A Last-Minute Guide To Getting Ready To Vote
Don’t like politics? Wish that it felt like your government was listening to what you wanted? Crazy busy with school or work, but still want to make a difference? Like patriotic stickers? Lucky for you, there’s an easy fix. All you have to do is vote — something that you can actually walk out the door and do right now in some states.
However, there are plenty of elected officials who don’t think that young people will go cast ballots, and will govern accordingly. Less than half of millennials told Gallup that they plan to vote in November. Old voters aren’t going to feel quite so apathetic — they’ve been a dependable voting bloc since last century. In most states, there is still time to register (and you can often do it without even leaving your couch), and you can vote before Election Day, or mail your ballot in instead.
In other words, there is no excuse not to vote, and you’ve got 27 days to research all the issues and find out what else is on the ballot. But, first things first, you should get registered. Here’s a quick rundown of what you need to do to register, when you can vote, and what you’ll need to bring to your polling place.
Don’t think your vote matters? You’re wrong. During the primary, Bernie Sanders won one county by a single vote. Many people have lost elections by one vote. In 2012, a city council race ended in a tie after a candidate’s wife forgot to vote. Maybe that’s not entirely likely, but … don’t let it happen to you.
Alabama
Can I still register?
Yes! You have until October 24, and can do it online.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
No luck, unless you have an excuse for having to miss Election Day.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Yup — unless two election workers know who you are, or if you plan to come back with a photo ID later in the week. You can use a student ID with a photo.
Alaska
Can I still register?
Nope.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
Early voting starts on October 24, and goes until November 7. Here are more details.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Yes — unless the person at the polling place knows who you are. And, this is Alaska.
Arizona
Can I still register?
No.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
You can start voting early right now, up until November 4.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Yes, you need an approved voter ID — or you need to fill out a provisional ballot and promise to return with an ID within five days. You can also bring two documents without a photo that prove your residency and name.
Arkansas
Can I still register?
Time’s up.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
You can vote early from October 24 to November 7.
Do I need to bring an ID?
If you’re a first-time voter, you’ll have to show proof of identity and residency, or fill out a provisional ballot.
California
Can I still register?
You have until October 24. Here’s the website.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
You can vote early or by-mail from now until Election Day.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Nope.
Colorado
Can I still register?
Yes, you have until Halloween. Here’s the website. Or, you can do same-day registration.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
Colorado does all voting by mail.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Only if you don't vote by mail.
Connecticut
Can I still register?
Make sure you register by November 1, right here. If not — just do same-day registration on November 8.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
No luck, unless you have an excuse for having to miss Election Day.
Do I need to bring an ID?
If you're a first-time voter, you'll need to prove your name and address or fill out a provisional ballot. All other voters will need a document with their name and address or name and signature.
Delaware
Can I still register?
You have until October 15. Go to this website.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
No luck, unless you have an excuse for having to miss Election Day.
Do I need to bring an ID?
You have to prove your identity with some form of documentation or fill out an affidavit.
D.C.
Can I still register?
You can register when you go to vote on November 8 — the District of Columbia has same-day voter registration.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
You can vote early from October 22 to November 4. Find out how bad the wait times are here.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Nope.
Florida
Can I still register?
You have to register by October 18. You can't register online, so mail in this form or visit your local DMV. The voter registration deadline was supposed to be on October 11, but a federal judge just extended it because of Hurricane Matthew, writing, “It has been suggested that the issue of extending the voter registration deadline is about politics. Poppycock. This case is about the right of aspiring eligible voters to register and to have their votes counted. Nothing could be more fundamental to our democracy.” The deadline was just extended for six more days on Wednesday.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
Vote early from October 24 to November 6.
Do I need to bring an ID?
You need a photo ID, or you'll fill out a provisional ballot. You can use a student ID to prove your identity.
Georgia
Can I still register?
No.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
From October 17 to November 4.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Yes.
Hawaii
Can I still register?
No.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
From October 25 to November 5.
Do I need to bring an ID?
