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Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
In person voting opens this Friday in Minnesota, South Dakota, and Virginia, and 50501’s No Kings: Vote Early day of action is Saturday, Oct. 17. Registration cutoffs start as early as Oct. 2.
Many states let you register the same day you vote and several states changed their rules this year, and the Supreme Court kept new mail-ballot restrictions from taking effect this fall.
Check your registration ASAP, even if you’ve voted at the same address for decades. Scroll to your state below.
Yesterday was National Voter Registration Day 🗳️
On Friday, Idaho, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Virginia become the first states to open in-person voting for the 2026 midterms.
According to 2020 Census data, as many as 1 in 4 eligible Americans are not registered to vote or are not sure if they’re even registered. Most registration deadlines land in the first three weeks of October.
So here’s a full list we wish every voter had. It covers every state plus D.C., with the registration cutoff, the early voting window, and anything that changed this year.
Screenshot your state because you might need it in a few weeks.
Before you find your state below:
Check your registration today. Look yourself up at vote.org, even if nothing has changed for you. Some states are now running their voter rolls through a federal citizenship database that flagged people who turned out to be citizens.
Update it if something in your life changed like a new address, new last name, or moving to a new state.
If you vote by mail, send it back early! In 2024, over 100,000 ballots were rejected for arriving too late. Many states only count ballots that arrive by Election Day, so a postmark won’t save a late ballot. California’s Secretary of State recommends mailing at least seven days ahead. If your state counts postmarks and you have to mail on Election Day, ask for a hand postmark at the post office counter.
Know what ID to bring. Vote.org keeps a state by state voter ID guide you can view here.
How to read your state from this guide
📝= Registration
🗳️= Early voting
✅= Same-day registration
⚠️= Heads up
💡= Did you know (fun fact)
All dates are for the Nov. 3 general election. We started with vote.org, then checked dates against Ballotpedia, the Center for Election Innovation & Research, VOTE411, and state election offices. Hours and locations will vary by county, so please confirm yours at vote.gov before you go. Each state name links to its vote.org page.
Alabama
📝 Register by Monday, Oct. 19 online, in person, or by mail (postmarked).
🗳️ No early voting. If you have an approved excuse, you can cast an absentee ballot in person with your county’s absentee election manager through Thursday, Oct. 29.
💡 When the voting rights campaign came to Selma, only 335 of the city’s 15,000 Black residents of voting age were registered to vote. After state troopers attacked peaceful protesters on the Edmund Pettus Bridge on March 7, 1965, President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act that August.
Alaska
📝 Register by Sunday, Oct. 4 online, in person, or by mail (postmarked). Since the deadline falls on a Sunday, online is the easiest.
🗳️ Early voting starts Monday, Oct. 19, and runs through Election Day. Hours vary by location, and mailed ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 3.
Arizona
📝 Register by Monday, Oct. 5 (11:59 p.m.) online, in person, or by mail (postmarked).
🗳️ Early voting runs Oct. 7 through Oct. 30. Some counties offer emergency voting through Nov. 2. Mail ballots must arrive by 7 p.m. on Election Day.
⚠️ Arizona runs a two tier system. Voters whose citizenship can’t be verified and who haven’t provided documentary proof of citizenship can vote in federal races only.
💡 Native Americans in Arizona couldn’t vote until July 15, 1948, when the state Supreme Court ruled for Frank Harrison and Harry Austin of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation. Harrison was a World War II veteran.
Arkansas
📝 Register by Monday, Oct. 5 in person or by mail (postmarked). Arkansas has no online registration.
🗳️ Early voting runs Oct. 19 through 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 2.
California
📝 Register by Monday, Oct. 19.
✅ If you miss it, you can still register and vote at your county elections office or a voting location through Election Day.
🗳️ Every active voter gets a mail ballot, sent by Oct. 5. Drop boxes open Oct. 6, and vote centers open Oct. 24 in Voter’s Choice Act counties.
Colorado
📝 Register online or by mail (postmarked) by Monday, Oct. 26.
✅ You can register in person at a voter service and polling center through Election Day.
🗳️ Every active voter gets a mail ballot. In-person voting centers open Oct. 19 and run through Election Day.
Connecticut
📝 Register by Friday, Oct. 16.
