Voter Registration Deadlines

11/1/2019

Table of Contents

Contact

Introduction

Deadlines to register to vote vary by state. The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) of 1993 requires that states set their voter registration deadlines for federal elections no more than 30 days before an election. Some states set their registration deadlines at this 30-day mark, whereas others permit voters to register up to Election Day, and anywhere in between. States sometimes have different voter registration deadlines for online registration, mailed registration applications and in-person registration.

The categories below summarize in-person registration deadlines. Additional state-by-state details are provided in Table 1.

  • Fifteen states have a voter registration deadline 28-30 days before an election: 
    • Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas 
  • Eleven states have a voter registration deadline 20 to 27 days before an election: 
    • Delaware, Kansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina,* Oklahoma, Oregon, Virginia, West Virginia
  • Four states have a voter registration deadline one to 15 days before an election: 
    • Alabama, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, South Dakota
  • Nineteen states and Washington, D.C., have voter registration available on Election Day. Many also offer same-day registration and voting during the early voting period (see NCSL's webpage on Same-Day Registration for additional information): 
    • California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming 
  • North Dakota does not have voter registration. 

*North Carolina has same-day voter registration during the early voting period but not on election day.

This page is intended as a reference to legislators who are looking at their state's voter registration deadlines in comparison to other states, and is not intended as a resource for voters to determine their state's voter registration deadline. Additional resources are provided at the end of the page to determine a state's voter registration deadline in a given year. 

Table 1: Voter Registration Deadlines

State

Registration Deadline

Alabama

Ala. Code § 17-3-50

Fifteen days before an election.

Alaska

Alaska Stat. 15.07.070(c)

Thirty days before an election.

Arizona

Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 16-120

Twenty-nine days before an election.

Arkansas

AR Const. Amend. 51, § 9

Thirty days before an election.

California

Cal. Elec. Code § 2107

Fifteen days before an election.

Same-day registration is permitted 14 days before an election and on Election Day.

Colorado

Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1-2-201

Eight days before an election.

Same-day registration is permitted during early voting and on Election Day.

Deadlines for voter registration drives are 22 days before an election.

Connecticut

C.G.S.A. § 9-23g

Seven days before an election.

Same-day registration is permitted on Election Day.

Deadlines for primary elections are different.

Delaware

Del. Code Tit. 15 §2036 et seq.

Twenty-four days before an election.

Deadlines for special elections are different.

District of Columbia

DC ST § 1-1001.07

Twenty-one days before an election.

Same-day registration is permitted on Election Day.

Florida

Fla. Stat. § 97.055

Twenty-nine days before an election.

Georgia

Ga. Code Ann. § 21-2-224

Twenty-nine days before an election.

Deadlines for special elections are different.

Hawaii

Hawaii Rev. Stat. §11-24

Twenty-nine days before an election.

Same-day registration is permitted during early voting and on Election Day.

Idaho

Idaho Code §34-408

Twenty-five days before an election.

Same-day registration is permitted on Election Day.

Illinois

10 ILCS 5/4-6, 4-16, 5-5, 6-29, 1A-16.5

Twenty-eight days before an election; 16 days before if registering online.

Same-day registration is permitted from 27 days before the election and on Election Day.

Availability and locations of same-day and Election Day registration vary by county.

Indiana

Ind. Code §3-7-13-10

Twenty-nine days before an election.

Iowa

Iowa Code §48A.9

Ten days before an election; postmarked 15 days before an election for mail registrations.

Same-day registration is permitted during in-person absentee voting and on Election Day.

Deadlines for primary and other elections are different.

Kansas

Kan. Stat. §25-2311

Twenty-one days before an election.

Kentucky

Ken. Rev. Stat. § 116.045

Twenty-nine days before an election.

Louisiana

LSA-R.S. 18:135

Thirty days before an election; 20 days before if registering online.

Maine

21-A MRSA §121-A, 122

Twenty-one days before an election.

Same-day registration is permitted on Election Day.

Maryland

Md. Election Code § 3-302, 305, 306

Twenty-one days before an election.

Same-day registration is permitted during early voting and on Election Day.

Massachusetts

M.G.L.A. 51 § 26

Twenty days before an election.

Michigan

M.C.L.A. 168.497, 168.498

Thirty days before an election.

Same-day registration is permitted during ealry voting and on Election Day. 

Minnesota

Minn. Stat. Ann. §201.054, 201.061

Twenty-one days before an election.

Same-day registration is permitted on Election Day.

Mississippi

Miss. Code Ann. § 23-15-37

Thirty days before an election.

Missouri

V.A.M.S. 115.135

Twenty-seven days before an election.

Montana

MCA 13-2-301, 304

Thirty days before an election.

Same-day registration is permitted after the deadline through Election Day.

Nebraska

Neb. Rev. St. § 32-302, 304

Eleven days before an election; 18 days before if registering online.

Nevada

N.R.S. 293.560

Twenty-eight days before an election in-person; postmarked 28 days before if registering by mail; 5 days before if registering online.

Deadlines for special elections are different.

Same-day registration is permitted during early voting and on Election Day.

New Hampshire

N.H. Rev. Stat. §654:7, 654:7-a

Six to 13 days before an election, depending on local supervisors of the checklist.

Same-day registration is permitted on Election Day.         

New Jersey

N.J.S.A. 19:31-6

Twenty-one days before an election.

New Mexico

N. M. S. A. § 1-4-8

Twenty-eight days before an election.

Same-day registration is permitted 28 days prior to the election until the Saturday prior, and will be offered on Election Day beginning in 2021.

New York

N.Y. Election Law §5-210

Twenty-five days before an election.

 

North Carolina

N.C. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 163-82.6

Twenty-five days before an election.

Same-day registration is permitted during early voting.

North Dakota

North Dakota does not have voter registration.

Ohio

Ohio Rev. Code Ann. §3503.19

Thirty days before an election.

Oklahoma

Okla. Stat. tit. 26 § 4-110.1

Twenty-five days before an election.

Oregon

Ore. Rev. Stat. § 247.017

Twenty-one days before an election.

Pennsylvania

Pa. Cons. Stat. tit. 25 § 1231

Fifteen days before an election.

Rhode Island

R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-9.1-3

Thirty days before an election.

South Carolina

S.C. Code Ann. § 7-5-150

Thirty days before an election.

South Dakota

S.D. Codified Laws § 12-4-5

Fifteen days before an election.

Tennessee

Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-2-109

Thirty days before an election.

Texas

V.T.C.A., Election Code §13.143

Thirty days before an election.

Utah

Utah Code Ann.

§ 20A-2-102.5, 206, 207

Thirty days before an election; seven days if registering online

Same-day registration is permitted during early voting and on Election Day.

Vermont

Vt. Stat. Ann. Tit. 17, § 2144

Same-day registration is permitted through Election Day.

Virginia

Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-416

Twenty-two days before an election

Deadlines for special elections are different.

Washington

Wash. Rev. Code 29A.08.140

Eight days before an election; 29 days if registering by mail or online.

Same-day registration is permitted during early voting and on Election Day. 

West Virginia

W. Va. Code, § 3-2-6

Twenty-one days before an election

Wisconsin

Wis. Stat. § 6.28

Twenty days before an election

Same-day registration is also permitted on Election Day.

Wyoming

Wyo. Stat. § 22-3-102, 104

Fourteen days before an election

Same-day registration is also permitted on Election Day.

Additional Resources