COVID-19 is changing the way we’ll cast our ballots this year, with many searching for absentee options. Here’s CBS News’ look at voting across the U.S. — America decides: States and dates.
COVID-19 is changing the way we’ll cast our ballots this year, with many searching for absentee options. Here’s CBS News’ look at voting across the U.S. – America decides: States and dates. Use the dropdown menu below to jump to your state’s voting rules. Concern about the coronavirus has spawned a rapid expansion in mail-in voting this year — about a third of voters across the country say they want to vote by mail or absentee this year, according to CBS News polling. That would be a larger proportion of Americans voting this way than in any past presidential election. Several states already have mail-in voting in place, and this year many others are making it easier for Americans to vote without going to the polls, despite President Trump’s vehement opposition to mail-in balloting. Each state has its own laws governing how and where voters can cast ballots; here’s a look at mail-in voting across the U.S. in 2020, showing which states have expanded absentee voting because of the coronavirus; which ones have mailed ballots, rather than applications, to voters; which states don’t require an excuse to vote absentee this year — and which ones do. CBS News has gathered useful information for voters on everything from how to register to voting absentee and in-person. Here’s what we know about how to vote in your state. All times listed are local. Musadiq Bidar, Adam Brewster, Zak Hudak, LaCrai Mitchell, Tim Perry, Nicole Sganga, Alex Tin, Jack Turman, Ellee Watson, Caroline Linton, Sarah Ewall-Wice, Alex Hyneman and Samantha Szekely contributed to this voting guide. How do I register to vote? Register to vote in person, by mail or online. Print and fill out a form from this page and mail it to your county board of registrars; find yours here. The secretary of state also provides an online portal for voter registration. Am I already registered? Find out if you’re already registered here. What is required to register and what’s the deadline? You must be a U.S. citizen, live in Alabama, be at least 18 years old, not have been convicted of a disqualifying felony or have been declared « mentally incompetent » by a court. The deadline to register in person, by mail or online is October 19. Find an online application or mail-in voting registration form here. How can I vote? You may vote in-person on November 3, or by absentee/mail ballot. On July 20, Alabama announced that all voters may request an absentee ballot due to COVID-19 concerns. How do I get a mail-in ballot? Print and mail an application from your county’s absentee election manager. Find the correct form and address of your closest absentee election manager here. Then, turn in your completed application, either in person or by mail, to the office of your local absentee election manager by October 29. What’s the earliest I can vote and what’s the deadline? Alabama does not offer an in-person early voting period. The state will begin to send out mail ballots on September 19. Your mail ballot must be postmarked no later than November 2 and received by your absentee election manager no later than noon on Election Day, November 3. Can I vote in person? Yes. You can vote on November 3 in person from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Use this tool to find your nearest polling place. How do I make my vote count? You must have a valid, approved form of photo ID in order to vote in person. If voting absentee, you must place a copy of this ID in your absentee ballot materials. A list of approved forms of photo ID is here and an in-depth guide is here. If you do not have a photo ID when at the polls, two election officials can identify you as an eligible voter and sign a sworn affidavit. If you lack any of the approved forms of voter ID, you can also head to certain locations and obtain a free Alabama photo voter ID card. Details on requesting one are here. To vote by mail, you must have your ballot notarized or signed by two witnesses who are 18 years old or older. Details on the mail ballot procedure are here. Will I know if it’s rejected and can I correct it? No. Alabama will not notify you if your ballot is rejected, and you will not have an opportunity to correct it. Who counts my vote and when do they start? Your local absentee election manager will be in charge of processing and counting your vote. Absentee ballots will begin to be processed at noon on November 3. The actual counting of ballots will happen after polls close at 7 p.m. on Election Day. How do I sign up to be a poll worker? In order to be a poll worker in Alabama, you must be a registered voter at the precinct you want to work at. You must also attend a mandatory poll worker training and cannot be a member of a candidate’s immediate family or political committee. You can find the application form and more details here. How do I register to vote? Register online, in-person, or by mailing your registration form to your local election office. Print and fill out a form from this page and mail it to your county’s board of registrars. A full list of each board’s mailing address is located here. Alaska’s division of elections website also has additional information on this online portal for voter registration. Am I already registered? Find out if you’re registered to vote in Alaska here. What is required to register and what’s the deadline? In Alaska you must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years of age within 90 days of completing the application, a resident in the state of Alaska — and not registered in another state. You may not be a convicted felon (unless charges are dropped). Deadline to register in-person, by mail, or online: October 4. The online application form is here. How can I vote? You may vote in-person on November 3, or by absentee/mail ballot. Alaska is a no-excuse absentee ballot state. How do I get a mail-in ballot? You may request it online or by printing out this form. You must turn in your application, either in-person or by mail, to the office of your local absentee election manager by October 25. Your mail ballot must be postmarked no later than November 3 and can be received up to 10 days after Election Day, as long as it is postmarked on or before Election Day. Anything postmarked after will not be accepted. What’s the earliest I can vote and what’s the deadline? Alaska has an early voting period. The state will begin to send out mail ballots on October 19, since both early absentee and in-person voting begins 15 days before every election. Absentee in-person, EV, and electronic transmission begins October 19. Mail ballots must be received no later than November 3, and in-person polls close. Can I vote in person? Yes. You can vote on November 3 in person from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Use this tool to find your nearest polling place. How do I make my vote count? You must have a valid, approved form of photo ID to vote in person. If voting absentee, you must include a copy of your voter certificate and voter ID, along with other required materials with the ballot. A list of all acceptable forms of voter ID documents can be found here. Mail ballot voters must have their ballot signature witnessed by someone 18 years old or older or by an authorized official, like a notary public or municipal clerk. More information can be found here. Will I know if it’s rejected and can I correct it? No, you will not be able to tell