Voting Rules in the U.S. Are Different in Every State
Federal and state elections in the United States are run by the states themselves, according to Article I and Article II of the Constitution. No two states run their elections exactly the same, so contacting your state or local election office is the best way to find out about your state’s unique election rules.
The Basic Steps to Vote are the Same in Most States
Despite the differences in how states run elections, the basic steps to vote are the same almost everywhere.
Every state except North Dakota requires you to register to vote.
Every state has absentee voting.
Most states assign you a specific polling place, or voting location. A few states have ballot drop sites instead.
These voting guides explain the basics of voting, no matter where you live:
Download the National Mail Voter Registration Form. You can fill it out onscreen and print the completed form, or print the blank form and fill it out by hand. Remember to sign the form before mailing it to the location listed for your state.
Find guidance for states and territories with different registration procedures.
You can register in person with your state or local election office. If it’s more convenient for you to register elsewhere, you can check with one of these nearby public facilities to see if you can register to vote there:
State and county public assistance offices (SNAP/food stamps, WIC, services for the disabled), where you may fill out and submit a National Mail Voter Registration Form.
Overseas and Military Voters
If you’re a U.S. citizen living outside the U.S., or if you’re a service member, service member’s spouse, or eligible family member, you can register to vote and request an absentee ballot through the Federal Voting Assistance Program.
Register to Vote in Other Languages
The National Mail Voter Registration Form, which you must print, complete, sign, and mail to the location listed for your state, is available in Bengali, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.
Voter’s guides, which include information on registering to vote, are available in Cherokee, Chinese, Dakota, Japanese, Korean, Navajo, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Yupik.
Learn About the Voting Process
If you have questions about the steps involved in voting, these guides from the Election Assistance Commission are a good place to start:
Every state except North Dakota requires citizens to register if they want to become voters. Depending on your state, the registration deadline could be as much as a month before an election.
Voters who live overseas, have a disability or injury limiting their mobility, are traveling for business, or attend college out of state can still vote through absentee ballots and early votingin many states.
To vote in every state (except North Dakota) you must be registered. Register to vote now.
If You’ve Recently Registered to Vote or Changed Your Registration
If you’ve recently turned in a voter registration application or changed your voter registration, it may take a few weeks for your new voter registration card to arrive in the mail.
How to Check or Update Your Registration Information
You can check and may be able to change your registration information, including your name, address, and political party online through Can I Vote.
If you need more help, contact your state or local election office to change your name, address, or political party on your voter registration. Depending on your state’s rules:
You may be able to make changes to your registration over the phone, online, or by mail.
Your state may require you to register to vote again to change your information.
Why You Should Check Your Registration Information
Each state has different ways to keep voter registration lists up-to-date, including purging the names of inactive voters. If your election office removes your registration in error and you don’t discover this before you go to vote, you may have to cast a provisional ballot. Checking ahead of time to be sure you are still registered to vote ensures:
Your name, address, and party affiliation information are up-to-date
Your registration wasn’t mistakenly purged by your state from the list of eligible voters
You are able to vote
You’re voting at the correct polling place
What to Know About Checking and Updating Your Political Party Affiliation
Your political party affiliation is the political party that you have chosen to be associated with. Your party affiliation may be listed on your voter registration.
You are not required to join a political party or reveal your party preference when you register to vote.
Not every state accepts or lists a party affiliation on a voter registration card.
You are not required to vote for any candidate based on the party affiliation that you choose.
Your party affiliation is generally only important in primary elections. Many states have “closed” primary elections. This means that you can only choose to vote from among your party’s candidates during the primary election. Learn more about the different types of primary elections.
You can always choose to vote for any candidate regardless of your party registration in a general election, like a Presidential, congressional, or mayoral election.
When You Should Re-Register or Update Your Registration Information
Anytime you’ve changed your name
Anytime you’ve moved permanently
You’re not permitted to vote in more than one place. When you register to vote in a new location, you’ll be asked for your previous address. Your new election office will send a cancellation form to your previous election office.
Vote in your new location after you’ve changed your registration address.
When You Do NOT Have to Re-Register to Vote or Update Your Registration Information
If your name and address have not changed, you should not have to re-register to vote or update your voter registration. Once you are registered, you are eligible to vote in all elections in your area including:
Federal, state, and local elections
Primary, general, and special elections
Ballot initiatives, referendums, bond issues, and other legislation that appears on the ballot