You’ll need to prove who you are if you’re a first-time voter who did not provide ID with your application.
Idaho
Can I still register?
You have until October 14. Here's the form you'll have to mail in. You can also do same-day registration.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
From October 24 to November 4.
Do I need to bring an ID?
You need a photo ID, or you can sign an affidavit. You can use a student ID, as long as it has a photo.
Illinois
Can I still register?
You have until October 23, and can do it online. Or, just do it on Election Day.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
From October 24 to November 7.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Nope.
Indiana
Can I still register?
Nope.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
You can do no-excuse absentee voting from now until November 7.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Yes. If you don’t, you can fill out a provisional ballot, and return within 10 days with a photo ID, or prove an exemption.
Iowa
Can I still register?
You can register until October 29. Here's where you can do it online. Or, just do it on Election Day.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
From now until November 7.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Nope.
Kansas
Can I still register?
You have until October 18. You can do it online.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
Do I need to bring an ID?
Yes. You can use a nonexpired student ID with a photo, as long as the school is in Kansas.
Kentucky
Can I still register?
No.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
No luck, unless you have an excuse for having to miss Election Day.
Do I need to bring an ID?
You need to prove who you are, or have people at the polling place recognize you.
Louisiana
Can I still register?
No.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
From October 25 to November 1.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Yes, or you can sign an affidavit.
Maine
Can I still register?
You have until October 18. Mail in this form. Or, you can do same-day registration, or register in person from now until Election Day.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
You’ve got from now to November 7.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Nope.
Maryland
Can I still register?
You have until October 18 to register online, but you can also register during early voting.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
You can vote early from October 27 through November 3.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Nope.
Massachusetts
Can I still register?
Yes. Do it by October 19, right here.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
From October 24 to November 4.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Nope.
Michigan
Can I still register?
Nope.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
No luck, unless you have an excuse for having to miss Election Day.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Yes, or sign an affidavit saying that you are who you are. You can use a student ID with a photo.
Minnesota
Can I still register?
You have until October 18, or just do same-day registration. Here's the website.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
Yes, from now until November 7.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Nope.
Mississippi
Can I still register?
No.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
No luck, unless you have an excuse for having to miss Election Day.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Yes. You can use a student ID with a photo.
Missouri
Can I still register?
No.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
No luck, unless you have an excuse for having to miss Election Day.
Do I need to bring an ID?
You need to prove who you are, or have two people working at the polls recognize you. There is also a strict voter ID referendum on the ballot this year.
Montana
Can I still register?
No, but you can do same-day registration.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
You can start doing in-person, no-excuse absentee voting in Montana on October 14.
Do I need to bring an ID?
You need to prove who you are with an accepted form of documentation, or fill out a provisional ballot.
Nebraska
Can I still register?
You have until October 28 to do it in person. Do it online here by October 21.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
You can vote early from now until November 7.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Nope.
Nevada
Can I still register?
You have until October 18. Fill out the online form here.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
You can vote early from October 22 to November 4.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Nope.
New Hampshire
Can I still register?
You can register until October 29 at a local government office, or just do same-day registration.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
No luck, unless you have an excuse for having to miss Election Day.
Do I need to bring an ID?
You need a photo ID, or you have to sign an affidavit. The election workers will mail you a follow-up document later that you'll need to send back to prove your existence … or you'll get investigated for voter fraud. You can use a student ID card with a photo.
New Jersey
Can I still register?
You have until October 18. Here's the form to mail in.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
Yes, find out more about getting a no-excuse absentee ballot here.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Nope.
New Mexico
Can I still register?
No.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
From now until November 5.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Nope.
New York
Can I still register?
You have until October 14, and can do it online right here.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
No luck, unless you have an excuse for having to miss Election Day.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Nope.
North Carolina
Can I still register?
Yes. You can register until October 14. Here's the form to mail in.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
Maybe. You'll have to check when your polling place is open.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Nope — the voter ID law was struck down.
North Dakota
Can I still register?