if your vote was rejected, and you will not be able to correct it. Who counts my vote and when do they start? The ballots of those who vote in person on Election Day will be counted on election night after the polls close. Early votes cast until the Thursday before Election Day will also be counted on election night. Early votes cast after Thursday until Election Day, as well as absentee ballots, will be counted starting seven days after Election Day. The count of absentee ballots must be completed by 15 days after the general election. How do I sign up to be a poll worker? In order to be a poll worker in Alaska, you must be a registered voter in Alaska, cannot have a familial relationship with any candidate on the ballot, be willing to work 16 or more hours on Election Day or share a split shift and attend a paid four- to five-hour training session, and remain non-partisan during the election. Find more information here. How do I register to vote? Register to vote online if you have a driver’s license or ID card issued by the state’s Motor Vehicle Division. You may also register to vote by mail by mailing a form to your local county recorder’s office. Or call your county and request an application be mailed to you. The secretary of state’s website says you may register to vote in person at your local county recorder’s office, but some county elections departments, like Maricopa County, are closed for in-person visits. Am I already registered? Check to see if you’re registered to vote online here, or through some county portals like this one: Maricopa County). What is required to register and what’s the deadline? To vote in local and state elections, you must submit proof of citizenship with their voter registration form or by 5 p.m. on the Thursday before Election Day. Otherwise, they will only be provided with a ballot to vote in federal contests. Arizonans can prove their citizenship by providing their state driver’s license or identification card number, passport, naturalization or tribal documents, or other supporting legal documentation. The deadline to register to vote in Arizona is October 5,2020. How can I vote? Vote in person at either assigned polling places (in some parts of the state, like Yavapai County) or at any vote center. Polling locations can be found online through the secretary of state or local county recorders. You need to bring one « sufficient photo ID, » or two items of « sufficient ID without a photograph that bears the name and address, » or a mix of the two in order to vote in person. A list of options is available online. Arizonans may also cast a mail ballot, returned either in the mail or dropped off at « any ballot drop-box, drop-off location, early voting location, or Election Day voting location in your county on or before Election Day. » Locations can be found through your county recorder. How do I get a mail-in ballot? Request to join the « Permanent Early Voting List » (PEVL) or make a one-time request for a mail ballot ahead of the general election. Request a one-time mail ballot online, call or email your county recorder, or return a request form. You may request to join the PEVL online if you have a state ID, contact their county recorder, or return a request form. The deadline to request a one-time mail ballot or join the PEVL in Arizona is October 23,2020. What’s the earliest I can vote and what’s the deadline? You can vote in-person starting October 7,2020. Counties will also begin mailing ballots to voters on this day. Can I vote in person? Yes. How do I make my vote count? Arizonans may check to see if mail ballots have been recorded online. Will I know if it’s rejected and can I correct it? County recorders are required to « make a reasonable and meaningful attempt to contact the voter via mail, phone, text message, and/or email » to notify voters of inconsistent or missing signatures on mail ballots and allow them to correct or confirm their signature. See here for more information. Arizonans have until the fifth business day after the election to correct « inconsistent » signatures. Arizonans can « cure » unsigned mail ballots until 7 p.m. on Election Day. Who counts my vote and when do they start? County recorders can begin tabulating early ballots they have received and processed 14 days before Election Day. These results can’t be reported until Election Day, either after all ballots have been tabulated or until one hour after all polls have closed in a jurisdiction. How do I sign up to be a poll worker? Sign up online through the secretary of state’s website or contact your county recorder. How do I register to vote? Fill out a paper voter registration application, which can be found online or by going to your local county clerk’s office or these locations, then mail it in to your county clerk’s office or drop it off at these locations. Arkansas does not provide online registration. Am I already registered? You’ll know you’re registered once you receive a personalized voter registration card. You can also contact your local county clerk to confirm your registration or check your voter registration status online. What is required to register and what’s the deadline? You must be a U.S. citizen, live in Arkansas, be at least 18 years old, not be a convicted felon (pardoned or have charges dropped), and not be presently adjudged as mentally incompetent by a judge. For more details, see information here. The deadline to register for both mail in and in-person voting is October 4. An online form can be found here. How can I vote? You may vote in-person on November 3, or by absentee/mail ballot. Arkansas is allowing COVID-19 as an excuse to vote absentee, and requests must be received by October 27. How do I get a mail-in ballot? Information about requesting an absentee ballot can be found here. You can mail the application to your county clerk by October 27. What’s the earliest I can vote and what’s the deadline? Arkansas allows early in-person and absentee voting starting October 19. The state will be sending out mail in ballots starting September 18. Mail-in ballots must be returned by 7:30 p.m. November 3 or in person by November 2. The last day you may vote in person is November 3. Can I vote in person? Yes, you can vote on November 3 in person from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Use this tool to find your nearest polling place. How do I make my vote count? You must have an approved form of ID if you are voting at the polls. If you are voting absentee, follow the steps on this form. If you do not have an approved ID while you are at the polls, the election official will provide you a provisional ballot. Will I know if it’s rejected and can I correct it? Arkansas’ voter information guide does not say whether absentee voters will be told whether there’s a problem with their ballots. However, if you are a provisional voter, you will receive a notice by mail telling you whether your vote was counted. Who counts my vote and when do they start? Your local county clerk will be in charge of processing and counting votes. Absentee ballots will begin being processed seven days before Election Day, and will be counted starting at 8:30 a.m. on Election Day. How do I sign up to be a poll worker? Fill out an application online through your county clerk’s office. You must also attend mandatory training. Poll worker must follow rules can be found here. How do I register to vote? Submit an online application or one on paper. Paper applications can be picked up at county elections offices, libraries, the DMV, or U.S. post offices. You