Voter registration in the United States

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File:Map of states and territories in the United States the require voter registration to vote.svg
Map of the District of Columbia, states, and territories in the United States that require voter registration to vote:<templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" />
  Voter registration required for federal and state elections
<templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" />
  No voter registration required for federal or state elections, although some local city elections may require voter registration

All U.S. states and territories, except North Dakota, require voter registration by eligible citizens before they can vote in federal, state and local elections. In North Dakota, cities in the state may register voters for city elections,[1] and in other cases voters must provide identification and proof of entitlement to vote at the polling place before being permitted to vote. Voter registration takes place at the county level in many states or at the municipal level in several states. Many states set cutoff dates for registration or to update details, ranging from two to four weeks before an election, while 25 states and Washington, D.C. have same-day voter registration, which enables eligible citizens to register or update their registration on the same day they cast their vote.[2] In states that permit early voting, and have voter registration, the prospective voter must be registered before casting a vote.

Some historical registration requirements, including poll taxes, literacy tests, and grandfather clauses, were part of the systematic disenfranchisement of African Americans in the Jim Crow South.

More recently, several common misconceptions have developed around the supposed consequences of registering to vote—that it exposes the person to the military draft, or affects car insurance rates, or requires a permanent address. Despite being untrue, these beliefs are sometimes deterrents for registration.[3] The impact and fairness of other requirements, such as voter identification laws, are the subject of ongoing debate.[4]

The legal case Pitts v. Black in 1984 established that eligible American voters residing in non-conventional accommodations, like a park bench, cannot be refused to register to vote, allowing people experiencing homelessness to participate in elections.[5]

A 2023 study by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) found that 85.4% of the citizen voting age population (CVAP) in the United States were registered to vote at the time of the 2022 general elections, more than 203 million U.S. citizens.[6]

While voters were historically required to register at government offices by a certain date before an election, the federal government in the mid-1990s made efforts to increase turnout by easing the registration process. The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (the "Motor Voter" law) requires state governments to either provide uniform opt-in registration services through drivers' license registration centers, disability centers, schools, libraries, and mail-in registration, or to allow Election Day voter registration, where voters can register at polling places immediately prior to voting.

In 2016, Oregon became the first state to make voter registration fully automatic (opt-out) when issuing driver licenses and ID cards, since followed by 15 more states and the District of Columbia. Political parties and other organizations sometimes hold voter registration drives to register new voters.

In 31 states and the District of Columbia, persons registering to vote may at the same time declare an affiliation with a political party.[7]

History

In 1800, Massachusetts was the first state to require voter registration as a prerequisite for voting in the state.[8] This was followed by Maine (1821), Pennsylvania (1836) and Connecticut (1839). During the 19th century, and especially after the Civil War, more states and cities set a voter registration as a prerequisite to voting, partially to prevent voting by immigrants in cities. However, it was not until 1913 when Nebraska became the first state to establish a permanent statewide voter register, overseen by an election commissioner.

According to a 2020 study, voter registration laws adopted in the period 1880–1916 reduced turnout as much as 19%.[9]

North Dakota abolished voter registration in 1951 for state and federal elections, the only state to do so.[1] Since 2004 it has required voters to produce ID at time of casting a vote. This has led to North Dakota being accused of voter suppression because many Native American were denied a vote because the address on their tribal IDs had a post office box address, which continues to be a common practice.[10]

In 2002, Arizona made online voter registration available. In 2016, Oregon became the first state to implement a fully automatic (opt-out) voter registration system tied to the process of issuing driver licenses and ID cards.

No registration jurisdiction

North Dakota is the only state that does not have voter registration, which was abolished in 1951, although cities in North Dakota may register voters for city elections.[1][11] In North Dakota voters must provide identification and proof of entitlement to vote at the polling place before being permitted to vote.

North Dakota is exempt from the requirements of the federal National Voter Registration Act of 1993. Because of this exemption, North Dakota has since 2004 required voters to produce an approved form of ID before being able to vote, one of which was a tribe ID commonly used by Native Americans. It was common and lawful for a post office box to be used on this ID, instead of a residential address, because there are no street addresses on reservations. In 2016, a change required tribal ID to have a residential address to be accepted, and North Dakota has been accused of voter suppression with many Native Americans being denied a vote because they did not have an approved form of ID with a residential address.[10]

North Dakota's ID law especially adversely affected large numbers of Native Americans, with almost a quarter of Native Americans in the state, otherwise eligible to vote, being denied a vote on the basis that they do not have proper ID; compared to 12% of non-Indians. A judge overturned the ID law in July 2016, also saying: "The undisputed evidence before the Court reveals that voter fraud in North Dakota has been virtually non-existent."[12] However, the denial of a vote on this basis was also an issue in the 2018 mid-term election.[10]

Federal jurisdiction

While the United States Congress has jurisdiction over laws applying to federal elections, it has deferred most aspects of election law to the states. The United States Constitution prohibits states from restricting voting rights in ways that infringe on a person's right to equal protection under the law (14th Amendment), on the basis of race (15th Amendment), on the basis of sex (19th Amendment), on the basis of having failed to pay a poll tax or any tax (14th Amendment (see: Harper v. VA Elections Board) & 24th Amendment), or on the basis of age for persons age 18 and older (26th Amendment). The administration of elections, however, vary widely across jurisdictions.

