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's 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 lifesaving 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's website for details about early voting locations and hours. Also check to see whether early voting locations are open on 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.
Early voting: Alabama is one of 4 states that have 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
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.
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.
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. Same-day registration is allowed during early voting and on Election Day.
Early voting: From 29 days before an election until Election Day.
No-excuse absentee voting: California is one of 8 states that conduct their 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.
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 conduct their 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.
Early voting: Connecticut is one of 4 states that have 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.
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, Same-day registration is allowed during early voting and on Election Day.
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.
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.
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.
Early voting: 10 business days before Election Day.
No-excuse absentee voting: Hawaii is one of 8 states that conduct their 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.
Early voting: From the 3rd Monday before an election until 5 p.m. on 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.
Early voting: From the 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.
Early voting: 20 days before an election.
No-excuse absentee voting: Yes.
KANSAS
Voter registration deadline: 21 days before Election Day.
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.
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.
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.
Early voting: From as soon as absentee ballots are ready (30-45 days before an election) until 3 business days before Election Day, 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Early voting: Mississippi is one of 4 states that have 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.
Early voting: Starts the 2nd Tuesday before an election, but the end of early voting is not specified by 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.
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.
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.
Early voting: From the 3rd Saturday preceding an election until the Friday before Election Day.
No-excuse absentee voting: Nevada is one of 8 states that conduct their 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.
Early voting: New Hampshire is one of 4 states that have 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.
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.
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.
Early voting: From the 10th day before an election until 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.
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.
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.
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.
Early voting: Drop sites 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 conduct their 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Early voting: From 14 days before an election 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 their 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.
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 their 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.
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.
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 their 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.
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; the Friday before Election Day if in person. Same-day registration is allowed on Election Day.
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.
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.