can also ask for a voter registration application to be mailed to you by either calling 1800-345-VOTE (8683) or emailing the Elections Division staff with this link. You will need to re-register to vote if you have changed your name or want to change your party affiliation. Am I already registered? Check here to see if you’re registered to vote. Some counties allow you to check the status of your voter registration through their websites. You can also call the county to find out your current status. Contact information for California’s county offices is here. What is required to register and what’s the deadline? You must be a U.S. citizen, a California resident,18 years or older on Election Day, not currently in a state or federal prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony, and not currently found by a court to be mentally incompetent to vote. Here is information on voting rights for those with a criminal history, and here’s more information for those subject to conservatorship. The deadline to register to vote is 15 days before Election Day, October 19. Your online application must be submitted by then, and if you’re submitting a paper application by mail, it must be postmarked by October 19. California offers same-day registration but requires voters who have missed the deadline to complete the application process at county elections offices, polling places, or vote centers. To find your county elections office click here. Voting centers are only available in 15 counties this year. To see if there’s one in your county, click here. To find your polling location click here. How can I vote? You can vote in person on November 3. You may also vote by mail and if you’re a registered voter, you’ll get your ballot in the mail automatically starting on October 5,2020. How do I get a mail-in ballot? If you’re a registered voter, you will automatically receive a ballot in the mail. Ballots will be mailed out to registered voters beginning on October 5,2020. Mail-in ballots come with pre-paid postage. You may request a vote-by-mail ballot up to seven days before Election Day but must do it in person and make sure it’s returned on time. What’s the earliest I can vote and what’s the deadline? You can vote as soon as you get your ballot in the mail. In 15 counties that are participating in the new Voters Choice Act this year, you can vote in person ten days before Election Day. Mailed ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received no later than 17 days post-Election Day. You can also personally deliver your ballot to a voting center, polling location, or county election office by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Can I vote in person? Yes, you can vote in person on November 3 between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. If you received a mail-in ballot, you will need to bring it to the voting location and exchange it for a polling place ballot. If you don’t have your vote-by-mail ballot, you can cast a provisional ballot at a county elections office, polling location, or vote center. To find your polling location click here. Fifteen counties are also participating in the new Voters Choice Act this year, which allows early in-person voting ten days ahead of Election Day. To see if your county is participating in the VCA, click here. If you are voting for the first time in person, it is a good idea to bring a form of ID. Poll workers may ask to see your ID if you mailed your registration application and did not include your driver’s license number, California ID number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number. Here is a complete list of acceptable ID documents. Will I know if it’s rejected and can I correct it? Yes and yes. You can sign-up for a ballot tracking tool and receive emails, texts, or phone calls when your ballot has been mailed, received, counted, and if there are any issues. If there are issues, like a missing or unverifiable signature, you will be notified that you can cast a provisional ballot, giving officials more time to review and verify your voter status. Who counts my vote and when do they start? Your local county elections office will count your vote. They will begin counting on Election Day, but counties are allowed to process vote-by-mail ballots seven business days in advance. That means they can start to verify the signature on the return envelopes and tally the number of votes that have been cast. They cannot tabulate the results until after the polls have closed at 8 p.m. on Election Day. How do I sign up to be a poll worker? Registered voters, legal residents who would be eligible to vote if they were citizens, and eligible students in high school can sign up to be poll workers. The application can be found here. How do I register to vote? Colorado offers online voter registration. You can register by mail to vote in Colorado by printing a voter registration form, filling it out, and mailing it to your local election office. You can also register to vote in person if you prefer. Am I already registered? If you’re already a registered voter in Colorado, you may confirm your registration by visiting www. GoVoteColorado.gov. What is required to register? You must be a U.S. citizen,18 years old, a Colorado resident for at least 22 days before the election and not serving a sentence of confinement or detention for a felony conviction. What is the deadline to register to vote? Voters in Colorado may register through Election Day. To receive your ballot by mail: Register to vote or update your voter registration online at www. GoVoteColorado.gov through October 26; Submit an application through the mail, at a voter registration agency, or at a local driver’s license examination facility through October 26; Submit an application through a voter registration drive no later than October 12. If you miss the above deadlines, you may register in-person at a voter service and polling center in your county through Election Day. Voters can find an online application or mail-in voting registration form here. How can I vote? Every registered voter in Colorado receives a mail-in ballot. Voters can also vote in person on November 3 at voter centers or polling locations. How do I get a mail-in ballot? Every voter automatically receives a mail-in ballot. The ballot will be sent to the mailing address you provided for your voter registration file. To check the address on file, or to make any changes to your voter registration visit www. GoVoteColorado.gov. What’s the earliest I can vote and what’s the deadline? Colorado mails out ballots October 9 to all registered voters, but county clerks are required to issue a mail-in ballot to any voter who requests one in person at the county clerk’s office starting September 19. In-person early voting starts October 19 and continues through the end of Election Day, November 3. On Election Day, polls in Colorado are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. For your mail-in ballot to count, your county clerk must receive the ballot no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day. Can I vote in person? Yes. You can vote in-person at voter services and polling centers starting October 19 and continuing through November 3. Election day hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Find your polling location here. How do I make my vote count? Every valid mail ballot is counted. To be sure your ballot is valid, follow the instructions on the mail ballot envelope. This includes making sure your ballot is signed when it is returned. For your ballot to