and on Election Day.
West Virginia: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for each option was Tuesday, Oct. 15.
Wisconsin: In-person, mail and online voter registration available ; deadline for online and mail was Wednesday, Oct. 16; in-person same-day registration and voting is available through early voting period and Election Day.
Wyoming: In-person and mail only , no online; deadline for mail was Monday, Oct. 21; in-person same-day registration and voting is available during early voting period and Election Day.
