In just a few months, the United States of America will finally hold its 59th quadrennial presidential election on November 3, 2020. As a citizen of the country, voting is one of the many sacred rights that Americans possess and it is your responsibility to educate yourself and gather all the important information needed before election day comes.
As the spread of COVID-19 continues, the country is finding many ways to keep each other healthy and safe, forcing a huge shift in voter registration options. This information entails that there are additional ways to register to vote while promoting social distancing guidelines such as registering by mail, or registering online. The deadlines for each state may vary and this article will contain all the information you may need for whichever option you use:
Alabama
- In Person: 15 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 15 days before Election Day.
- Online: 15 days before Election Day.
Alaska
- In Person: 30 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 30 days before Election Day. If this falls on a Sunday, postmarked 31 days before Election Day.
- Online: 30 days before Election Day.
Arizona
- In Person: 29 days before Election Day, or on the next immediate business day if the deadline falls on a legal holiday or weekend.
- By Mail: Postmarked 29 days before Election Day, or on the next immediate business day if the deadline falls on a legal holiday or weekend.
- Online: 29 days before Election Day.
Arkansas
- In Person: 30 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 30 days before Election Day. If this falls on a Sunday, postmarked 29 days before Election Day.
- Online: N/A
California
- In Person: 15 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 15 days before Election Day.
- Online: 15 days before Election Day.
Colorado
- In Person: Election Day.
- By Mail: Received 8 days before Election Day.
- Online: 8 days before Election Day.
Connecticut
- In Person: 7 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 7 days before Election Day.
- Online: 7 days before Election Day.
Delaware
- In Person: 24 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 24 days before Election Day.
- Online: The fourth Saturday before Election Day.
District of Columbia
- In Person: Election Day, with proof of residency.
- By Mail: Received 21 days before Election Day.
- Online: 21 days before Election Day.
Florida
- In Person: 29 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 29 days before Election Day.
- Online: 29 days before Election Day.
Georgia
- In Person: 29 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 29 days before Election Day.
- Online: The fifth Monday before Election Day.
Hawaii
- In Person: 30 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 30 days before Election Day.
- Online: 30 days before Election Day.
Idaho
- In Person: 24 days before Election Day. If you miss this deadline, you may also register on Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 25 days before Election Day.
- Online: 25 days before Election Day.
Illinois
- In Person: 27 days before Election Day, after which you may register during the early voting period through Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 28 days before Election Day.
- Online: 16 days before Election Day.
Indiana
- In Person: 29 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 29 days before Election Day.
- Online: 29 days before Election Day.
Iowa
- In Person: 10 days before Election Day. If you miss the deadline, you can also register to vote in-person during early vote or on Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 15 days before Election Day or received 10 days before Election Day.
- Online: 10 days before Election Day.
- Kansas
- In Person: 21 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 21 days before Election Day.
- Online: 21 days before Election Day.
Kentucky
- In Person: 29 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 29 days before Election Day.
- Online: 29 days before Election Day.
Louisiana
- In Person: 30 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 30 days before Election Day.
- Online: 20 days before Election Day.
Maine
- In Person: Election Day.
- By Mail: Received 15 business days before Election Day.
- Online: N/A
Maryland
- In Person: 21 days before Election Day. You may also register during early voting or on Election Day with proof of address.
- By Mail: Postmarked 21 days before Election Day.
- Online: 21 days before Election Day.
Massachusetts
- In Person: 20 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 20 days before Election Day.
- Online: 20 days before Election Day.
Michigan
- In Person: Election Day at your city or township clerk office. The voter registration deadline is 15 days before Election Day, if you submit an application form through a voter registration drive or deliver it to a county clerk or secretary of state office.
- By Mail: Postmarked 15 days before Election Day.
- Online: 15 days before Election Day.
Minnesota
- In Person: Election Day.
- By Mail: Received 21 days before Election Day.
- Online: 21 days before Election Day.
Mississippi
- In Person: 30 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 30 days before Election Day.
- Online: N/A
Missouri
- In Person: 27 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 27 days before Election Day.
- Online: 27 days before Election Day.
Montana
- In Person: Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 30 days before Election Day. Received 27 days before Election Day.
- Online: N/A
Nebraska
- In Person: 11 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 18 days before Election Day. Received 14 days before Election Day, if there’s an illegible postmark.