count, your county clerk must receive your ballot no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day. If you are unsure whether your ballot will arrive by mail on time, drop it off in-person at either a drop-box or a drop-off location. There are drop-box and drop-off sites located throughout your county. Drop box locations are open 24 hours per day. If you have trouble finding a drop-box or drop-off location, contact your county clerk and recorder. Will I know if it’s rejected and can I correct it? Yes. You can check whether your mail-in ballot was accepted or rejected here. Voters have until November 12,8 days after the election, to fix a problem with their ballots. Who counts my vote and when do they start? The first day to begin counting mail ballots received for the 2020 eneral election in Colorado is October 19. No results may be disclosed until after 7 p.m. on Election Day. The 63 county clerks’ offices in Colorado count ballots. How do I sign up to be a poll worker? Election judges must be U.S. citizens by Election Day; attend a mandatory election judge class prior to the election; never have been convicted of election fraud, any other election offense, or fraud; and not related to a candidate whose name appears on the ballot in the precinct where they are appointed to serve. Find more information here. Here are your local county election officials. How do I register to vote? Connecticut will be mailing absentee ballot applications to all registered voters due to COVID-19. You can also register to vote online here. Or register to vote on Election Day at specific locations. A person may register to vote by mail by downloading, printing, and sending in a form to your local Registrar of Voters. Am I already registered? You can check if you are registered to vote on the state of Connecticut helpful tool website. What is required to register and what’s the deadline? To register in the state of Connecticut you must be 18 years of old or older, be a resident of Connecticut, have completed cconfinement and parole if previously convicted of a felony and have had your voting rights restored by Registrars of Voters. The deadline to pre-register to vote by mail and in-person is October 27. Voters can find an online application or mail-in voting registration form here. But you may also register in person on Election Day at designated locations in the state. How can I vote? You can vote in-person on November 3 or by mail-in ballot which will be mailed out to every registered voter. How do I get a mail-in ballot? Because of COVID-19, every registered voter in the state will be mailed an application for an absentee ballot, which is due by October 27. You must turn in your ballot to your Town Clerk no later than November 3 when polls close at 8 p.m. You can turn your ballot either by mail or in person. Anything postmarked after the deadline will not be counted. What’s the earliest I can vote and what’s the deadline? Connecticut does not offer an early in-person voting period. The state will begin to send out applications for absentee ballots starting October 2. You may vote in person only on November 3 from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., although any person standing in line at 8 p.m. on that day will be allowed to vote. The latest your absentee ballot will be accepted is poll close closing time by mail or in person on Election Day. Can I vote in person? Yes. You can vote on November 3 in person from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Use this tool to find your polling place. How do I make my vote count? A valid driver’s license and/or photo ID is not required to vote in the state of Connecticut, although the polling worker may ask for an ID. If you do not have a valid ID, you may sign an affidavit in lieu of showing ID. If you are sending an absentee ballot, you must follow the instructions that are provided on the ballot sent to you, otherwise your vote will not be counted even if you hand it in person to the town clerk. Will I know if it’s rejected and can I correct it? No. You will not be able to know if your vote was rejected and if it is, you will not be able to correct it. Who counts my vote and when do they start? The local registrar of voters counts the votes for the general election. Local officials can start counting the votes at their discretion, though most start counting on Election Day, November 3 after polls close at 8 p.m. How do I sign up to be a poll worker? In order to be a poll worker in Connecticut, you must sign up online, which can be located here. If you would like to become a poll worker, there are different positions available. Each position has a different list of credentials and rules that you must abide by. Rules and regulations can be found here. How do I register to vote? You may register to vote online, by mail, in-person, or by phone. Phone contacts can be found here. To register by mail, download, print and send in this form to your local county’s election office. Delaware’s website also provides a helpful portal online where you can find more information registering to vote. Am I already registered? If you’re unsure whether you’re registered to vote, Delaware provides a free online portal to check. What is required to register and what’s the deadline? To register, you must be a U.S. citizen, a resident of Delaware,18 years or older by Election Day, not judged mentally incompetent, and if convicted of a felony, you must have completed your sentence. Certain felonies are disqualifying and listed here. The deadline to register to vote in-person, by mail, and online, is October 10. Voters may use the state of Delaware’s online portal to register to vote and find more information about local restrictions. How can I vote? You can vote in person on November 3 or by absentee/mail-in ballot starting October 24. How do I get a mail-in ballot? Delaware is a « no-excuse » state for voting by mail. In June, Delaware’s Senate approved a bill authorizing universal voting by mail in primary, general and special elections in Delaware this year. Under the vote-by-mail legislation, the Department of Elections will be mailing applications for mail-in ballots to all registered voters in the state. You can also request a mail in ballot online by using this online portal or you can download, print, and send in this form to the Department of Elections office in the county where you reside. You must turn in your absentee application no later than October 10. Your ballot must be returned in person by 8 p.m. Election Day, November 3. Ballots postmarked after November 3 will not be accepted. What’s the earliest I can vote and what’s the deadline? Delaware does not allow early in-person voting. The only day you can vote in person is November 3. If you are voting absentee, you may vote early starting on October 24. Can I vote in person? Yes. You can vote in person on November 3, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. You can use this tool to find your nearest polling place. How do I make my vote count? Although recommended, it is not mandatory that you show proof of ID to vote in Delaware. The state will make you fill out a form if you do not have an ID. A list of acceptable IDs can be found here. If you’re submitting an absentee ballot, you must put it in a special ballot envelope, seal it, and sign the document. In addition to that you must follow the specific guidelines regarding sending it to the Department of Elections Office. WIll I know if it’s rejected and can I correct it? Yes. You can only look up whether your provisional