To vote in government elections, you must Register to vote. Every state has its rules about voting and elections, like when and how to register to vote.
Check with your current state or local election office for the most precise and up-to-date information about where you live.
The Government has opened voter registration across the country except for Nort Dakota. You can choose your state or location. Depending on your location rules, it will explain how to apply online, by mail, or at your nearby election office.
Ways To Register to Vote
Register to Vote for local residents
- Download the form to register to vote through the mail. You can fill it out on your computer and print it or print a blank form and fill it out by hand. Sign the form before sending it to the address given for your state.
- Local government departments to Register to Vote if you can attend face-to-face.
- The department of motor vehicles
- Armed forces recruitment centers
- State and county public assistance offices such as SNAP/food stamps and WIC
Register to Vote for Overseas Voters
- You can sign up to vote and ask for an absentee ballot through the Federal Voting Assistance Program.
- U.S. citizens are living outside the U.S.
- Service members stationed outside U.S.
- Spouse or eligible family member of a service member stationed overseas
New Voter Guide for Register to Vote
If this is your first time voting, here’s what you need to know.
You can vote if you meet your state’s rules and will be 18 by Election Day. But first, you must sign up before your state’s deadline. Check with the election office in your area.
You can sign up online, at the Department of Motor Vehicles, or by sending in the National Mail Voter Registration Form.
Your election office might send you a card with your polling place on it. On Election Day, you’ll go there. You might need to show an ID when you get there.
Then, fill out your ballot. If you’re not sure how you can ask a poll worker. You may be able to vote by mail if you know you won’t be able to get there on Election Day.
Remember that each state has its own rules about how to vote.
Update or Change Your Voter Registration
Even if you have voted before, sometimes states and local election offices get rid of people who are registered to vote, even if they have already voted. People who have moved or not voted in a long time are taken off the list. And sometimes it’s just a mistake.
So, if you want to ensure you can vote on Election Day, you should check your registration now.
Start by going to usa.gov/election-office to find your local election office. You might be able to find out if you’re registered.
When you’re reviewing your voter registration, you need to know if your name, address, political party affiliation, and polling place are correct or not.
If you find your name in the list, but the information is incorrect, you need to update it before the deadline.
You will be required to update or change your voter registration if
- You move to another location within your state
- You have changed your name
- Do you want to join a different political party?
- If you move to another state for good, you need to register to vote in that state.
Send in your changes before the registration deadline in your current state or location.
How to Change your Voter Registration Information
Your registration can be changed online, by mail, or over the phone. Be ready to give your Social Security number and the number on your driver’s license or any other state ID card.
Updating Information on the web
If your state lets people sign up to vote online, that might be the easiest way to make changes. If your state keeps records of which political party you like, you can change that.
- Go to the website for “Register and Vote in Your State.”
- Click “Get Info” after you’ve chosen your state.
- Click “Register to Vote,” and you’ll be taken to the state’s online tool for registering to vote.
Changes in Voter Registration can be made by mail.
- You can get the National Mail Voter Registration Form, fill it out, and send it in by mail. The only states that don’t accept it are New Hampshire, Wyoming, and North Dakota.
- Contact your current state or local election office if you can’t download this form and would like it or your state’s registration form mailed to you.
- If you live overseas or are in the military, you can change your voter information and ask for an absentee ballot through the Federal Voting Assistance Program.
Change in Voter Registration over the Phone
Check with the election office in your state or town. Some states will let you make changes by phone.
How to Change your Political Party Affiliation
Your political party affiliation is the party you choose to join. When you sign up to vote in your state, you may be asked about the political party affiliation you wish to choose.
- You can change your party affiliation in the same ways you can change your voter registration information:
- Online: Go to the website for “Register and Vote in Your State.” Click “Get Info” after you’ve chosen your state. Then, choose Register to Vote to change your party.
- By mail: You can register to vote by downloading the National Mail Voter Registration Form or asking your state or local election office to send you a form.
- Phone: Check with the election office in your state or town.