In general, US citizens over the age of 18 have the right to vote in federal elections.[13] In a few cases, permanent residents ("green card" holders) have registered to vote and have cast ballots without realizing that doing so was illegal. Non-citizens convicted in criminal court of having made a false claim of citizenship for the purpose of registering to vote in a federal election can be fined and imprisoned for up to a year. Deportation and removal proceedings have resulted from several such cases.[14] Some municipalities allow non-citizen residents to vote in municipal or school district elections.

All states except Maine and Vermont (and the District of Columbia) deny the vote to convicted felons for some duration, a practice known as felony disenfranchisement. In 16 states, voting is only prohibited during incarceration. 21 states additionally prohibit voting during parole or probation but allow voting after. Eleven states either indefinitely suspend voting rights or require special action to have voting rights restored.[15]

Security issues

In 2023 a contractor, WSD Digital, developing a voter registration and e-pollbook system for New Hampshire put in code to link to websites in Russia and used open source software managed by a Russian. New Hampshire found those issues by hiring another company, ReversingLabs, to review the code of the first company.[16]

In 2016 Russian hackers probed all states and breached voter registration systems in two states. Breaches have the potential to add, remove or change voters, allowing later addition of ballots in those names.[16]

Effect on participation

File:Florida Voter Information Card 2020.jpg
A Sumter County, Florida Voter Information Card

A 2012 study by The Pew Charitable Trusts estimates that 24% of the voting-eligible population in the United States are not registered to vote, a percentage that represents "at least 51 million eligible U.S. citizens."[17][18] The study suggests that registration requirements contribute to discouraging people from exercising their right to vote, thereby causing a lower voter turnout. The extent of discouragement and its effect on increasing the socioeconomic bias of the electorate however remain contested.

In a 1980 landmark study, Raymond E. Wolfinger and Steven J. Rosenstone came to the conclusion that less restrictive registration requirements would substantially increase the electoral turnout. According to their probit analysis, if all states adopted the procedures of the most permissive state regulations, which would mean:

  1. eliminating the closing date
  2. opening registration offices during the forty-hour work week
  3. opening registration offices in the evening or on Saturday
  4. permitting absentee registration for the sick, disabled and absent

(p 73) turnout in the 1972 presidential election would have been 9.1% higher, with 12.2 million additional people having voted.[19] In a seminal 1988 book, sociologists Richard Cloward and Francis Fox Piven argued that lowering registration requirements would improve socioeconomic equality in the composition of the electorate.[20]

Findings such as this have inspired lawmakers to facilitate the registration process, eventually leading to the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (or "Motor Voter" act) that required states to allow voter registration at various public offices, including drivers' license registration centers, disability centers, schools, libraries, as well as mail-in registration, unless a state adopts Election Day voter registration. The way towards passing this piece of federal legislation was however lengthy and rocky, as these reforms were highly contested. In an expanded 1990 edition of their 1988 book, titled "Why Americans still don't vote: and why politicians want it that way," Cloward and Piven argued that the reforms were expected to encourage less-privileged groups which happen to lean towards the Democratic Party.[21]

While the turnout at federal elections did substantially increase following the electoral reforms, the effect fell short of Wolfinger and Rosenstone's expectations while Cloward's and Piven's hope of improving the demographic representativeness of the electorate wasn't fulfilled at all. Political scientist Adam Berinsky concluded in a 2005 article that the reforms designed to make voting "easier" in their entirety had an opposite effect, actually increasing the preexisting socioeconomic biases by ensuring "that those citizens who are most engaged with the political world – those with politically relevant resources – continue to participate, whereas those individuals without such resources fall by the wayside."[22] As Berinsky reaffirms in a 2016 piece, the only way to increase turnout while improving representativeness is making more people become interested in politics.[23]

The lack of a place of residence, a mailing address or a form of identification[24] are barriers for the homeless to vote.

