National

A voter's guide to registering to vote and early voting in all 50 states and D.C.

Americans in all 50 states will do something this fall that most of them have not done for two years: vote in a statewide election.

The last time they did so, in 2020, was one of the most contentious in American history. Voters were besieged by a global pandemic and weighed down by health concerns around public gatherings.

Then, the election aftermath was marred by the outgoing president’s insistence that he had not lost, despite the lack of any evidence to support his claims.

The 2022 election takes place in a different context. COVID-19 still lingers but has been countered by life-saving vaccines and other medical treatments. Nonetheless, the confidence of many Americans in our election system was shaken by the 2020 experience. Understanding how elections work in each state and locality is one step toward undoing that damage.

Here is a list of how residents of each state can cast ballots this fall in their elections. It shows each state’s deadline to register to vote, includes a link to where you can register, and gives you information about early voting and whether your state allows no-excuse mail-in voting — also known as absentee voting.

Check your state government website for details about early voting locations and hours. Also check to see whether early voting locations are open on the weekends. Some states that allow early voting open those polling sites only on weekdays.

Finally, there's the issue of voter ID. Look at this checklist, compiled by the National Conference of State Legislatures, to see whether your state requires an ID to vote in person or by mail, and what kind of ID is acceptable.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022.

ALABAMA

Voter registration deadline: 15 days before Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: Alabama is one of 4 states that has no early voting option, along with Connecticut, Mississippi and New Hampshire.

No-excuse absentee voting: No.

ALASKA

Voter registration deadline: 30 days before Election Day

Register here.

Early voting: From 15 days before an election until Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Yes.

ARIZONA

Voter registration deadline: 29 days before Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From 27 days before an election until the Friday before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Yes.

ARKANSAS

Voter registration deadline: 30 days before Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From 15 days before an election until 5 p.m. on the Monday before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: No.

CALIFORNIA

Voter registration deadline: 15 days before Election Day (with same-day registration allowed during early voting and on Election Day).

Register here.

Early voting: From 29 days before an election until Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: California is one of 8 states that conducts its elections entirely by mail, which means voters do not need to request a ballot and instead automatically receive one.

COLORADO

Voter registration deadline: 8 days before Election Day. Same-day registration is allowed during early voting and on Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: Voter service and polling centers must be open 15 days before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Colorado is one of 8 states that conducts its elections entirely by mail, which means voters do not need to request a ballot and instead automatically receive one.

CONNECTICUT

Voter registration deadline: 7 days before Election Day. Same-day registration is also allowed on Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: Connecticut is one of 4 states that has no early voting option, along with Alabama, Mississippi and New Hampshire. But in-person early voting will appear on the ballot in the 2022 fall elections, and if voters approve it, the state constitution will be amended to allow for early voting.

No-excuse absentee voting: No.

DELAWARE

Voter registration deadline: 24 days before Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From at least 10 days before an election until the Sunday before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: No.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Voter registration deadline: 21 days before Election Day, with same-day registration available during early voting and on Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From 12 days before an election until the Saturday before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Yes.

FLORIDA

Voter registration deadline: 29 days before Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From at least 10 days before an election until 3 days before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Yes

GEORGIA

Voter registration deadline: 29 days before Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From the 4th Monday before an election until the Friday before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Yes.

HAWAII

Voter registration deadline: 29 days before Election Day. Same-day registration is allowed during early voting and on Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: 10 business days before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Hawaii is one of 8 states that conducts its elections entirely by mail, which means voters do not need to request a ballot and instead automatically receive one.

IDAHO

Voter registration deadline: 25 days before Election Day. Same-day registration is allowed on Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From the 3rd Monday before an election until 5 p.m. the Friday before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Yes.

ILLINOIS

Voter registration deadline: 28 days before Election Day. Same-day registration is allowed during early voting and on Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From 40th day before Election Day for temporary polling locations and from the 15th day before Election Day for permanent locations.

No-excuse absentee voting: Yes.

INDIANA

Voter registration deadline: 29 days before Election Day.

Early voting: In-person absentee voting only, from 28 days before an election until noon on the day before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: No.

IOWA

Voter registration deadline: 15 days before Election Day. Same-day registration is allowed during early voting and on Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: 20 days before an election.

No-excuse absentee voting: Yes.

KANSAS

Voter registration deadline: 21 days before Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From 20 days before an election or the Tuesday before an election (varies by county) until noon on the day before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Yes.

KENTUCKY

Voter registration deadline: 29 days before Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From the Thursday before an election until the Saturday before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: No.

LOUISIANA

Voter registration deadline: 30 days before Election Day; 20 days if registering online.

Register here.

Early voting: From 14 days before an election until 7 days before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: No.

MAINE

Voter registration deadline: 21 days before Election Day. Same-day registration is allowed on Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From as soon as absentee ballots are ready (30-45 days before an election) until 3 business days before election, unless the voter has an acceptable excuse.

No-excuse absentee voting: Yes.

MARYLAND

Voter registration deadline: 21 days before Election Day. Same-day registration is allowed during early voting and on Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From the 2nd Thursday before an election until the Thursday before an election

No-excuse absentee voting: Yes.

MASSACHUSETTS

Voter registration deadline: 10 days before Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From 17 days before an election until 4 days before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Yes.

MICHIGAN

Voter registration deadline: 15 days before Election Day. Same-day registration is allowed during early voting and on Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From 40 days before an election until the day before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Yes.