- When you sign up to vote, you don’t have to join a political party or say to which party you want to vote.
- Not all states let you choose a political party on your voter registration card or list it.
- Putting a party on your voter registration does not mean you can only vote for that party. In a general election, like for president, congress, or mayor, you can always vote for a candidate from any party.
- Usually, only the primaries matter when it comes to your party. There are “closed” primaries in a lot of states. This means that in the primary election for your party, you can only vote for candidates from that party. Find out more about the different kinds of primaries.
How To Confirm Your Voter Registration Status
- You need to visit Can I Vote and select your voter registration status.
- Choose your state, which leads to your state election portal.
- You can check there to see if you are registered or not.
How to Get a Voter Registration Card
You will get a voter registration card when you register for the first time or update your information to register to vote. Your voter registration card usually has your name, home address, and the polling station address where you will vote.
If you lost, broke, or stole your voter registration card, you can get a new one by calling your state or local election office.
How much time will it take to receive your voter registration card?
Your new voter registration card could take a few weeks to arrive in the mail. If there is a problem with your registration, your state’s election office will let you know.
Check with your state or local election office if you don’t get your new voter registration card.
Do you need to bring your Voter Registration card to Vote?
You won’t need your voter registration card on Election Day if you are already a registered voter. But you might need another photo ID because some states require it to vote. You can check the list of IDs as per your state here.
FAQ for Voting
Is it mandatory to register to vote in the US?
Yes, it is mandatory to register or update your current information to vote in elections.
Why does the process of voter registration vary in the US?
The process for voter registration varies from state to state, or any of your information changes need to be updated.
What is the requirement for registering to vote in the US elections?
If you are a U.S citizen and meet your state’s residency requirements, you can register to Vote. You must be 18 years old on or before election day.
How much does it cost to register to vote in the US?
It doesn’t cost you anything to vote in the US. But you can vote only if you are registered to vote.
How often do you have to register to vote in the United States?
If it’s your first time, you need to register once. If you are relocated, or there is any change in your information, you need to update the correct details.
How many people are legally registered to vote in the USA?
In 2020, 168.31 Million people were registered to vote in the United States.
How many women are registered to vote in the US?
In 2020, 89 Million women were registered to vote in the United States.
How many men are registered to vote in the US?
In 2020, 79.3 Million men were registered to vote in the United States.
Are all US citizens registered to vote?
Not by default, you need to register with the election department either online, by post, or by phone to register first to vote in the US.
What are the deadlines and the local departments to register to vote in states?
Please find below the list of registration deadlines and the local department’s contact and online portal information.
| State | Next Election | Registration Deadline | Phone Number | Department |
| Alabama | 11-08-2022 | 24 October 2022 | (800) 274-8683 | Elections Division |
| Alaska | 11-08-2022 | 09 October 2022 | (907) 465-4611 | Division of Elections |
| Arizona | 11-08-2022 | 10 October 2022 | (877) 843-8683 | Elections |