In a 2012 Pew Research Center study, researchers found that military personnel were disproportionately affected by voter registration errors. Most often these involved members of the military and their families who were deployed overseas.[25]

Registration centers

Traditionally, voter registration took place at government offices, but the federal National Voter Registration Act of 1993, which came into effect on January 1, 1995, simplified registration. The Act requires state governments to provide opt-in registration services through drivers' license registration centers, disability centers, schools, libraries, as well as providing for mail-in registration. However, six states are exempt from the streamlined processes under the Act: North Dakota, Idaho, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Innovative voter registration methods

In the years since the 2000 presidential election, many states have implemented innovative policies that streamline the process of voter registration, promote voter list accuracy, and create options for eligible citizens to register or to update their registration. Such innovations include online voter registration, automatic voter registration, and same-day voter registration.

A September 2024 study by the Center for Election Innovation & Research found that the implementation of at least one of these three voter registration methods increased from seven states in 2000 to 46 states in 2024. To underscore this point: during the 2000 general election, fewer than 6 percent of voting-age citizens lived in states with one of these registration methods. As of this study, nearly 90 percent of voting-age citizens live in states that will have at least one of these methods in place for the 2024 presidential election, and roughly one-third of voting-age citizens now live in states that have implemented all three methods.

The maps below show the innovative registration methods available in each state and Washington, D.C., in 2024.

File:Voter Registration Methods for 2024 U.S. Election.svg

Online voter registration

As of September 2024, online voter registration is available in 43 states and the District of Columbia.[26] North Dakota does not have voter registration. Since a federal judicial order in September 2020, Texas allows residents to register to vote online if and when they are renewing their driver's licenses or state identification cards.[27]

State or federal district Date online voter
registration implemented
Website
File:Flag of Alabama.svg Alabama 2016-12-01[28] Alabama Votes
File:Flag of Alaska.svg Alaska 2015-11[29] Alaska Online Voter Registration
File:Flag of Arizona.svg Arizona 2002-07[30] Service Arizona Voter Registration
File:Flag of California.svg California 2012-09-19[31] California Online Voter Registration
File:Flag of Colorado.svg Colorado 2010-04-01[32] Go Vote Colorado
File:Flag of Connecticut.svg Connecticut 2014-01-01[33] Connecticut Online Voter Registration
File:Flag of Delaware.svg Delaware 2014-04[26] I Vote Delaware
File:Flag of Washington, D.C.svg District of Columbia 2015[29] District of Columbia Online Voter Registration
File:Flag of Florida.svg Florida 2017-10-01[26] Register to Vote Florida Voter Registration
Template:Flagicon Georgia 2014-03[29] Georgia Online Voter Registration
File:Flag of Guam.svg Guam 2022[34] Guam Online Voter Registration
File:Flag of Hawaii.svg Hawaii 2015-08-04[35] Hawaii Online Voter Registration
File:Flag of Idaho.svg Idaho 2017-12-06[36] Idaho Votes
File:Flag of Illinois.svg Illinois 2014-06-17[37] Illinois Online Voter Registration
File:Flag of Indiana.svg Indiana 2010-07-01[38] Indiana Online Voter Registration
File:Flag of Iowa.svg Iowa 2016-01-04[39] Iowa Online Voter Registration
File:Flag of Kansas.svg Kansas 2009-05[29] Kansas Online Voter Registration
File:Flag of Kentucky.svg Kentucky 2016-03-01[40] Kentucky Online Voter Registration
File:Flag of Louisiana.svg Louisiana 2010-04[29] Geaux Vote
File:Flag of Maine.svg Maine 2023-11[41] N/A
File:Flag of Maryland.svg Maryland 2012-07-01[42] Maryland Online Voter Registration
File:Flag of Massachusetts.svg Massachusetts 2015-06-23[43] Massachusetts Online Voter Registration
File:Flag of Michigan.svg Michigan 2019-12-02[44] Michigan Online Voter Registration
File:Flag of Minnesota.svg Minnesota 2013-09-26[45] MN Votes
File:Flag of Missouri.svg MissouriTemplate:Efn 2014[26] Vote Missouri
File:Flag of Nebraska.svg Nebraska 2015-09-22[46] Nebraska Online Voter Registration
File:Flag of Nevada.svg Nevada 2012-09[29] Nevada Online Voter Registration
File:Flag of New Jersey.svg New Jersey 2020-09-04[47][48] New Jersey Online Voter Registration
File:Flag of New Mexico.svg New Mexico 2016-01-01[49] New Mexico Online Voter Registration
Template:Country data New York 2011[26] New York Electronic Voter Registration 
File:Flag of North Carolina.svg North CarolinaTemplate:Efn[50] 2020-03-20 North Carolina Online Voter Registration
File:Flag of Ohio.svg Ohio 2017-01-01[51] Ohio Online Voter Registration
File:Flag of Oklahoma.svg Oklahoma 2020[52] Not fully implemented yet[52]Template:Efn
File:Flag of Oregon.svg Oregon 2010-03-01[53] OreStar
File:Flag of Pennsylvania.svg Pennsylvania 2015-08-27[54] PA Online Voter Registration
File:Flag of Rhode Island.svg Rhode Island 2016-08-01[55] RI Online Voter Registration
File:Flag of South Carolina.svg South Carolina 2012-10-02[56] S.C. Online Voter Registration
File:Flag of Tennessee.svg Tennessee 2017-08-29[57] GoVote TN Voter Registration
File:Flag of Texas.svg Texas 2020-09[27] N/ATemplate:Efn
File:Flag of Utah.svg Utah 2010-06[29] Utah Online Voter Registration
File:Flag of Vermont.svg Vermont 2015-10-12[58] Vermont Online Voter Registration
File:Flag of Virginia.svg Virginia 2013-07-23[59] Virginia Voter Registration
Template:Flagicon Washington 2008-01[29] MyVote
File:Flag of West Virginia.svg West Virginia 2015-09[29] West Virginia Online Voter Registration
File:Flag of Wisconsin.svg Wisconsin 2017-01-09[60] My Vote Wisconsin

