Voter registration guide: Voting is Power

To register to vote . . .

Besides letting you register (except for a few states), the electorate state sites will provide additional information such as:

Are you already registered to vote - check status?
How can you register to vote - laws and procedures?
Address change – when you move to a new address, even within the state, you are required to register again.
Where do you go to vote?
Who are the candidates running for various local, state, and national elections for the state?

To be able to vote:

you must be a US citizen.
you must be a resident of a state.
you must not be legally incapacitated.
you must be 18 years or older at the time of the next election.

Besides those basic requirements, each state may have specific laws which may apply to you. Please check those laws as well from the state electorate administration sources.

If you are registering to vote or checking your registration:

If you are registering to vote, please fill out the form below and click the Register button at the bottom of the form.
This will take you to the voter registration application and instructions for the state you have specified in your address.
If you want to check whether you are already registered, click the Information button at the bottom of the form.
This will take you to the election-related site of the specified state, where you will find a lot of useful information.
Please keep in mind that not all states allow you to check your registration online. But at the very least, the state website will have the telephone number you may call to get the information.
Even if you are registered, you may register again. Your new application will simply replace the old information at the election registration office of the state.

Voting Registration Exceptions

Please note that only Arizona allows you to register online. Other states will at least send you the Voter Registration Form or tell you how to get a form which may be filled out and mailed.
You do not need to preregister to vote in North Dakota.
In New Hampshire, Maine, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, you can vote until the day of the election. Please find out more about the rules on this.
Click here for Voter Registration Deadlines for each state.

Fields that are red must be filled in
Full Name:
Address Line 1:
Address Line 2:
City:
State:
Zip Code:
Email Address:
Phone Number:

State Voter Registration Deadlines

Alabama	Voter registration is closed during the ten days preceding an election. Applications must be postmarked or delivered by the eleventh day prior to the election.
Alaska	30 days before the election.
Arizona	29 days before the election.
Arkansas	30 days before the election.
California	15 days before the election.
Colorado	29 days before the election. If the application is received in the mails without a postmark, it must be received within 5 days of the close of registration.
Connecticut	14 days before the election.
Delaware	20 days prior to the general election and 20 days prior to any primary election.
District of Columbia	30 days before the election.
Florida	29 days before the election.
Georgia	The fifth Monday before any general primary, general election, or presidential preference primary, or regularly scheduled special election pursuant to the Georgia Election Code. In the event that a special election is scheduled on a date other that those dates prescribed by the Georgia Election Code, registration would close on the 5th day after the call.
Hawaii	30 days before the election.
Idaho	25 days before the election.
Illinois	28 days prior to each election.
Indiana	29 days before the election.
Iowa	Must be delivered by 5 p.m. 10 days before the election, if it is a state primary or general election; 11 days before all others. Registration forms which are postmarked 15 or more days before an election are considered on time even if received after the deadline.
Kansas	Delivered 15 days before the election.
Kentucky	29 days before the election.
Louisiana	30 days before the election.
Maine	Delivered 10 business days before the election (or a voter may register in-person up to and including election day).
Maryland	9:00 p.m. 21 days before the election.
Massachusetts	20 days before the election.
Michigan	30 days before the election.
Minnesota	Delivered by 5:00 p.m. 21 days before the election (there is also election day registration at polling places).
Mississippi	30 days before the election.
Missouri	28 days before the election.
Montana	30 days before the election.
Nebraska	The third Friday before the election (or delivered by 6 p.m. on the second Friday before the election).
Nevada	9:00 p.m. on the fifth Saturday before any primary or general election. 9:00 p.m. on the third Saturday before any recall or special election. However, if a recall or special election is held on the same day as a primary or general election, the registration closes at 9:00 p.m. on the fifth Saturday before the day for the elections.
New Hampshire	Registration form must be received by your city or town clerk by 10 days before the election.
New Jersey	29 days before the election.
New Mexico	28 days before the election.
New York	25 days before the election.
North Carolina	Postmarked 25 days before the election or received in the elections office or designated voter registration agency site by 5:00 p.m. 25 days before the election.
North Dakota	North Dakota does not have voter registration.
Ohio	30 days before the election.
Oklahoma	25 days before the election.
Oregon	21 days before the election.
Pennsylvania	30 days before an election or primary.
Rhode Island	30 days before the election.
South Carolina	30 days before the election.
South Dakota	Received 15 days before the election.
Tennessee	30 days before the election.
Texas	30 days before the election.
Utah	20 days before the election.
Vermont	Delivered to the town clerk before 12:00 noon on the second Saturday before the election.
Virginia	Delivered 29 days before the election.
Washington	30 days before the election (or delivered in-person to the local voter registration office 15 days before the election).
West Virginia	20 days before the election.
Wisconsin	For municipalities where voter registration is required, 13 days before the election (or completed in the local voter registration office up to 5:00 pm. 1 day before the election, or completed at the polling place on election day).
Wyoming	30 days before the election. After that, a voter can register and vote at the same time as absentee until the election day, or register and vote on the election day at the polling center..

Source: US Election Assistance Commission:
http://www.eac.gov/register_vote_deadlines.asp

The information contained on this site is only for the purpose of civic and public education, and in no way should be construed as endorsement of or opposition to any political party or candidate.