With Election Day less than five weeks away, the deadline to register to vote is approaching in several states.
Each state has a different deadline for voter registration, but in many states, you need to register at least three weeks before Election Day. With this year’s general election on Nov. 4, the days are numbered to ensure an opportunity for potential voters to cast a ballot.
Fourteen states require registration at least 30 days before Election Day. So, residents in those states who were interested in voting in November are out of luck at this late date. Those states are Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Washington.
In 20 states, the registration deadline is 20 to 29 days before Election Day. They are Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia.
Seven states offer same-day registration – Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire and Wyoming – which means you can register and vote at the same time, but only if you have a photo ID with your address on it.
The remaining states have registration deadlines that range between one and 19 days before Election Day. They are Alabama, California, Connecticut, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and Vermont.
The exceptions are North Dakota and certain municipalities in Wisconsin, where no registration is required.
Any time you move – even if it’s only across the street – you must reregister.
If you registered in the past, but haven’t voted for a while (say, four years), contact your local election office before the deadline to make sure your registration is still active.
For more information on registering to vote, click here.