✅ After that, use same day registration at your town’s designated location during early voting or on Election Day.
🗳️ Early voting runs Oct. 19 through Nov. 1.
Delaware
📝 Register by Saturday, Oct. 10 at 11:59 p.m. State election offices are open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. that day.
🗳️ Early voting runs Oct. 22 through Nov. 1, with no voting on Sunday, Oct. 25.
⚠️ Absentee voting requires an eligible reason, and ballots must arrive by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
District of Columbia
📝 Register online or by mail by Tuesday, Oct. 13 (must be received).
✅ Same day registration is available during early voting and on Election Day with proof of residence.
🗳️ Every active voter gets a mail ballot. Early vote centers are open Oct. 26 through Nov. 1, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
💡 D.C. residents couldn’t vote for president until the 23rd Amendment in 1961. They cast their first presidential ballots under it on Nov. 3, 1964. Sixty-two years later to the day, they still have no voting member of Congress.
Florida
📝 Register by Monday, Oct. 5.
🗳️ Every county holds early voting Oct. 24 through Oct. 31. Counties can add days, starting as early as Oct. 19 and running as late as Nov. 1.
⚠️ Florida’s new proof-of-citizenship law does not take effect until Jan. 1, 2027, so it does not apply to this election.
Georgia
📝 Register by Monday, Oct. 5.
🗳️ Early voting runs Tuesday, Oct. 13, through Friday, Oct. 30. Mail ballots must arrive by 7 p.m. on Election Day.
⚠️ If the state can’t confirm your citizenship through driver’s license data, you might be asked for documents. Check your status early.
Hawaii
📝 Paper registration forms are due by Monday, Oct. 26.
✅ You can register online any time or at a voter service center through Election Day.
🗳️ Hawaii votes by mail, and ballots should arrive by Oct. 16. Voter service centers are open Oct. 20 through Election Day, closed Sundays. Ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day.
Idaho
📝 Register online or by mail by Friday, Oct. 23 at 5 p.m. (must be received).
✅ After that, you can register at an early voting site or at your polling place on Election Day with proof of identity and residence.
🗳️ Early voting runs Oct. 13 through Oct. 30 in counties that offer it. Some counties start later, so check yours.
⚠️ Mail ballots must reach your county clerk by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Postmarks don’t count.
Illinois
📝 Register by mail (postmarked) by Tuesday, Oct. 6, or online by Sunday, Oct. 18.
✅ After that, grace period registration lets you register and vote in person through Election Day, usually at your local election office.
🗳️ Early voting runs Sept. 24 through Nov. 2, with more locations opening closer to Election Day.
Indiana
📝 Register by Monday, Oct. 5.
🗳️ Early voting runs Oct. 6 through noon on Monday, Nov. 2.
⚠️ Indiana flags voters who registered with a temporary ID for citizenship checks. If you get a notice, you have 30 days to respond.
Iowa
📝 Register online or by mail (postmarked) by Monday, Oct. 19.
✅ Same day registration is available during early voting and on Election Day. Bring a photo ID and, if it lacks your current address, proof of residence.
🗳️ Early voting runs Oct. 14 through Nov. 2.
Kansas
📝 Register by Tuesday, Oct. 13.
🗳️ Advance voting can start as early as Oct. 14, depending on your county, and runs through noon on Monday, Nov. 2.
⚠️ A new Kansas law requires periodic citizenship checks against a federal database. If you are flagged, you’ll need to prove citizenship to stay registered.
Kentucky
📝 Register by Monday, Oct. 5.
🗳️ Early voting for everyone runs Thursday, Oct. 29, through Saturday, Oct. 31. Voters with an eligible excuse can vote early in the days before that.
⚠️ Kentucky’s 2026 election law creates a process that requires voters flagged by federal citizenship checks to prove citizenship, but that process doesn’t take effect until Jan. 1, 2028.
Louisiana
📝 Register in person, by mail, or at the OMV by Monday, Oct. 5, or online by Tuesday, Oct. 13.
🗳️ Early voting runs Oct. 20 through Oct. 27, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed Sunday, Oct. 25. Voting by mail requires an eligible reason.