Template:Notelist

Automatic voter registration

As of September 2023, 24 states and the District of Columbia had automatic registration of citizens who interact with state agencies such as the DMV, along with 3 other states that have passed legislation or committed administratively to create automatic registration systems, but not yet implemented it.[61][62][63] Those interacting with the state agencies have the option to opt-out of registering.

On January 1, 2016, the Oregon Motor Voter Act implemented automatic voter registration of eligible citizens tied to the process of issuing driver licenses and ID cards, with the person having the right to opt out.[64] By April 2016 three more states – California, West Virginia, and Vermont – adopted the system, and in May 2016 Connecticut announced plans to implement it administratively rather than by legislation.[65][66] Alaskan voters approved Measure 1 on November 8, 2016, to allow residents to register to vote when applying annually for the state's Permanent Dividend Fund.[67][68] Voter approval of Measure 1 made Alaska the first state to implement automatic (opt-in) voter registration via ballot initiative. New York passed automatic voter registration on December 22, 2020, with implementation to commence in 2023.[69] Several more states have considered legislation for automatic registration.[70] On August 28, 2017, Illinois set July 1, 2018, for implementation of automatic voter registration at motor vehicle agencies, and a year later at other state agencies.[71]

In 2023, the Center for Election Innovation & Research conducted a study of the impact of automatic voter registration in Georgia, which has operated through the state's Department of Driver Services (DDS) since 2016. Among the key findings:

  • Active voter registration increased from 78 to 98 percent of eligible citizens in the first four years of AVR’s implementation
  • The registered voter population became more representative of the state’s population in terms of age and gender
  • The majority of new voter registrations in Georgia are now through DDS transactions.[72]
State or federal district Automatic voter
registration implemented
Type of opt-out
File:Flag of Alaska.svg Alaska 2017-03-01[73] back-end (post-transaction mailer)
File:Flag of California.svg California 2017-04[63] front-end (point of service)
File:Flag of Colorado.svg Colorado 2017-02[63] back-end (post-transaction mailer)
File:Flag of Connecticut.svg Connecticut 2018[74] front-end (point of service)
File:Flag of Delaware.svg Delaware 2023[75][76] back-end (post-transaction mailer)
File:Flag of Washington, D.C.svg District of Columbia 2018-06-26[77] front-end (point of service)
Template:Flagicon Georgia 2016-09[63] front-end (point of service)
File:Flag of Hawaii.svg Hawaii 2021 front-end (point of service)
File:Flag of Illinois.svg Illinois 2018-07-02[78] front-end (point of service)
File:Flag of Maine.svg Maine 2022-01[79][80] front-end (point of service)
File:Flag of Maryland.svg Maryland 2019-07-01[63] front-end (point of service)
File:Flag of Massachusetts.svg Massachusetts 2020-01[63] back-end (post-transaction mailer)
File:Flag of Michigan.svg Michigan 2019-09-09[81] front-end (point of service)
File:Flag of Minnesota.svg Minnesota 2023-05-05[82] back-end (post-transaction mailer)
File:Flag of Nevada.svg Nevada 2020-01[83] front-end (point of service)
File:Flag of New Jersey.svg New Jersey 2018-11-01[84][63] front-end (point of service)
File:Flag of New Mexico.svg New Mexico 2020[85] front-end (point of service)
Template:Country data New York 2020-12-22[86] front-end (point of service)
File:Flag of Oregon.svg Oregon 2016-01-01[87] back-end (post-transaction mailer)
File:Flag of Pennsylvania.svg Pennsylvania 2023-09-19 front-end (point of service)
File:Flag of Rhode Island.svg Rhode Island 2018-06[63] front-end (point of service)
File:Flag of Vermont.svg Vermont 2017-01[63] front-end (point of service)
File:Flag of Virginia.svg Virginia 2020-04[88] front-end (point of service)
Template:Flagicon Washington 2019-07[63] front-end (point of service)
File:Flag of West Virginia.svg West Virginia 2019-07[63] front-end (point of service)

Same-day voter registration

Most states require voters to register two to four weeks before an election, with cutoff dates varying from 15 to 30 days. An increasing number of states allow same-day voter registration (SDR), which enables eligible citizens to register to vote or update their registration on the same day they vote.