ballot was counted in the election by using this tool. You will not be able to correct your ballot. Who counts my vote and when do they start? Mail-in ballots will begin to be counted on October 30; however, the vote will not be reported until polls close on Election Day. In-person voting starts after polls close on November 3. Delaware’s Department of Elections counts the votes. How do I sign up to be a poll worker? You must fill out an application online, located here, and be trained, read the election manual and complete other tasks that can be found here. How do I register to vote? You may register to vote in person, by mail or online. Print and fill out a form from this page and mail it to the D.C. Board of Elections here. The board of elections also provides an online portal for voter registration. Am I already registered? The portal to find out if you’re already registered in D.C. is here. What is required to register and what’s the deadline? You must be a U.S. citizen, a resident of D.C. for at least 30 days before the election, not claim voting residence or right to vote in another state, be at least 16 years old (though you must be 18 years old to vote in the general election, and not be found declared « mentally incompetent » by a court. D.C. has same-day voter registration. The deadline to register in-person, by mail or online is October 13. Voters can find an online application or mail-in voting registration form here. How can I vote? You may vote in-person on November 3, or by absentee/mail ballot. The District of Columbia is sending a mail ballot to all registered, active voters in the first week of October. How do I get a mail-in ballot? D.C. is sending a mail ballot to all active voters at their registered address in the first week of October. If you want to request a ballot be sent to a location other than your registered address, fill out this form, sign it, and return it to the Board of Elections by mail or email. More information can be found here. Requests for a mail ballot must be received no later than October 27. What’s the earliest I can vote and what’s the deadline? D.C. offers early in-person voting starting October 27 to November 2, from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. The state will begin to send out mail ballots to registered voters the first week of October. Mail ballots must be postmarked by November 3, and received no later than November 13, and in-person polls close at 8 p.m. Can I vote in person? Yes. Even though all D.C. registered voters are being mailed ballots, you can still vote in person early or on November 3. D.C. also offers curbside voting for those unable to enter a polling place due to a disability, seniority, or illness. Find your vote center here. How do I make my vote count? Voted and mailed ballots must be postmarked or otherwise demonstrated to have been sent on or before Election Day, and must arrive no later than the 10th day after Election Day to be counted. Ballots can be mailed, dropped off at a drop box or delivered in-person at any voting center during early voting or on Election Day by 8 p.m. For a list of drop box locations, go here. Your ballot must be postmarked by November 3, and received no later than November 13. You can track the status of your mail ballot here. Will I know if it’s rejected and can I correct it? You can track the status of your ballot by filling out the information here. However, you will not be notified if your ballot is rejected. Who counts my vote and when do they start? D.C. Board of Elections officials begin counting absentee ballots after polls close on Election Day. How do I sign up to be a poll worker? You must be a D.C. resident to serve as an election day worker. Not all applicants are selected to serve and not all applicants selected are assigned to their home polling place. For more information, visit the DCBOE website. How do I register to vote? Register to vote in person or by mail using this application in English or Spanish. Deliver the completed application in person or by mail to any supervisor of elections’ office, office that issues driver’s licenses, or voter registration agency or the Division of Elections. A full list of each county supervisor of elections mailing address is on the second page of the application. Florida’s department of state also provides an online portal for voter registration. Am I already registered? The portal to find out if you’re already registered in Florida is here. What is required to register and what’s the deadline? You must be a U.S. citizen, a Florida resident, at least 18 years old, not have been convicted of a felony or have been declared « mentally incapacitated » by a court without your voting rights having been restored. Florida doesn’t have same-day voter registration. The deadline to register in-person, by mail or online is October 5. Voters can find information about an online application form here. How can I vote? You may vote in person on November 3, vote early between October 24 – 31, or by absentee/mail ballot. No excuse is needed to vote absentee/by mail. How do I get a mail-in ballot? To get a mail ballot you must turn in your application: in person to the supervisor of elections office, online at your county supervisor of elections website, by other writing (e.g., by email, fax, mail), or by phoning your county supervisor of elections. Here is a website to find your county supervisor of elections. Your absentee ballot must be returned and received by November 3 at 7 p.m. (Overseas voters will have a 10-day extension). What’s the earliest I can vote and what’s the deadline? The in-person early voting period in Florida is October 24-31. Supervisors of elections may also offer these dates as additional early voting days: October 19-22, November 1. The state will send out mail ballots no later than September 19. Mail-in ballots must be received no later than 7 p.m. on November 3. Can I vote in person? Yes. You can vote on November 3 in person from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Any voters waiting in line at 7:00 p.m. will have the opportunity to cast a ballot. Check your county supervisor of elections website or use this Voter Information lookup tool to find your nearest polling place. How do I make my vote count? You must have a valid photo ID with signature in order to vote early and to vote person. See ballot for further vote-by-mail instructions. If you do not bring a proper ID to the polls, you can still vote a provisional ballot. As long as you are eligible and voted in the appropriate precinct, your provisional ballot will count provided the signature on your provisional ballot matches the signature in your registration record. Will I know if it’s rejected and can I correct it? Yes. In Florida, a supervisor of elections is required to notify a voter as soon as it is practical if a voter’s signature is missing or does not match the one on record. Once a voter learns about the missing or mismatched signature, the voter may complete and return a « Vote-by-Mail Ballot Cure » Affidavit in English or Spanish, with a copy of identification. The documentation can be returned by mail, email, fax,or in person. The deadline to submit the form and the ID is no later than 5 p.m. on the 2nd day after an election. Who counts my vote and when do they start? Ballot processing and counting can begin 22 days before Election Day. How do I sign up to be a poll worker? You must be a registered qualified elector of the county in which you are serving. You must also attend at least 2 hours of training (at least 3 hours