| Arkansas | 11-08-2022 | 09 October 2022 | (501) 682-5070 | Elections |
| California | 11-08-2022 | 24 October 2022 | (916) 657-2166 | Elections |
| Colorado | 11-08-2022 | 31 October 2022 | (303) 894-2200 | Elections Division |
| Connecticut | 11-08-2022 | 01 November 2022 | (860) 509-6200 | Election Administration |
| Delaware | 11-08-2022 | 15 October 2022 | (302) 739-4277 | Department of Elections |
| District of Columbia | 11-08-2022 | 18 October 2022 | (202) 727-2525 | Board of Elections and Ethics |
| Florida | 11-08-2022 | 10 October 2022 | (850) 245-6200 | Division of Elections |
| Georgia | 11-08-2022 | 09 October 2022 | (404) 656-2871 | Elections Division |
| Hawaii | 11-08-2022 | 09 October 2022 | (808) 453-8683 | Office of Elections |
| Idaho | 11-08-2022 | 15 October 2022 | (208) 334-2852 | Elections Division |
| Illinois | 11-08-2022 | 12 October 2022 | (217) 782-4141 | Board of Elections |
| Indiana | 11-08-2022 | 10 October 2022 | (317) 232-3939 | Election Division |
| Iowa | 11-08-2022 | 24 October 2022 | (515) 281-0145 | Elections |
| Kansas | 11-08-2022 | 18 October 2022 | (785) 296-4561 | Elections |
| Kentucky | 11-08-2022 | 11 October 2022 | (502) 573-7100 | State Board of Elections |
| Louisiana | 11-08-2022 | 09 October 2022 | (225) 922-0900 | Elections Division |
| Maine | 11-08-2022 | 18 October 2022 | (207) 624-7736 | Elections Division |
| Maryland | 11-08-2022 | 18 October 2022 | (410) 269-2840 | State Board of Elections |
| Massachusetts | 11-08-2022 | 19 October 2022 | (617) 727-2828 | Elections Division |
| Michigan | 11-08-2022 | 24 October 2022 | (888) 767-6424 | Bureau of Elections |
| Minnesota | 11-08-2022 | 18 October 2022 | (651) 215-1440 | Election Division |
| Mississippi | 11-08-2022 | 09 October 2022 | (601) 576-2550 | Elections Division |
| Missouri | 11-08-2022 | 12 October 2022 | (573) 751-2301 | Elections |
| Montana | 11-08-2022 | 09 October 2022 | (406) 444-4732 | Elections Bureau |
| Nebraska | 11-08-2022 | 21 October 2011 | (402) 471-2555 | Elections Division |
| Nevada | 11-08-2022 | 11 October 2022 | (775) 684-5705 | Elections Division |
| New Hampshire | 11-08-2022 | 29 October 2022 | (603) 271-3242 | Elections Division |
| New Jersey | 11-08-2022 | 10-18-202 | (609) 292-3760 | Division of Elections |
| New Mexico | 11-08-2022 | 11 October 2022 | (505) 827-3600 | Bureau of Elections |
| New York | 11-08-2022 | 24 October 2022 | (518) 474-6220 | Board of Elections |
| North Carolina | 11-08-2022 | 14 October 2022 | (919) 814-0700 | State Board of Elections |
| North Dakota | 11-08-2022 | n-a | (701) 328-4146 | Elections Division |
| Ohio | 11-08-2022 | 09 October 2022 | (887) 767-6446 | Elections |
| Oklahoma | 11-08-2022 | 14 October 2022 | (405) 521-2391 | Election Board |
| Oregon | 11-08-2022 | 18 October 2022 | (503) 986-1518 | Elections Division |
| Pennsylvania | 11-08-2022 | 24 October 2022 | (717) 787-5280 | Bureau of Elections |
| Rhode Island | 11-08-2022 | 09 October 2022 | (401) 222-2345 | Board of Elections |
| South Carolina | 11-08-2022 | 09 October 2022 | (803) 734-9060 | State Elections Commission |
| South Dakota | 11-08-2022 | 24 October 2022 | (605) 773-3537 | Elections |
| Tennessee | 11-08-2022 | 09 October 2022 | (615) 741-7956 | Division of Elections |
| Texas | 11-08-2022 | 09 October 2022 | (512) 463-5650 | Elections Division |
| Utah | 11-08-2022 | 28 October 2022 | (801) 538-1041 | Elections |
| Vermont | 11-08-2022 | 08 November 2022 | (800) 439-8683 | Elections |
| Virginia | 11-08-2022 | 17 October 2022 | (804) 864-8901 | State Board of Elections |
| Washington | 11-08-2022 | 31 October 2022 | (360) 902-4180 | Elections |
| West Virginia | 11-08-2022 | 18 October 2022 | (304) 558-6000 | State Election Commission |
| Wisconsin | 11-08-2022 | 19 October 2022 | (608) 266-8005 | Elections Division |
| Wyoming | 11-08-2022 | 25 October 2022 | (307) 777-5860 | Election Administration |
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