Same-day registration allows eligible citizens to register or update their registration at the polls or their local election office by showing valid identification to a poll worker or election official, who checks the identification, consults the registration list and, if they are not registered or the registration is out of date, registers them on the spot.

Twenty-five states and the District of Columbia will offer same-day voter registration for the 2024 general election, which allows any qualified resident of the state to register to vote and cast a ballot the same day.[2]

Voter turnout is much higher in states using same-day registration than in states that do not. A 2013 report analyzing turnout in the 2012 United States presidential election had SDR states averaging at a turnout of 71%, well above the average voter turn-out rate of 59% for non-SDR states.[89] According to official turnout data report in the 2014 edition of America Goes to the Polls,[90] voter turnout in SDR states has averaged 10–14 percent higher than states that lack that option.[91] A 2021 study found that same-day registration disproportionately increases turnout among young voters; young voters move more frequently, which disproportionately burdens them under traditional voter registration laws.[92]

Federal district or state Same day voting registration implemented Early voting period registration implemented
File:Flag of California.svg California 2012[93] Script error: No such module "Unsubst".[93]
File:Flag of Colorado.svg Colorado 2013[93] Script error: No such module "Unsubst".[93]
File:Flag of Connecticut.svg Connecticut 2012[93] 2024[94][93]
File:Flag of Washington, D.C.svg District of Columbia 2010[93] N/A[93]
File:Flag of Hawaii.svg Hawaii 2014[93] Script error: No such module "Unsubst".[93]
File:Flag of Idaho.svg Idaho 1994[93] N/A[93]
File:Flag of Illinois.svg Illinois 2005 and 2015[93] N/A[93]
File:Flag of Iowa.svg Iowa 2007[93] Script error: No such module "Unsubst".[93]
File:Flag of Maine.svg Maine 1973 [95][93] N/A[93]
File:Flag of Maryland.svg Maryland 2013 and 2018[93] Script error: No such module "Unsubst".[93]
File:Flag of Michigan.svg Michigan 2019[96][93] 2019[96][93]
File:Flag of Minnesota.svg Minnesota 1974[93] N/A[93]
File:Flag of Montana.svg Montana 2005[93] N/A[93]
File:Flag of Nevada.svg Nevada 2019[93]
File:Flag of New Hampshire.svg New Hampshire 1996[93] N/A[93]
File:Flag of New Mexico.svg New Mexico 2019[85][97][93] Script error: No such module "Unsubst".[85][97][93]
File:Flag of North Carolina.svg North Carolina 2007[93] Script error: No such module "Unsubst".[93]
File:Flag of Utah.svg Utah 2018[93] Script error: No such module "Unsubst".[93]
File:Flag of Vermont.svg Vermont 2015[93] Script error: No such module "Unsubst".[93]
File:Flag of Virginia.svg Virginia 2022[93] N/A
Template:Flagicon Washington 2018[93] 2019[93]
File:Flag of Wisconsin.svg Wisconsin 1975[93] N/A[93]
File:Flag of Wyoming.svg Wyoming 1994[93] N/A[93]

Template:Notelist

Voter re-registration

In many jurisdictions in the United States, registered voter must re-register to vote upon changing residential addresses (even within the same county),[98][99] or changing names.[99] In the 31 states (and District of Columbia) where voters register by political party,[7] a voter desiring to switch party affiliation must also re-register[99] to vote in closed primaries.[100]

Some jurisdictions have automatic voter re-registration whereby existing registrants are automatically re-registered after changing home addresses. A 2022 study found that automatic voter re-registration would increase voter turnout in the US by 5.8 percentage points.[98]

Partial automatic

This type does transfer some data from DMV electronically to election officials. For instance, name, age and address. However, does not fully meet the definition of an fully automated system, because it is still relying on paper forms in some way.[101]

Permanent and portable registration

File:Permanent & portable voter registration in the United States by state and territory.svg
Map of the District of Columbia, states, and territories in the United States that allow permanent and portable voter registration:<templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" />
  Permanent and portable voter registration available for registered voter
<templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" />
  Briefly, but no longer, allow for permanent and portable voter registration available for registered voters who move to a precinct that has an electronic poll book or are an active military member
<templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" />
  Provisional ballots available for registered voters who move
<templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" />
  No permanent and portable registration available

