If You Haven't Registered to Vote Yet, You're Nearly Out of Time - Here's Your Deadline

Thomas Jefferson once said: "The government you elect is the government you deserve."

In order to make a change or stay the course, you first decide that you want to participate in the voting process.

Election Day is Nov. 6, but in some states, you have to register in order to vote.  

The following list includes every state's voter registration deadline. Some deadlines are this week. Some have already passed. But other states registration remain open for residents right up to Election Day. Watch the deadline for mailing in your application. It's usually when the application is postmarked, not when it is delivered to the election office.  Some states have online registration, others do not. 

Voter Deadlines by State

Alabama - Register in person, online or mail Oct. 22

Arizona -  Register in person or mail Oct. 9

Arkansas - Register in person or mail Oct. 9

California - Register in person, online or by mail Oct. 22. Residents who miss the deadline can still register at an election office and vote with a provisional ballot. 

Colorado - Register by mail or online Oct. 29. 

Connecticut - Register in person, by mail or online Oct. 30. Residents can still register to vote through Election Day at a local election office.

Delaware - Register in person, online or by mail Oct. 13.

District of Columbia - Register in person by Election Day. Register by mail or online by Oct. 16.

Florida - Register in person, by mail or online Oct. 9.

Georgia - Register in person, by mail or online Oct. 9.

Hawaii -  Register in person, by mail or online Oct. 9. Miss the deadline? Residents can still register to vote and cast a ballot during early voting or on Election Day.

Idaho -  Register in person, by mail or online Oct. 9. 

Illinois - Register in person Oct. 9. Register online by Oct. 21. 

Indiana - Register in person, by mail or online Oct. 9.

Iowa - Register online Oct. 27, and by mail Oct. 22. 

Kansas - Register in person, online or by mail Oct. 16.

Kentucky - Register in person, online or by mail Oct. 9.

Louisiana - Register in person or by mail Oct. 9. Register online by Oct. 16.

Maine - Register by mail Oct. 16. Register to vote in person until Election Day.

Maryland -  Register in person Oct. 16 or during early voting with a state-issued ID. Register by mail or online by Oct. 16.

Massachusetts -  Register in person or online Oct. 17. Register by mail Oct. 16.

Michigan - Register in person or by mail Oct. 9. 

Minnesota - Register online or by mail Oct. 16. 

Mississippi - Deadline to register in person was Oct. 8. If registering by mail, the deadline is Oct. 9. 

Missouri - Register by mail, in person or online Oct. 10.

Montana - Deadline to register in person was Oct. 7. To register by mail, the form must be received by Oct. 10.  Late registration available at all county election offices.

Nebraska - Register by mail or online Oct. 19.  Register in person by Oct. 26.

Nevada - Register by mail by Oct. 9, and Oct. 16 in person. Register online by Oct. 18.

New Hampshire -  Register in person through Election Day. 

New Jersey - Register in person or by mail Oct. 16. 

New Mexico - Register in person, by mail or online by Oct. 9.

New York - Register in person or online by Oct. 12. By mail, the form must be received by Oct. 17.

North Carolina - Register in person or by mail Oct. 12. (Extended to Oct. 15 for 28 counties that were affected by Hurricane Florence.) From Oct. 17 to Nov. 3, residents can register and vote simultaneously at "one-stop" early voting sites. 

North Dakota - Residents not required to register before Election Day.  Bring ID and proof of residency to your polling place.

Ohio - Register in person, by mail or online Oct. 9.

Oklahoma - Register in person or by mail Oct. 12. 

Oregon - Register in person, by mail or online Oct. 16. 

Pennslyvania - Register in person, online or by mail Oct. 9.

South Carolina - Register in person, by mail or online Oct. 17.  (That's the extended deadline due to Hurricane Florence.)

South Dakota - Register in person Oct. 22.  By mail, the form must be received by Oct. 22. 

Tennessee - Register in person, by mail or online Oct. 9.

Texas - Register in person or by mail Oct. 9.

Utah - Register by mail Oct. 9. Register in person or online Oct. 30.

Vermont - Register in person or online through Election Day.

Virginia - Register in person, online or by mail Oct. 15.

Washington - Register in person by Oct. 29.

West Virginia -  Register in person, online or by mail Oct. 16.

Wisconsin -  Register online or by mail Oct. 17. Register in person until Election Day.

Wyoming - Register in person through Election Day. To register by mail, the form must be received by Oct. 22.