Voting early has grown increasingly popular across the country in recent years, and in some states, the early voting period for the Nov. 2018 midterms has already begun. Below, courtesy Ballotpedia, you can see when early voting starts and ends in all of the states where it’s available.
| State |
Start |
End |
|
State |
Start |
End |
| Alaska |
22-Oct |
5-Nov |
|
Montana |
9-Oct |
5-Nov |
| Alabama |
None |
|
North Carolina |
17-Oct |
3-Nov |
| Arkansas |
22-Oct |
5-Nov |
|
North Dakota |
27-Sep |
5-Nov |
| Arizona |
10-Oct |
2-Nov |
|
Nebraska |
9-Oct |
5-Nov |
| California |
8-Oct |
5-Nov |
|
New Hampshire |
None |
| Colorado |
5-Oct |
6-Nov |
|
New Jersey |
22-Sep |
5-Nov |
| Connecticut |
None |
|
New Mexico |
20-Oct |
3-Nov |
| Delaware |
None |
|
Nevada |
20-Oct |
2-Nov |
| Florida |
27-Oct |
3-Nov |
|
New York |
None |
| Georgia |
15-Oct |
2-Nov |
|
Ohio |
10-Oct |
5-Nov |
| Hawaii |
23-Oct |
3-Nov |
|
Oklahoma |
1-Nov |
3-Nov |
| Iowa |
8-Oct |
5-Nov |
|
Oregon |
17-Oct |
6-Nov |
| Idaho |
22-Oct |
2-Nov |
|
Pennsylvania |
None |
| Illinois |
27-Sep |
5-Nov |
|
Rhode Island |
None |
| Indiana |
10-Oct |
5-Nov |
|
South Carolina |
None |
| Kansas |
17-Oct |
5-Nov |
|
South Dakota |
21-Sep |
5-Nov |
| Kentucky |
None |
|
Tennessee |
17-Oct |
1-Nov |
| Louisiana |
23-Oct |
30-Oct |
|
Texas |
22-Oct |
2-Nov |
| Massachusetts |
22-Oct |
2-Nov |
|
Utah |
23-Oct |
2-Nov |
| Maryland |
25-Oct |
1-Nov |
|
Virginia |
None |
| Maine |
8-Oct |
1-Nov |
|
Vermont |
21-Sep |
5-Nov |
| Michigan |
None |
|
Washington |
19-Oct |
6-Nov |
| Minnesota |
21-Sep |
5-Nov |
|
Wisconsin |
Varies by locality |
| Missouri |
None |
|
West Virginia |
24-Oct |
3-Nov |
| Mississippi |
None |
|
Wyoming |
27-Sep |
5-Nov |
Note that in some states, “early voting” may be referred to by another name (most commonly “in-person absentee voting”), and procedures for casting ballots early can vary, so please check with local election officials.
Early voting is a great option for many people, allowing them to participate in the democratic process at a time that’s convenient for them. It also helps reduce lines on Election Day. And it can be a boon for campaigns, too, letting them lock in support early so that they can focus on winning over other voters. Not every state permits early voting, but every state should.
Notes:
- Colorado, Oregon, and Washington conduct their elections entirely by mail. The dates shown above reflect the dates that Oregon and Washington will send ballots to voters. In Colorado, ballots are not mailed until Oct. 15, but voters can request them in person starting on Oct. 5. Note that in Colorado and Oregon, ballots must be received by Election Day in order to count. In Washington, they need only be postmarked by Election Day.
- In Florida, counties may add additional days of early voting, beginning Oct. 22. Check with local election officials for exact dates.
- In Maine, Ballotpedia specifies that early voting begins “[w]hen ballots become available (generally 30 days prior to an election).” We have therefore estimated a start date of Oct. 8, but check with local election officials for exact dates.