As of 2014, Delaware, Hawaii, Oregon, and Texas allow registered voters who have moved within the state to update their registrations when they vote, and are given a regular ballot when they vote. Florida briefly allowed any registered voter who moved to another county and another voting precinct to vote by provisional ballot, except if "the precinct to which you have moved has an electronic poll book or you are an active military member", in which case the voter was given a regular ballot when they voted.[102] As of 2014, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Ohio, and Utah allow registered voters who have moved within the state or the District of Columbia to vote in their new county without re-registering at their new address, but they can only vote a provisional ballot, which could require further action from the voter before it is counted.[103]

Preregistration

File:Preregistration in the United States.svg
Map of the District of Columbia, states, and territories in the United States that allow preregistration prior to turning 18 years old:<templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" />
  Preregistration after turning 16 years old
<templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" />
  Preregistration after turning 17 years old
<templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" />
  Preregistration prior to turning 18 years old
<templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" />
  No preregistration; can only vote after turning 18 years old
<templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" />
  Unknown

Preregistration allows individuals younger than 18 years of age to register to vote, but not to actually vote until they reach 18. All states have some form of preregistration, starting at age 16, except for North Dakota which does not have any registration.[104]

Federal district or state Preregistration requirements
File:Flag of Alabama.svg Alabama 18 years old by the election date[104]
File:Flag of Alaska.svg Alaska Within 90 days preceding 18th birthday[104]
File:Flag of Arizona.svg Arizona 18 years old by the election date[104]
File:Flag of Arkansas.svg Arkansas 18 years old by the election date[104]
File:Flag of California.svg California 16-year-olds may preregister[104]
File:Flag of Colorado.svg Colorado 16-year-olds may preregister[104]
File:Flag of Connecticut.svg Connecticut 18 years old by the election date[104]
File:Flag of Delaware.svg Delaware 16-year-olds may preregister[104]
File:Flag of Washington, D.C.svg District of Columbia 16-year-olds may preregister[104]
File:Flag of Florida.svg Florida 16-year-olds may preregister[104]
File:Flag of Georgia (U.S. state).svg Georgia 17.5-year-olds may preregister[104]
File:Flag of Hawaii.svg Hawaii 16-year-olds may preregister, and 17-year-olds may register but not vote[104]
File:Flag of Idaho.svg Idaho 18 years old by the election date[104]
File:Flag of Illinois.svg Illinois 18 years old by the election date[104]
File:Flag of Indiana.svg Indiana 18 years old by the election date[104]
File:Flag of Iowa.svg Iowa 17.5-year-olds may preregister[104]
File:Flag of Kansas.svg Kansas 18 years old by the election date[104]
File:Flag of Kentucky.svg Kentucky 18 years old by the election date[104]
File:Flag of Louisiana.svg Louisiana 16-year-olds may preregister[104]
File:Flag of Maine.svg Maine 17-year-olds may preregister[104]
File:Flag of Maryland.svg Maryland 16-year-olds may preregister[104]
File:Flag of Massachusetts.svg Massachusetts 16-year-olds may preregister[104]
File:Flag of Michigan.svg Michigan 18 years old by the election date[104]
File:Flag of Minnesota.svg Minnesota 18 years old by the election date[104]
File:Flag of Mississippi.svg Mississippi 18 years old by the election date[104]
File:Flag of Missouri.svg Missouri 17.5-year-olds may preregister[104]
File:Flag of Montana.svg Montana 18 years old by the election date[104]
File:Flag of Nebraska.svg Nebraska 18 years old by the election date[104]
File:Flag of Nevada.svg Nevada 17-year-olds may preregister[104]
File:Flag of New Hampshire.svg New Hampshire 18 years old by the election date[104]
File:Flag of New Jersey.svg New Jersey 17-year-olds may preregister[104]
File:Flag of New Mexico.svg New Mexico 18 years old by the election date[104]
Template:Country data New York 16 year olds may preregister[104]
File:Flag of North Carolina.svg North Carolina 16-year-olds may preregister[104]
File:Flag of Ohio.svg Ohio 18-year-olds by the election date[104]
File:Flag of Oklahoma.svg Oklahoma 18 years old by the election date[104]
File:Flag of Oregon.svg Oregon 16-year-olds may preregister[104]
File:Flag of Pennsylvania.svg Pennsylvania 18 years old by the election date[104]
File:Flag of Rhode Island.svg Rhode Island 16-year-olds may preregister, and 17-year-olds may register if they will be 18 years old by the election[104]
File:Flag of South Carolina.svg South Carolina 18 years old by the election date[104]
File:Flag of South Dakota.svg South Dakota 18 years old by the election date[104]
File:Flag of Tennessee.svg Tennessee 18 years old by the election date[104]
File:Flag of Texas.svg Texas Individuals 17 years and 10 months old may register
File:Flag of Utah.svg Utah 16-year-olds may preregister[104]
File:Flag of Vermont.svg Vermont 18 years old by the election date[104]
File:Flag of Virginia.svg Virginia 18 years old by the election date[104]
Template:Country data Washington 18 years old by the election date[104]
File:Flag of West Virginia.svg West Virginia 17-year-olds may preregister[104]
File:Flag of Wisconsin.svg Wisconsin 18 years old by the election date[104]
File:Flag of Wyoming.svg Wyoming 18 years old by the election date[104]