⚠️ Louisiana has another election on Saturday, Dec. 12. It includes a runoff for any U.S. House race where no candidate tops 50% on Nov. 3, plus other races that may be on your ballot. Register for it by Nov. 12 (online by Nov. 21). Early voting for that election runs Nov. 28 through Dec. 5, closed Sunday, Nov. 29.
Maine
📝 Mail and online registrations must be received by Tuesday, Oct. 13 (online closes at 5 p.m.).
✅ You can register in person at your town or city office through Election Day. Bring proof of identity and residence.
🗳️ In person absentee voting at your town or city clerk’s office runs Oct. 4 through close of business Thursday, Oct. 29.
💡 On June 12, 2018, Maine became the first state to use ranked choice voting statewide. That November, it became the first place in the nation to decide a congressional race that way.
Maryland
📝 Register online or by mail (postmarked) by Tuesday, Oct. 13.
✅ Same-day registration is available during early voting and on Election Day with proof of address.
🗳️ Early voting runs Oct. 22 through Oct. 29, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Massachusetts
📝 Register by Saturday, Oct. 24 online, in person, or by mail (postmarked).
🗳️ Early voting runs Oct. 17 through Oct. 30.
Michigan
📝 Register online or by mail (postmarked) by Monday, Oct. 19.
✅ After that, register in person at your city or township clerk’s office through 8 p.m. on Election Day with proof of residency.
🗳️ Early voting runs Oct. 24 through Nov. 1. You can also vote an absentee ballot in person at your clerk’s office.
Minnesota
📝 Register online or by mail by Tuesday, Oct. 13 (must be received).
✅ Same-day registration is available during early voting and on Election Day.
🗳️ In-person absentee voting starts this Friday, Sept. 18, at select election offices. Every county adds early voting sites on Oct. 16, and early voting runs through Nov. 2.
Mississippi
📝 Register by Monday, Oct. 5 in person or by mail (postmarked). Mississippi has no online registration.
🗳️ Mississippi has no early voting open to everyone. Voters with an approved excuse can vote absentee in person at the circuit clerk’s office through noon on Saturday, Oct. 31.
⚠️ A new law requires yearly citizenship checks against a federal database. If you get a notice, you have 30 days to send proof.
💡 On Aug. 31, 1962, Fannie Lou Hamer rode with her neighbors to the courthouse in Indianola to try to register. She was fired from her plantation job for it. She kept going and became one of the most powerful voices of the voting rights movement.
Missouri
📝 Register by Wednesday, Oct. 7.
🗳️ No-excuse early voting runs Oct. 20 through Nov. 2. Bring a photo ID.
⚠️ Missouri has run its rolls through a federal citizenship database that flagged hundreds of people who turned out to be citizens. Check your status now.
Montana
📝 Register by mail (postmarked) by Monday, Oct. 5. Montana has no online registration.
✅ After that, late registration is available in person at your county election office through Election Day. Check your county’s cutoff time.
🗳️ Early absentee voting runs Oct. 5 through Nov. 2.
💡 In November 1916, four years before the 19th Amendment, Montana voters made Jeannette Rankin the first woman elected to Congress. She told the country she would not be the last.
Nebraska
📝 Register online or by mail (postmarked) by Friday, Oct. 16, or in person by Friday, Oct. 23.
🗳️ Early voting runs Oct. 5 through Nov. 2.
Nevada
📝 Register by mail or in person by Tuesday, Oct. 6. Register online by Wednesday, Oct. 21 to get a mail ballot.
✅ Same-day registration is available at voting sites during early voting and on Election Day.
🗳️ Every active voter gets a mail ballot. Early voting runs Oct. 17 through Oct. 30. The state recommends mailing your ballot back at least a week before Election Day.
💡 Since 1975, Nevada’s statewide races have included a “None of These Candidates” option, a post-Watergate idea to give fed-up voters a reason to show up. The option can’t take office, so the top vote-getter still wins.
New Hampshire
📝 Register at your town or city clerk’s office before Election Day. The last pre-election session falls 6 to 13 days before Nov. 3, depending on your town.
✅ You can also register at your polling place on Election Day.
🗳️ No early voting. Absentee voting requires an eligible reason.
⚠️ A federal judge blocked the state’s proof-of-citizenship requirement in May, so new voters can sign a sworn citizenship affidavit. You still need proof of identity, age, and where you live. The state is appealing, so confirm current rules with your town clerk.
