Voting Information
Here are links to resources to get the answers to some frequently-asked questions.
How do I vote absentee?
With absentee voting — otherwise known as vote-by-mail (VBM) — you’ll receive your ballot in the mail, fill it out, and then mail it back to your state or local elections officials, rather than going to a polling place to vote.
In some states, you need a valid excuse — such as being out of town on Election Day, being physically unable to go to the polls, or being stationed overseas in the military — in order to be able to vote absentee. Other states let you vote by mail without an excuse, or mail a ballot to all registered voters by default.
To review your state’s VBM/absentee rules or apply for a mail/absentee ballot, use this online form from the Voter Participation Center.
Can I vote early?
Some states allow voters to avoid the Election Day lines and cast their ballot at a more convenient time by setting up early in-person voting, where voters can go to a designated location (usually a county or city office) in the days or weeks leading up to Election Day and cast their ballot ahead of time.
To find out if and when your state has early voting, see the Early Voting calendar on vote.org.
How do I check if I'm registered to vote?
You can check whether you’re registered to vote, as well as whether your registration address, party affiliation, etc. are up to date, using this online form from the Voter Participation Center, or check your state elections authority’s website.
If you aren’t registered to vote, it’s easy to get registered! Use our online voter registration tool to get started.
Do I need ID to vote? If so, what type?
In some states, you need to present a valid form of identification to vote. The kinds of identification accepted vary from state to state, and some states identify you from your registration data and don’t require you to present any ID at all.
To see whether you need to present ID in order to vote, find your state’s listing on Ballotpedia’s voter ID page.
Can I change my voting registration address online?
If you’ve moved since you last registered to vote, you need to change your voter registration to your new address — whether you’ve moved in-town, in-state, or out-of-state. Use our online voter registration tool to register to vote at your new address.
When are the primary and general elections where I live, and what's on my ballot?
The 2020 general election (for the office of president of the United States, all seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, 35 seats in the U.S. Senate, and various offices in state and local government) will be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020. 2020 primary election dates vary by state.
Fill out this form on Vote411.org for information about upcoming elections where you live and what offices, candidates, and referenda or initiatives will be on your ballot. (If there isn’t any information on the site for your location, it’s because that information hasn’t been made available yet to Vote411. Check back later.)
I'm a felon. Can I vote?
Criminal re-enfranchisement policies vary from state to state. In some states, felons are permanently barred from voting unless they’re given special dispensation by the state’s governor or elections officials; in others, felons can vote when they’ve completed their prison term and/or parole.
See this map from the ACLU for more information about felon re-enfranchisement in your state.