Registration drives

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File:ObamaVoterRegistrationRallyPhiladelphia2008.jpg
An October 2008 voter registration rally held on behalf of Barack Obama's presidential campaign, on Philadelphia's Benjamin Franklin Parkway

A voter registration drive is an effort undertaken by a government authority, political party or other entity to register to vote persons otherwise entitled to vote. In many jurisdictions, the functions of electoral authorities includes endeavours to get as many people to register to vote as possible. In most jurisdictions, registration is a prerequisite to a person being able to vote at an election.

In the United States, such drives are often undertaken by a political campaign, political party, or other outside groups (partisan and non-partisan), that seeks to register persons who are eligible to vote but are not registered. In all U.S. states except North Dakota, registration is a prerequisite to a person being able to vote at federal, state or local elections, as well as to serve on juries and perform other civil duties. Sometimes these drives are undertaken for partisan purposes, and target specific demographic groups considered to be likely to vote for one candidate or other; on the other hand, such drives may be undertaken by non-partisan groups and targeted more generally.

In 2004, the Nu Mu Lambda chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity held a voter registration drive in DeKalb County, Georgia, from which Georgia Secretary of State Cathy Cox (Dem.) rejected all 63 voter registration applications because the fraternity did not obtain specific pre-clearance from the state to conduct their drive. Nu Mu Lambda filed Charles H. Wesley Education Foundation v. Cathy Cox (Wesley v. Cox)[105] asserting that the Georgia's long-standing policy and practice of rejecting mail-in voter registration applications that were submitted in bundles, by persons other than registrars, deputy registrars, or "authorized persons", violated the requirements of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 by undermining voter registration drives. A senior U.S. District Judge upheld earlier federal court decisions in the case, which found that private entities have a right, under the federal law, to engage in organized voter registration activity in Georgia at times and locations of their choosing, without the presence or permission of state or local election officials.[106]

Organizations that regularly work to register voters and promote citizens' engagement in elections include the following (some working nationally and others more locally):

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Party affiliation

File:States with partisan voter registration.svg
<templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" />
  States which feature partisan voter affiliation questions on voter registration forms
<templatestyles src="Legend/styles.css" />
  States which have passed legislation to feature partisan voter affiliation questions on voter registration forms
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  No partisan affiliation questions on voter registration forms

In 31 states and the District of Columbia, voters are allowed to mark their party affiliation, or their unaffiliated status, on their voter registration form. In those states which host closed primaries for political parties, voters are often mandated to declare their party affiliation prior to receiving a primary ballot, whether on the day of the primary or by a prior deadline.[7] In addition, regardless of the method of primary in these states, voters who are party-affiliated in their voter files are most often allowed to participate in intra-party elections and decision-making. Missouri, an open-primary state, became the most recent state to instate an optional party affiliation question on voter registration forms in 2023.