if holding a higher position) prior to each election in which their serving. Contact your county Supervisor of Elections about becoming a poll worker. How do I register to vote? You may register to vote by mail using this application or online through the Georgia secretary of state online portal. You can also visit your local county board of registrar’s office for a mail-in registration form. Registration is offered when you renew or apply for your driver’s license at Department of Driver Services and college students may obtain voter registration forms from their school registrar’s office or from the office of the vice president of academic affairs. Am I already registered? You can verify that you’re registered to vote by visiting the Georgia secretary of state’s My Voter Page. What is required to register and what’s the deadline? To register in Georgia you must be a U.S. citizen, a legal resident of the county, be at least 17 1/2 years old (18 years old to vote), not be serving a sentence for conviction of a felony involving moral turpitude, or have been found « mentally incompetent » by a judge. Georgia does not have same-day voter registration. The deadline to register by mail or online is October 5. How can I vote? You may vote in-person on November 3, or by absentee/mail ballot. No excuse is needed to vote absentee/by mail. How do I get a mail-in ballot? To get a mail ballot, complete an absentee ballot application and return it to your county registration office. Absentee ballot applications can be returned by mail, fax, email (as an attachment), or in-person to the local County Board of Registrar’s Office. You must turn in your application, either in person or by mail by end of the business day Oct.30. Your mail ballot must be postmarked by November 3 and received by your absentee election manager no later than the 3rd day after the election. What’s the earliest I can vote and what’s the deadline? The in-person early voting period in Georgia is October 12 – 30. The state will start sending out mail ballots September 15. Mail ballots must be received no later than 5 p.m. on November 6. Can I vote in person? Yes. You can vote on November 3 in person from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Find your assigned polling location on your voter registration card, by logging into the secretary of state’s My Voter Page, or by contacting your County Board of Registrar’s Office. How do I make my vote count? You must have an acceptable form of photo ID in order to vote in person. Georgia voters can also obtain a free Georgia ID Card issued at any County Board of Registrar’s Office to vote. Details on requesting one are here. Will I know if it’s rejected and can I correct it? Yes. In order to cure a ballot, a voter has until 3 days after the election to submit voter ID in conjunction with an affidavit confirming the ballot was in fact theirs. Who counts my vote and when do they start? Signature verification can begin upon receipt of mail-in ballots. Counting begins at 7 a.m. Election Day. How do I sign up to be a poll worker? In order to be a poll worker in Georgia, you must be at least 16 years of age, a resident of the county in which you are applying to work, and able to read, write, and understand English. You cannot be a candidate for public office, hold public office, or be the close family member of a candidate or holder of public office. You can find the application form here. How do I register to vote? You may register to vote in person, by mail or online. Print and fill out a form and mail it to your county clerk’s office. You can also find a list of county clerk locations here. Hawaii also provides an online portal for voter registration. Am I already registered? The portal to find out if you’re already registered in Hawaii is here. What is required to register and what’s the deadline? To register in Hawaii you must be a U.S. citizen, live in Hawaii and be at least 18 years old. If you are registering online, you will need your Hawaii Driver License number, state ID number or Social Security number. If registering by mail, you will need your Hawaii driver’s lIcense number, state ID number or last four digits of your Social Security number. If you don’t have this, you can include a copy of another valid form of photo identification or a current utility bill, bank statement or other government document with your name and address. Deadline to register in-person, by mail or online: October 5. Voters can register online or mail in their registration form. The state also offers same-day voter registration. How can I vote? You may vote in-person on November 3, or by absentee/mail ballot. Hawaii doesn’t require a reason to request an absentee/mail ballot. How do I get a mail-in ballot? Hawaii automatically mails a ballot to registered voters, starting on October 5. Your mail ballot should be sent out by October 16. If it is after October 16, you can drop off your ballot on a voter service center or place of deposit. A full list of locations can be found here. If you’ll be at a different location than your registered address, you can complete a one-time absentee application. What’s the earliest I can vote and what’s the deadline? Hawaii offers early voting starting October 20. The state will begin to send out mail ballots on October 5. Mail ballots must be received or turned in no later than 7 p.m. on November 3. Can I vote in person? Yes. You may vote in person at a voter service center starting October 20. You can find voter service centers and deposit locations here. How do I make my vote count? After receiving and voting your ballot, you will need to sign the return envelope in order for your vote to be counted. You can find instructions on preparing your ballot to return here. Will I know if it’s rejected and can I correct it? Yes. Hawaii will notify a voter if the ballot has been rejected. A voter will have until 5 business days after Election Day to correct it at the Clerk’s Office. A voter can also track the voter’s ballots at: https://ballotstatus.hawaii.gov. Who counts my vote and when do they start? Your clerk’s office will be in charge of processing the signature on your mail ballot, as soon as it is received. After that, your ballot will be forwarded to state election officials to be counted. How do I sign up to be a poll worker? In order to be a poll worker in Hawaii, you must be qualified to register, be at least 16 years old, be a precinct resident and complete required training. To sign up, you will need to contact your local county clerk. How do I register to vote? You may register to vote in person, by mail or online. Print and fill out a form from this page and mail it to your county’s election office. A full list of each board’s mailing address is here. Idaho also provides an online portal for voter registration. Am I already registered? The portal to find out if you’re already registered in Idaho, or to update your registration details is here. What is required to register and what’s the deadline? To register in Idaho you must be a U.S. citizen, have lived in your Idaho county for 30 days before election day, be at least 18 years old, and not have been convicted of a felony. Deadline to register before the election in-person, by mail or online: October 9. Idaho has same-day voter registration, and requires you bring a photo ID and a document with a valid address in your precinct when registering. Voters can find a mail-in voting application form here. You will need to provide an Idaho driver’s license number, Idaho identification card