- Online: 18 days before Election Day
Nevada
- In Person: Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 28 days before Election Day.
- Online: 5 days before Election Day
New Hampshire
- In Person: Election Day. Before Election Day, the last day to register is the last meeting of the Supervisors of the Checklist. The supervisors meet once, 6-13 days before Election Day. Check your town/city website, or call your clerk’s office for the date, time, and location of the Supervisor’s meeting.
- By Mail: Received between 6 and 13 days before Election Day, depending on which town you live in.
- Online: N/A
New Jersey
- In Person: 21 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 21 days before Election Day.
- Online: N/A
New Mexico
- In Person: Saturday before Election Day at the county clerk’s office. 28 days before Election Day otherwise.
- By Mail: Postmarked 28 days before Election Day. However, an application may be accepted through the Friday following the deadline if the application is postmarked before the deadline.
- Online: 28 days before Election Day
New York
- In Person: 25 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 25 days before Election Day. Received 20 days before Election Day.
- Online: 25 days before Election Day
North Carolina
- In Person: The Saturday before Election Day if voting early in person. Otherwise 25 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 25 days before Election Day. If the postmark is missing or unclear, the application will still be processed if it is Received 20 days before Election Day.
- Online: 25 days before Election Day
North Dakota
- In Person: North Dakota does not have voter registration. You simply need to bring valid proof of ID and residency to the polls in order to vote.
- By Mail: North Dakota does not have voter registration. You simply need to bring valid proof of ID and residency to the polls in order to vote.
- Online: N/A
Ohio
- In Person: 30 days before Election Day, extended to the next business day if this falls on a Sunday.
- By Mail: Postmarked 30 days before Election Day, extended to the next business day if this falls on a Sunday.
- Online: 30 days before Election Day
Oklahoma
- In Person: 25 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 25 days before Election Day.
- Online: N/A
Oregon
- In Person: 21 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Received 21 days before Election Day.
- Online: 21 days before Election Day
Pennsylvania
- In Person: 15 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Received 15 days before Election Day.
- Online: 15 days before Election Day
Rhode Island
- In Person: 30 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 30 days before Election Day. If the postmark is missing or unclear and the registration form is received no later than 5 days after the deadline, the individual shall be presumed to have been registered by the deadline.
- Online: 30 days before Election Day
South Carolina
- In Person: 30 days before Election Day. If this falls on a Sunday, the last preceding day that the county board of voter registration and elections is open.
- By Mail: Postmarked 30 days before Election Day, the deadline is extended to the next business day if this falls on a Sunday.
- Online: 30 days before Election Day
South Dakota
- In Person: 15 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Received 15 days before Election Day.
- Online: N/A
Tennessee
- In Person: 30 days before Election Day. If this falls on a Sunday, 29 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 30 days before Election Day, the deadline is extended to the next business day if this falls on a Sunday.
- Online: 30 days before Election Day
Texas
- In Person: 30 days before Election Day. If this falls on a Sunday, 29 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 30 days before Election Day, the deadline is extended to the next business day if this falls on a Sunday.
- Online: N/A
Utah
- In Person: 30 days before Election Day. If this falls on a Sunday, 29 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 30 days before Election Day, the deadline is extended to the next business day if this falls on a Sunday.
- Online: N/A
Vermont
- In Person: Election Day (you must show proof of residence to register at the polls on Election Day)
- By Mail: Received Election Day.
- Online: Election Day.
Virginia
- In Person: 22 days before Election Day. If this day falls on a Sunday, 21 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 22 days before Election Day, the deadline is extended to the next business day if this falls on a Sunday.
- Online: 22 days before Election Day
Washington
- In Person: Election Day.
- By Mail: Received 8 days before Election Day.
- Online: 8 days before Election Day
West Virginia
- In Person: 21 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 21 days before Election Day.
- Online: 21 days before Election Day
Wisconsin
- In Person: The Friday before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked the 3rd Wednesday before Election Day.
- Online: 20 days before Election Day
Wyoming
- In Person: 14 days before Election Day.
- By Mail: Postmarked 14 days before Election Day. After this date, individuals may register to vote by mail if their registration is also accompanied by an absentee ballot request.
Online: N/A