MINNESOTA

Voter registration deadline: 21 days before Election Day. Same-day registration is allowed during early voting and on Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From 46 days before an election until the day before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Yes.

MISSISSIPPI

Voter registration deadline: 30 days before Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: Mississippi is one of 4 states that has no early voting option, along with Alabama, Connecticut and New Hampshire.

No-excuse absentee voting: No.

MISSOURI

Voter registration deadline: 27 days before Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: Starts the 2nd Tuesday before an election, but the end of early voting is not specified by Missouri state law.

No-excuse absentee voting: No.

MONTANA

Voter registration deadline: 30 days before Election Day. Voters may also register during the late registration period, which ends at noon on the day before Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From 30 days before an election until the day before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Yes.

NEBRASKA

Voter registration deadline: 11 days before Election Day; 18 days before if registering online or by mail.

Register here.

Early voting: From 30 days before an election until Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Yes.

NEVADA

Voter registration deadline: 28 days before Election Day; 5 days before if registering online. Same-day registration is allowed during early voting and on Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: Third Saturday preceding Election Day until the Friday before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Nevada is one of eight states that conducts its elections entirely by mail, which means voters do not need to request a ballot, and instead automatically receive one.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Voter registration deadline: 6 to 13 days before Election Day, depending on local supervisors. Same-day registration is allowed on Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: New Hampshire is one of 4 states that has no early voting option, along with Alabama, Connecticut and Mississippi

No-excuse absentee voting: No.

NEW JERSEY

Voter registration deadline: 21 days before Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From 10 days before an election until the Sunday before Election Day. In-person absentee voting begins 45 days before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Yes.

NEW MEXICO

Voter registration deadline: 28 days before Election Day. Same-day registration is allowed during early voting, and on Election Day for statewide contests.

Register here.

Early voting: From 28 days before an election until the Saturday before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Yes.

NEW YORK

Voter registration deadline: 25 days before Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From the 10th day before an election until the 2 days before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: No.

NORTH CAROLINA

Voter registration deadline: 25 days before Election Day. Same-day registration is allowed during early voting.

Register here.

Early voting: From the 3rd Thursday before an election until 3 p.m. on the Saturday before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Yes.

NORTH DAKOTA

Voter registration deadline: North Dakota does not have voter registration.

Early voting: From 15 days until an election until the day before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Yes.

OHIO

Voter registration deadline: 30 days before Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From 29 days before Election Day until 2 p.m on the. Monday before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Yes.

OKLAHOMA

Voter registration deadline: 25 days before Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From the Wednesday before an election until 2 p.m. on the Saturday before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Yes

OREGON

Voter registration deadline: 21 days before Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: Dropsites must open from the Friday before an election, but may open as soon as ballots are available (18 days before), until Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Oregon is one of 8 states that conducts its elections entirely by mail, which means voters do not need to request a ballot and instead automatically receive one.

PENNSYLVANIA

Voter registration deadline: 15 days before Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From 50 days before an election until 5 p.m. on the Tuesday before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Yes.

RHODE ISLAND

Voter registration deadline: 30 days before Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From 20 days before an election until the day before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Yes.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Voter registration deadline: 30 days before Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From 2 weeks before an election until the day before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: No.

SOUTH DAKOTA

Voter registration deadline: 15 days before Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From 46 days before an election until 5 p.m. on the day before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Yes.

TENNESSEE

Voter registration deadline: 30 days before Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From 20 days before an election until 5 days before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: No.

TEXAS

Voter registration deadline: 30 days before Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From 17 days before an election until 4 days before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: No.

UTAH

Voter registration deadline: 11 days before Election Day. Same-day registration is allowed during early voting and on Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From 14 days before an election the until the Friday before Election Day, but an election official may choose to extend the early voting period to the day before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Utah is one of 8 states that conduct its elections entirely by mail, which means voters do not need to request a ballot and instead automatically receive one.

VERMONT

Voter registration deadline: Same-day registration is allowed through Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From 45 days before an election until 5 p.m. on the day before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Vermont is one of 8 states that conduct its elections entirely by mail (for general elections), which means voters do not need to request a ballot and instead automatically receive one.

VIRGINIA

Voter registration deadline: 22 days before Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From 45 days before an election until 5 p.m. on the Saturday before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Yes.

WASHINGTON

Voter registration deadline: 8 days before Election Day by mail and online; in-person registration is permitted through 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: Vote centers must be open from 18 days before an election until 8 p.m. on Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Washington is one of 8 states that conduct its elections entirely by mail, which means voters do not need to request a ballot and instead automatically receive one.

WEST VIRGINIA

Voter registration deadline: 21 days before Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From 13 days before an election until 3 days before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: No.

WISCONSIN

Voter registration deadline: 20 days before Election Day by mail and online; Friday before Election Day if in person. Same-day registration is allowed on Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From 14 days before an election (in-person absentee) until the Sunday before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Yes.

WYOMING

Voter registration deadline: 14 days before Election Day. Same-day registration is allowed on Election Day.

Register here.

Early voting: From 40 days before an election (in-person absentee) until the day before Election Day.

No-excuse absentee voting: Yes.

For additional information, the National Conference of State Legislatures has websites devoted to voter registration deadlines, early in-person voting, excuses to vote absentee and no-excuse absentee voting.

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