number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number. How can I vote? You may vote in-person on November 3, or by absentee/mail ballot. How do I get a mail-in ballot? To get a mail ballot, print and mail an application here to your county clerk’s office. You can find the address and contact of your closest county clerk here. You can also use the online portal to request an absentee ballot. You must turn in your application, either in person, by mail or online by October 23 at 5 p.m. Your mail ballot must be returned to your County Clerk by 8 p.m. on November 3. What’s the earliest I can vote and what’s the deadline? Idaho offers an in-person early voting period starting at October 19, and ending October 30 at 5 p.m. The state will begin to send out mail ballots on October 12. Mail ballots must be received no later than 8 p.m. on November 3. In-person polls close at 8 p.m. on election day. Can I vote in person? Yes. You may vote on November 3 in person from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Use this tool to find your nearest polling place. How do I make my vote count? You must have a valid, approved form of photo ID in order to vote in person. When requesting your mail ballot, you will need to provide an Idaho driver’s license number, Idaho identification card number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you do not have an ID when at the polls, and can’t get an Idaho photo identification card from the Department of Transportation, you can swear to your identity on an affidavit. Details on Idaho’s identification requirements is here. You can find instructions on filling out your ballot correctly starting on page 10 here. Will I know if it’s rejected and can I correct it? No. Idaho will not notify you if your ballot is rejected, and you will not have an opportunity to correct it. Who counts my vote and when do they start? Your county clerk’s office will be in charge of processing and counting your vote. As soon as a ballot is received, the signature will be verified, but the actual counting will occur after the polls close on election day. How do I sign up to be a poll worker? In order to be a poll worker in Idaho, you must be a U.S. citizen and be at least 16 years old. You can find more information on working the polls here. How do I register to vote? You may register to vote in person, by mail or online. Print and fill out a form from this page and mail it to your county clerk or board of election commissioners. A tool to find your elected official is here. Illinois’ state board of elections also provides an online portal for voter registration. Am I already registered? The portal to find out if you’re already registered in Illinois is here. What is required to register and what’s the deadline? To register in Illinois you must be a U.S. citizen, live in your election precinct at least 30 days before Election Day, be at least 18 years old by Election Day, and not be serving a sentence as a result of a conviction. The deadline to register by mail or online is October 18. There is a grace period in Illinois that allows voters to register up until November 2 at designated grace period locations. You can use this tool to find those locations. When registering in person, by mail or online, you will need two forms of identification with at least one showing your current residence address. If you’re registering online, you will need your Illinois driver’s license number or state ID number, and your Social Security number. If you’re registering by mail, you will need your driver’s license number, state identification card number or the last 4 digits of your Social Security number, as well as a copy of a valid photo ID, current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check or another government document that shows your name and address. You can find more on identification requirements here. How can I vote? You may vote in-person on November 3, or by absentee/mail ballot. In June, Illinois announced that all registered voters will receive a mail-in ballot application due to COVID-19 concerns. How do I get a mail-in ballot? In June, Illinois announced that all registered voters would receive a mail ballot application due to COVID-19 concerns. Mail ballots will be sent out starting September 24. You can also print and mail an application to your local elected official. You can find the application form here and address of the elected official located closest to you with this tool. You must turn in your mail ballot application, either in person or by mail, to your local election authority by October 29. Your mail ballot must be postmarked no later than November 3 and received by your local election authority no later than November 17. What’s the earliest I can vote and what’s the deadline? Illinois offers an in-person early voting period, starting September 24 at some locations, and running until November 2. The state will begin to send out mail ballots on September 24. You can use this tool to find your early voting location and hours. Mail ballots must be postmarked no later than November 3 and received by your local election authority no later than November 17. Can I vote in person? Yes. You can vote on November 3 in person from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Use this tool to find your nearest polling place. How do I make my vote count? You do not need a form of identification to vote in person in Illinois, as long as you’re registered in the correct precinct and your signature matches the voter registration signature on file. You will need a form of identification if your mail-in registration form did not have your Social Security number, or your driver’s license or Illinois identification number. Two forms of identification will be needed if you are registering in person after the registration deadline or filing an address change. You can find a full list of acceptable forms of identification here. Will I know if it’s rejected and can I correct it? Yes. Illinois will notify you within two days if your ballot has been rejected. You have until October 20 to contact your local election authority and fix it. Who counts my vote and when do they start? Your local election judges will be in charge of processing and counting your vote. Signature verification on ballots will begin within two days of their receipt. The actual counting of ballots will begin after polls close at 7 p.m. on Election Day. You can view more about the counting process here. How do I sign up to be a poll worker? You must be a U.S. citizen and a registered voter in the county where you would like to work. Find out more about becoming a poll worker by contacting your local election authority. How do I register to vote? Register to vote in person, by mail or online. Print and fill out a form from this page and mail it to your county clerk office. You can find the correct location here. Indiana’s secretary of state also provides an online portal for voter registration. Am I already registered? The portal to check your voting status in Indiana is here. What is required to register and what’s the deadline? To register in Indiana you must be a U.S. citizen, be a resident of Indiana, be at least 18 years old by the election date, not currently be in prison and have lived in the precinct where you plan to vote for at least 30 days. Indiana does not have same-day voter registration. The deadline to register in-person, online and by mail is October 5. Voters can register online here or use a mail-in voting registration form here. How can I vote? You may vote in-person on November 3, or