You don't even have to register.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
Maybe. Check to see when your county might offer in-person absentee voting.
Do I need to bring an ID?
There used to be strict photo ID requirements here, but the law got struck down. You can show a photo ID or sign an affidavit to vote.
Ohio
Can I still register?
No.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
From now to November 7.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Yes.
Oklahoma
Can I still register?
You have until October 14. Here's the form to mail in.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
From November 3 to 5.
Do I need to bring an ID?
You need a photo ID or your voter registration card. Or, you can just do a provisional ballot.
Oregon
Can I still register?
You have until October 18. Do it online here.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
Oregon only does mail ballots, so you're in luck. You can either mail yours in, or bring it to a deposit box.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Nope.
Pennsylvania
Can I still register?
No.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
No luck, unless you have an excuse for having to miss Election Day.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Nope.
Rhode Island
Can I still register?
No.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
You can mail-in a no-excuse ballot.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Yes, or you can do a provisional ballot. A college ID isn't good enough to vote, but it can be used in conjunction with another document, or be used to get a voter ID card.
South Carolina
Can I still register?
No.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
No luck, unless you have an excuse for having to miss Election Day.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Yes, you need a photo ID, or you can sign an affidavit explaining why you couldn't get one and fill out a provisional ballot.
South Dakota
Can I still register?
You have until October 24. Here's the form to mail in.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
From now until to November 7.
Do I need to bring an ID?
You need a photo ID, or you can sign an affidavit swearing you are who you say you are. You can use a student ID with a photo.
Tennessee
Can I still register?
No.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
Yup, from October 19 to November 3.
Do I need to bring an ID?
You need an approved photo ID, or you can fill out a provisional ballot and return with the photo ID within two days. College IDs aren't good enough. You can use a driver's license, a concealed carry permit, a military ID, or a passport.
Texas
Can I still register?
No.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
Do I need to bring an ID?
Yes, you need a photo ID, or other proof of your identity and address, plus an affidavit noting why you couldn't bring the photo ID.
Utah
Can I still register?
Yes! You have until November 1. Do it online here. In a few counties, you will be able to try same-day registration this year.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
From October 25 to November 4.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Yes, you need to prove who you are with some form of documentation. Or, if someone working at the polling place recognizes you, that works too.
Vermont
Can I still register?
You have until November 2. Do it online here.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
Yup, from September 23 to November 7.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Nope.
Virginia
Can I still register?
You have until October 17. Do it online here.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
No luck, unless you have an excuse for having to miss Election Day.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Yes, you need a photo ID that proves your identity and address. You can also fill out a provisional ballot and return with an ID within three days. You can get a free voter ID, or use one of these. You can use a student ID card (as long as the school is in Virginia and has a photo).
Washington
Can I still register?
You have until Halloween. Here's the place to do it online.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
Washington only does mail ballots, so you're in luck. You can either mail yours in, or bring it to a deposit box.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Most people vote by mail, and don't need a photo ID. If you do vote in person, however, you have to show a photo ID, or fill out a provisional ballot.
West Virginia
Can I still register?
You have until October 18. Do it online here.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
You can vote early from October 26 to November 5.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Nope.
Wisconsin
Can I still register?
You have until October 19. Here's the form to mail-in. Or, you can just do same-day registration.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
You can vote early, but the times depend on your district. You can also do no-excuse absentee by mail.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Yes, you need a photo ID when you head to the polling place. You can get a free ID at the DMV — as long as you have your social security card or W-2 and proof of residency — or use a driver’s license, military ID, passport, a tribal ID, or a Wisconsin college ID. If you use a college photo ID, you also have to prove you are enrolled at said school. You can also use unexpired veterans cards, or a naturalization document from less than two years ago.
Wyoming
Can I still register?
Until October 25. Here's the form to mail in. Or, wait to register on Election Day.
Can I vote early, or mail in my ballot?
You can vote no-excuse absentee from now until November 7.
Do I need to bring an ID?
Nope.