New Jersey
📝 Register by Tuesday, Oct. 13 online, in person, or by mail (postmarked).
🗳️ Early voting runs Oct. 24 through Nov. 1. Mail ballots go out by Sept. 19 to voters signed up for one.
💡 New Jersey’s 1776 constitution let property-owning “inhabitants” vote, which included some unmarried women. In 1807, lawmakers limited the vote to white male taxpayers, partly because women often backed the rival party.
New Mexico
📝 Register online or by mail (postmarked) by Tuesday, Oct. 6.
✅ Same-day registration is available at your county clerk’s office, participating early voting sites, and polling places on Election Day.
🗳️ Early voting runs Oct. 6 through Oct. 31.
New York
📝 Register by Saturday, Oct. 24 (must be received).
🗳️ Early voting runs Oct. 24 through Nov. 1. On Oct. 24, the first day, you can register and vote in the same trip.
⚠️ Mail ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 3 and reach your county board by Nov. 10.
North Carolina
📝 Register by Friday, Oct. 9 at 5 p.m.
✅ Same day registration works during early voting. It is unavailable on Election Day.
🗳️ Early voting runs Oct. 15 through 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31. Request a mail ballot by Oct. 20 and return it by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.
North Dakota
📝 No registration required. Bring a valid ID showing your name, current North Dakota address, and date of birth.
🗳️ Early voting varies by county, opening as early as Oct. 19 where it is offered. Any voter can vote absentee.
💡 North Dakota dropped voter registration in 1951 and remains the only state without it.
Ohio
📝 Register by Monday, Oct. 5.
🗳️ Early voting runs Oct. 6 through 5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1. Regular absentee mail ballots must arrive by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.
⚠️ A federal judge put Ohio’s proof-of-citizenship rule for BMV registrations on hold in August, and the state is appealing. Registering online never required it.
Oklahoma
📝 Register by Friday, Oct. 9.
🗳️ Early voting runs Wednesday, Oct. 28, through 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31.
Oregon
📝 Register by Tuesday, Oct. 13 online (until 11:59 p.m.) or by mail (postmarked).
🗳️ All voting is by mail, and ballots go out starting Oct. 14. Return yours by 8 p.m. on Election Day, or mail it so it is postmarked by Nov. 3 and arrives within seven days.
💡 In 1998, Oregon voters made theirs the first state to vote entirely by mail.
Pennsylvania
📝 Register by Monday, Oct. 19 (must be received).
🗳️ No traditional early voting. Once ballots are ready, and no later than Oct. 20, you can request, fill out, and return a mail ballot in one visit to your county election office, through 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 27.
⚠️ Completed mail ballots must reach your county by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Rhode Island
📝 Register by Sunday, Oct. 4 online, in person, or by mail (postmarked).
🗳️ Early voting runs Oct. 14 through 4 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 2.
⚠️ Rhode Island’s Election Day registration only applies to presidential races, so it will not help this year.
South Carolina
📝 Register in person by Friday, Oct. 2 at 5 p.m., online by Sunday, Oct. 4, or by mail (postmarked) by Monday, Oct. 5. That in-person cutoff is the earliest on this list.
🗳️ Early voting runs Oct. 19 through Oct. 31, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed Sunday, Oct. 25. Voting by mail requires a qualifying reason.
South Dakota
📝 Register in person or by mail by Monday, Oct. 19 (must be received). South Dakota has no online registration.
🗳️ In-person absentee voting starts this Friday, Sept. 18, at your county auditor’s office and runs through Nov. 2.
⚠️ New registrants must show proof of citizenship or they get a ballot for federal races only. Photocopies work for most documents, but people using a driver’s license or a state or tribal ID are being told to register in person. A lawsuit filed in August challenges the rollout.
Tennessee
📝 Register by Monday, Oct. 5.
🗳️ Early voting runs Oct. 14 through Oct. 29. Voting by mail requires an eligible reason.
⚠️ Tennessee checks voter citizenship against state and federal data. If you get a notice, you have 30 days to send proof, and photocopies are accepted.
💡 In August 1920, the 19th Amendment needed one more state. Tennessee’s youngest lawmaker, Harry Burn, carried a letter from his mother urging him to “be a good boy” and vote yes. He did, and Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify.