States with party affiliation questions

Federal district of state Party affiliation question? Year of adoption
File:Flag of Alabama.svg Alabama No N/A
File:Flag of Alaska.svg Alaska Yes ?
File:Flag of Arizona.svg Arizona Yes ?
File:Flag of Arkansas.svg Arkansas Yes ?
File:Flag of California.svg California Yes ?
File:Flag of Colorado.svg Colorado Yes ?
File:Flag of Connecticut.svg Connecticut Yes ?
File:Flag of Delaware.svg Delaware Yes ?
File:Flag of Washington, D.C.svg District of Columbia Yes ?
File:Flag of Florida.svg Florida Yes ?
File:Flag of Georgia (U.S. state).svg Georgia (U.S. state) No N/A
File:Flag of Hawaii.svg Hawaii No N/A
File:Flag of Idaho.svg Idaho Yes 2011
File:Flag of Indiana.svg Indiana No N/A
File:Flag of Illinois.svg Illinois No N/A
File:Flag of Iowa.svg Iowa Yes ?
File:Flag of Kansas.svg Kansas Yes ?
File:Flag of Kentucky.svg Kentucky Yes
File:Flag of Louisiana.svg Louisiana Yes ?
File:Flag of Maine.svg Maine Yes ?
File:Flag of Maryland.svg Maryland Yes ?
File:Flag of Massachusetts.svg Massachusetts Yes 1916
File:Flag of Michigan.svg Michigan No N/A
File:Flag of Minnesota.svg Minnesota No N/A
File:Flag of Mississippi.svg Mississippi No N/A
File:Flag of Missouri.svg Missouri Upcoming 2023
File:Flag of Montana.svg Montana No N/A
File:Flag of Nebraska.svg Nebraska Yes ?
File:Flag of Nevada.svg Nevada Yes ?
File:Flag of New Hampshire.svg New Hampshire Yes ?
File:Flag of New Jersey.svg New Jersey Yes ?
File:Flag of New Mexico.svg New Mexico Yes ?
Template:Country data New York Yes ?
File:Flag of North Carolina.svg North Carolina Yes ?
File:Flag of North Dakota.svg North Dakota No N/A
File:Flag of Ohio.svg Ohio No N/A
File:Flag of Oklahoma.svg Oklahoma Yes ?
File:Flag of Oregon.svg Oregon Yes ?
File:Flag of Pennsylvania.svg Pennsylvania Yes ?
File:Flag of Rhode Island.svg Rhode Island Yes ?
File:Flag of South Carolina.svg South Carolina No N/A
File:Flag of South Dakota.svg South Dakota Yes ?
File:Flag of Tennessee.svg Tennessee No N/A
File:Flag of Texas.svg Texas No N/A
File:Flag of Utah.svg Utah Yes ?
File:Flag of Vermont.svg Vermont No N/A
File:Flag of Virginia.svg Virginia No N/A
Template:Country data Washington No N/A
File:Flag of West Virginia.svg West Virginia Yes ?
File:Flag of Wisconsin.svg Wisconsin No N/A
File:Flag of Wyoming.svg Wyoming Yes ?

Deadline to re-register with a party for a primary election

Federal district of state Deadline to re-register with a political party for a partisan primary election Deadline to re-register with a political party for the 2020 U.S. Presidential Caucuses and Primary elections
File:Flag of Colorado.svg Colorado 29th day prior to the partisan primary election[107] 2020-02-03[107]
File:Flag of Connecticut.svg Connecticut 3 months prior to the partisan primary election[108] Script error: No such module "Unsubst".[109]
File:Flag of Delaware.svg Delaware The last Saturday in May of the year of the partisan primary election Script error: No such module "Unsubst".[110]
File:Flag of Washington, D.C.svg District of Columbia 21st day prior to the partisan primary election[111] Script error: No such module "Unsubst".[111]
File:Flag of Idaho.svg Idaho 10th Friday prior to the partisan primary election[112]Template:Efn Script error: No such module "Unsubst".[113]
File:Flag of Kansas.svg Kansas 14th day prior to the partisan primary election[114]Template:Efn Script error: No such module "Unsubst".[115]
File:Flag of Kentucky.svg Kentucky December 31 of the year prior to the partisan primary election[116] Script error: No such module "Unsubst".[116]
File:Flag of Maine.svg Maine 15th day prior to the partisan primary election[114]Template:Efn Script error: No such module "Unsubst".[117]
File:Flag of New Hampshire.svg New Hampshire 1st Tuesday of June of the year of the partisan primary election[118]Template:Efn Script error: No such module "Unsubst".[119]
File:Flag of New Jersey.svg New Jersey 55th day prior to the partisan primary election[114]Template:Efn 2020-04-08[120]
Template:Country data New York The Friday 10 weeks before the Presidential Primary Election in 2020 [121] 2020-02-14[122]
File:Flag of Oregon.svg Oregon 21st day prior to the partisan primary election[123] 2020-04-28
File:Flag of Rhode Island.svg Rhode Island 30th day prior to the partisan primary election[124] Script error: No such module "Unsubst".[125]
File:Flag of Wyoming.svg Wyoming 14th day prior to the partisan primary election[126] Script error: No such module "Unsubst".[126]

Template:Notelist

Youth voting

In some cities, people younger than 18 can vote in local elections, such as for city councils and school boards. Takoma Park, Maryland, was the first city to allow youth voting, starting in 2013. Other nearby cities, including Hyattsville, Greenbelt and Riverdale Park adopted similar measures.[127]

See also

Further reading

References

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  3. The Most Common Myths About Voter Registration, Debunked lifehacker.com
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  14. Kirk Semple, ""Immigrants Find Voting Can Come At a Cost". New York Times, October 15, 2010.
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  28. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  29. a b c d e f g h i Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  30. Online Voter Registration (OLVR) Systems in Arizona and Washington: Evaluating Usage, Public Confidence and Implementation Processes
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  50. NCSBE Press Release
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  100. State Primary Election Types, National Conference of State Legislatures (January 6, 2021).
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  103. Millions to the Polls
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Template:Voting rights in the United States