Do You Know the Voter Registration Deadline in Your State?

Voter registration deadlines are coming fast with Election Day on November 6th almost here. Political campaigns are in the homestretch now and the approaching cut off for registration is an important message to use in your Get Out The Vote efforts. Urgency is an effective motivator of human choice, and there’s nothing like a ticking clock to communicate the urgency of this election! Make sure your volunteers and supporters are spreading the word on social media, knocking on doors and phone banking to ensure that everyone who might vote for you can vote for you.

Over 20% of American citizens aren’t registered to vote – that’s millions and millions of potential voters whose voices aren’t heard in each election. While there are many reasons that people remain unregistered (including registration restrictions that suppress the vote), a recent Pew study found that, on average, 62% of unregistered voters have never even been asked to vote. It’s up to your campaign to help change that number.

Turnout is going to be a crucial factor in Democratic success or failure this November. Make sure that your constituents know your state’s voter registration deadline and how to register before it’s too late!

While the deadline for some states has already passed (Delaware, Idaho, Oklahoma) the following still have open registration:

Mail deadlines refer to the postmark of the registration application.

• Alabama: Deadline for voter registration in person, online or by mail is Oct. 22.

• California: The deadline to register in person, online or by mail is Oct. 22. Residents who miss the deadline can still register at an election office and vote with a provisional ballot. The vote will be counted when the registration is verified.

• Colorado: The deadline for voter registration by mail or online is Oct. 29. Residents can register in person by Election Day.

• Connecticut: The deadline for voter registration in person, by mail or online is Oct. 30. Residents can still register to vote through Election Day at a local election office.

• District of Columbia: The deadline for voter registration in person is Election Day. The deadline to register by mail or online is Oct. 16.

• Florida: The deadline for voter registration  in person, by mail or online was Oct. 9. With Hurricane Michael hitting the state this week, some counties will accept paper registration after the deadline.

• Hawaii: The deadline to register in person, by mail or online was Oct. 9. Residents who miss the deadline can still register to vote and cast a ballot during early voting or on Election Day.

• Illinois: The deadline for voter registration in person was Oct. 9. The deadline to register online is Oct. 21. After Oct. 21, residents can register and vote at a local election office during a “grace period.”

• Iowa: The deadline to register online is Oct. 27, and by mail is Oct. 22. Residents can register and vote in person on Election Day.

• Kansas: The deadline for voter registration in person, online or by mail is Oct. 16.

• Louisiana: The deadline to register in person or by mail was Oct. 9. Residents can register online until Oct. 16.

• Maine: The deadline for voter registration by mail is Oct. 16. Residents can register to vote in person until Election Day. Maine does not have online registration.

• Maryland: The deadline to register by mail, online or in person is Oct. 16 or during early voting with a state-issued ID.

• Massachusetts: The deadline for voter registration in person or online is Oct. 17. The deadline to register by mail is Oct. 16.
• Minnesota: The deadline for voter registration online or by mail is Oct. 16. Residents can register in person until Election Day.
• Montana: The deadline to register by mail was Oct. 7. Late registration is available in person through Election Day at county election offices. No online registration.
• Nebraska: The deadline for voter registration by mail or online is Oct. 19. Residents can register in person up to Oct. 26.
• Nevada: The deadline to register by mail was Oct. 9, and is Oct. 16 in person. Residents can register online by Oct. 18.
• New Hampshire: The deadline to register in person is on Election Day. Residents cannot register online.
• New Jersey: The deadline to register in person or by mail is Oct. 16. No online registration.

• New York: The deadline to register in person or online was Oct. 12. To register by mail, the form must be received by Oct. 17.

• North Carolina: The deadline to register in person or by mail was Oct. 12. (Extended to Oct. 15 for 28 counties that were affected by Hurricane Florence.) No online registration. From Oct. 17 to Nov. 3, residents can register and vote simultaneously at “one-stop” early voting sites.

• North Dakota: Voters are not required to register before Election Day, but must bring acceptable proof of ID and residency to the polls.

• Oregon: The deadline for voter registration in person, by mail or online is Oct. 16. Many of the state’s residents are automatically registered when they renew their driver’s licenses.

• South Carolina: The deadline for voter registration in person, by mail or online is Oct. 17. The deadline was extended 10 days from Oct. 7 because of Hurricane Florence.

• South Dakota: The deadline to register in person is Oct. 22. To register by mail, the form must be received by Oct. 22. No online registration.

• Utah: The deadline for voter registration by mail was Oct. 9. The deadline to register in person or online is Oct. 30.

• Vermont: Voters can register online or in person through Election Day.

• Virginia: The deadline to register in person, online or by mail is Oct. 15.

• Washington: The deadline to register online or by mail was Oct. 8. Residents can register in person by Oct. 29.

• West Virginia: The deadline for voter register in person, online or by mail is Oct. 16.

• Wisconsin: The deadline for voter registration online or by mail is Oct. 17. Residents can register in person up until Election Day.

• Wyoming: The deadline for voter registration in person is on Election Day. To register by mail, the form must be received by Oct. 22. No online voter registration.