Texas
📝 Register by Monday, Oct. 5 in person or by mail (postmarked). Texas has no online registration.
🗳️ Early voting runs Oct. 19 through Oct. 30. Voting by mail requires an eligible reason, such as being 65 or older.
⚠️ Texas has been checking its rolls against a federal citizenship database. This week, state officials referred 117 people for investigation and confirmed that nearly 600 other flagged voters are citizens. Check your status now.
Utah
📝 Register online or by mail by Friday, Oct. 23 (received by 5 p.m.).
✅ You can register at an early voting site or on Election Day and vote a provisional ballot. Bring two forms of ID.
🗳️ Every active voter gets a mail ballot. Early voting starts Oct. 20, and end dates vary by county.
⚠️ Under a new law, voters without documentary proof of citizenship get a federal-only ballot. If you don’t have a valid Utah driver license or ID, bring proof when you register.
⚠️ Mail ballots must reach your county clerk by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Postmarks no longer count.
Vermont
📝 You can register through Election Day. If you register online or by mail, leave a few days for processing.
✅ Election Day registration is available at the polls with proof of residence.
🗳️ Ballots are mailed to every active voter by Oct. 1. You can vote early in person at your town or city clerk’s office once ballots are available, through Nov. 2.
💡 Vermont is one of four places in the U.S., along with Maine, D.C., and Puerto Rico, where people in prison keep the right to vote.
Virginia
📝 Register by Friday, Oct. 23 (5 p.m. in person, 11:59 p.m. online, or postmarked by mail).
✅ After that, you can register in person and vote a provisional ballot through Election Day.
🗳️ Early voting starts this Friday, Sept. 18, and runs through 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31.
Washington
📝 Register online or by mail by Monday, Oct. 26 (must be received).
✅ You can register in person through 8 p.m. on Election Day.
🗳️ All voting is by mail. Ballots go out by Oct. 16, and voting centers are open from then through 8 p.m. on Election Day.
West Virginia
📝 Register by Tuesday, Oct. 13.
🗳️ Early voting runs Oct. 21 through Oct. 31.
Wisconsin
📝 Register online or by mail (postmarked) by Wednesday, Oct. 14.
✅ After that, register in person at your clerk’s office until Friday, Oct. 30, or at your polling place on Election Day. Bring proof of residence.
🗳️ In-person absentee voting runs Oct. 20 through Nov. 1. Dates and hours vary by town.
Wyoming
📝 Register by mail or at your county clerk’s office by Monday, Oct. 19.
✅ After that, register and vote absentee in person Oct. 20 through Nov. 2, or register at your polling place on Election Day.
🗳️ Early absentee voting runs Oct. 6 through Nov. 2. Mail ballots must arrive by 7 p.m. on Election Day.
⚠️ New for 2026, you must show proof of U.S. citizenship and 30 days of Wyoming residency to register. A Wyoming driver’s license or ID, U.S. passport, original or certified birth certificate, naturalization certificate, or Tribal ID all count.
💡 On Dec. 10, 1869, Wyoming’s territorial government became the first in the world to give women full voting rights, a half century before the 19th Amendment.
In 1962, trying to register cost Fannie Lou Hamer her job (Read it here!).
Today, most states let you do it online in just a few minutes.
Who in your life hasn’t taken those few minutes yet?
We have 48 days. Find your deadline, then help someone find theirs:
Sources & Additional Reading
Vote.org, Voter Registration Deadlines & Calendar
Ballotpedia, Voter registration deadlines, 2026
Ballotpedia, Early voting dates, 2026
Center for Election Innovation & Research, Dates for 2026 Early In-Person and Mail Voting
VOTE411, League of Women Voters state voting guides
National Voter Registration Day
Nonprofit VOTE, National Voter Registration Day
Votebeat, Supreme Court blocks mail ballot restrictions for November
SCOTUSblog, the Watson v. Republican National Committee ruling
Bipartisan Policy Center, Watson v. RNC and late mail ballots
Bipartisan Policy Center, the SAVE America Act
National Association of Counties, House advances SAVE America Act
Democracy Docket, House budget framework with election grants
Fox News, Senate recess without passing the SAVE America Act
Center for American Progress, state proof of citizenship laws
