With Election Day approaching quickly, it’s important to know how to register to vote if you haven’t already. 

First and foremost, voter registration is different in every state, so it’s important to read the fine print on your state’s voter registration site. 

Find Your State’s Deadline

Many states have approaching deadlines on October 5th. This includes states like Texas, Florida, and Georgia. However, many other states have October 4th deadlines, including South Carolina, Rhode Island, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Tennessee. 

Other states have expanded registration windows and will even allow you to register in person on election day (11/3) at your polling location such as California, Washington, and Illinois. 

Knowing your state’s deadlines couldn’t be more important. Head to vote.gov to see your state’s specific deadline. 

Can I Register Online?

Yes, 38 out of 50 states are offering online voter registration! However, each state still has different deadlines, so be sure to check out your state’s voter registration site for the details!

What About Mail-in Registration?

Almost all states (with the exception of New Hampshire and North Dakota) are offering mail-in voter registration. It’s important to find out if your state is requiring applications to be postmarked by a certain date or if it needs to be received by a certain date. 

For example, New Jersey explicitly states that registration forms must be received by Tuesday, October 13, 2020, meaning that you’d need to send it before October 13th. 

Other states will be accepting applications based on the postmarked date, such as New York applications, which must be postmarked by Friday, October 9, 2020.

What else?

When voting, be sure to follow the CDC guidelines for safety. Check with your local voting location for any changes relating to COVID-19, avoid crowds, and explore alternative voting options such as mail-in ballots!