by absentee/mail ballot if you meet certain requirements. How do I get a mail-in ballot? You are eligible to get an absentee ballot if you are 65 years old or older, have a reason you will be absent from your county, or will be confined due to illness or injury or caring for an individual confined because of illness or injury. You can find a full list of reasons here. To get a mail-in ballot, print and mail an application from your county clerk’s office. You can find the address of your closest absentee election manager here, and the application itself here. You must turn in your application, either online, by mail, by email or in-person by 11:59 p.m. on October 22. You can find more information on how to turn in your mail ballot application here. Your mail ballot must be received by county election officials by noon on November 3. What’s the earliest I can vote and what’s the deadline? Indiana offers an in-person early voting period from October 6 to November 2. Contact your county clerk’s office for locations and hours for early voting. The state will begin to send out mail ballots on September 22. Mail-in ballots must be received by county election officials by noon on November 3. Can I vote in person? Yes, vote on November 3 in person from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Use this tool to find your nearest polling place. How do I make my vote count? You must have a valid, approved form of photo ID in order to vote in person. If you are voting absentee, identification will not be required unless you did not provide proof of residency when registering to vote. Find out more about mail-in voting here. You can also find a full absentee voter’s bill of rights here. Will I know if it’s rejected and can I correct it? No. Indiana will not notify you if your ballot is rejected. But if you feel you made a mistake on your ballot, you can fill out a form with county election officials to fix the issues. If you find out your absentee ballot was rejected, you can appear before a county election board before 5 p.m. on November 3 to fill out a form and vote using a regular ballot. Who counts my vote and when do they start? Your county clerk’s election office will be in charge of processing and counting your vote. Absentee ballots will be processed when they are received. The actual counting of ballots will begin no later than noon on Election Day. How do I sign up to be a poll worker? You must be a registered voter and at least 18 years old. To sign up, you need to contact your county election administrator or party representative. Find out more here. How do I register to vote? Register to vote online if you have an Iowa driver’s license or non-operator’s ID, or you can fill out a form and return it to your local county auditor. You can register at your polling site on Election Day. Am I already registered? Find out here. What is required to register and what’s the deadline? To register, you must provide an Iowa driver’s license number, an Iowa non-operator ID number or the last 4 digits of your Social Security number. Register at your polling site on Election Day. If you register on Election Day, bring a current ID (it does not have to be a driver’s license) and if your ID does not include your current address, you will need to use another document (such as a lease, utility bill or bank statement) that has your name and current address. If you can’t prove who you are or where you live, a registered voter from your precinct may attest that you are who you say you are. It’s a felony to falsely attest. How can I vote? You can vote in person on Election Day or any registered voter may request an absentee ballot. Absentee voting can take place by mail or in person. How do I get a mail-in ballot? You can request an absentee ballot by downloading and returning a form to your county auditor. The secretary of state is also sending an absentee ballot request form to registered voters. In addition to basic information, a voter requesting an absentee ballot by mail needs to provide either an Iowa driver’s license or non-operator ID number or a four-digit voter PIN found on an Iowa Voter ID card. What’s the earliest I can vote and what’s the deadline? Mail ballots will be sent to voters on October 5. Early in-person absentee voting starts that day as well. Mailed absentee ballots can be received until noon on the Monday following the election if the ballot is postmarked by the Monday before Election Day. Absentee ballots received in the county auditor’s office must be returned poll closing time on Election Day in order to be counted. Your deadline to request an absentee ballot by mail is Friday, October 23 at 5 p.m. If you plan to request and return your ballot by mail, you should request your mail ballot earlier. Can I vote in person? Yes, you can vote on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. You can find your precinct/polling place here. You can also vote absentee in-person at your county auditor’s office starting October 5. If you’d like to cast an in-person absentee ballot, you must fill it out at the county auditor’s office and may not take it home with you. How do I make my vote count? If you are mailing your ballot, make sure it gets a postmark and is in the mail on the Monday before Election Day, and then it can be counted as long as it arrives by noon on the Monday after Election Day. You can also return your absentee ballot at a drop box at your county auditor’s office or by delivering it to the office. Those ballots must arrive by the time polls close on Election Day. You cannot return your absentee ballot at the polls. If you haven’t returned your absentee ballot by Election Day you can return it at the auditor’s office, surrender your ballot at the polls and vote in person or cast a provisional ballot at the polls if your ballot can’t be surrendered. Make sure to sign and provide all required information on an absentee ballot. Will I know if it’s rejected and can I correct it? If the county auditor receives a completed ballot by 5 p.m. on the Saturday before the election, the county auditor shall review the voter’s affidavit for completeness. If the affidavit is unsigned, the commissioner is to notify the voter of that fact within 24 hours of when the ballot was received and that the voter may complete the affidavit in person at the office of the commissioner by 5 p.m. on the day before the election, vote a replacement absentee ballot, or appear at the voter’s precinct polling place on Election Day. If the Absentee and Special Voters Precinct Board rejects a ballot, there is not a way for the voter to cure that ballot. Who counts my vote and when do they start? The county auditor counts. Processing the ballots begins on the Monday before Election Day. Counting begins on Election Day. The election commissioner will determine what time to begin counting, « to allow a reasonable amount of time to complete the count of absentee ballots by 10 p.m. on Election Day, » the National Conference of State Legislatures says. How do I sign up to be a poll worker? Find out about becoming a poll worker here. Poll workers must be at least 17, registered to vote and must reside in the county where they serve. How do I register to vote? You may register to vote in person, by mail or online. Print and fill out a form from this page and mail it to your county’s location. A full list of county locations is here. Kansas’ secretary of state also provides an online portal for voter registration. Am I already registered? The portal to find out if you’re already registered in Kansas is here.
