The 2020 presidential election is around the corner, and we know the importance of this election cycle cannot be overstated. We also know that Donald Trump’s attacks on the United States Postal Service (USPS) are already affecting mail now as people report major delays. We know, too, that along with Trump’s rallies against mail-in voting, obsessively describing it as “corrupt” (in spite of doing so himself to vote in Florida) that sabotaging the mail may also affect mail-in ballots. While some people vote by mail every year, it’s fair to believe that many more people will try to do so in this election cycle as we continue to face the novel coronavirus pandemic.
At this point, you might be wondering not only how to vote in your own state, but how to make sure your friend, family member, distant classmate, and so on can vote in theirs. As much as outreach and encouragement are important—and they are—many people may reply by saying it’s too complicated or confusing to figure out how to vote. And to be frank, it is confusing, inconsistent, and downright stressful to vote in many places in the United States. That’s what this guide is here for! Big caveat: Please confirm that your local offices or polling places are open and operating at their usual hours during the coronavirus pandemic, and keep an eye on your state’s voting-related changes up until the election. Some states require notarization for some registrations or votes by mail—you can often get this done for free online, but double-check specific requirements due to the virus on that front as well.
Let’s break down each state (including Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.) below in alphabetical order.
Alabama
Alabama does not make it easy to vote by any means. You must register to vote by Oct. 19. At the polls, you must present a government-issued photo ID. The only exception here is if two election officials confirm your identity. You can vote by mail and cite fear of COVID-19 as the reason why under the “physical illness” excuse. (You must list a reason.) There is no early in-person voting option. You must register by mail, online, or at the registrar. The mail ballot deadline is that it must be received by Nov. 3 at 12 PM.
You can check your registration status online here.
Alaska
Alaska is also pretty difficult. You must register to vote by Oct. 4. There is early in-person voting from Oct. 19 to Nov. 2, which is something. You can vote by mail without an excuse. If you vote by absentee ballot, you do need to get a witness to sign it. If you vote at the polls, you must show a government-issued photo ID or a government document with your name and address on it, like a utility bill or paycheck. If an election official attests to your identity, this is waived. There is no same-day voter registration. You can register online, by mail, at the public library, or clerk’s office. Your mail-in ballot must be postmarked by Nov. 3.
You can check your registration status online here.
Arizona
Arizona is not too bad. You must register to vote by Oct. 5. There is no same-day voter registration. You can vote by mail without an excuse. You can vote early in person beginning on Oct. 7. At the polls, you need to show a government-issued ID or a document like a utility bill or bank statement. This year, Arizona is mailing absentee ballot applications to all active voters. You can register to vote online, by mail, or at the county recorder’s office. Notably, disabled voters may elect to have a caregiver (such as a family member or someone in their household) hand in or mail their ballot on their behalf. Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov. 3 at 7 PM.
You can check your registration status online here.
Arkansas
You must register to vote by Oct. 5. If you vote at the polls, you must show a government-issued photo ID. (You may also use a photo ID issued by a college or university in Arkansas.) You can cite fear of contracting COVID-19 as an excuse (one is needed) to vote by mail. You cannot register online, but you can register by mail or in person at the county clerk’s office. Voting early in person is also an option, and this starts on Oct. 19. Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov. 3 at 7:30 PM.
You can check your registration status online here.
California
Compared to Arkansas, voting in California is a breath of fresh air. You must register to vote by Oct. 19. You can register online, by mail, at the DMV, or at the county elections office. Early voting is from Oct. 5 to Nov. 2. If you don’t make the Oct. 19 registration deadline, you can still register in person at the polls. The only catch here is that if you register after Oct. 19, you must vote in person. In terms of voting by mail, ballots will be mailed to all active voters. You also don’t need an excuse to vote by mail. Your mail-in ballot must be postmarked by Nov. 3.
You can check your registration status online here.
Colorado
Colorado is also pretty reasonable. First off, you can register to vote by Oct. 26. If you vote at the polls, you must show a government-issued ID; if you don’t have one and you bring an ID document, like a utility bill or bank statement, election officials must try to use existing records to confirm your identity. You can register to vote online, at the DMV, polling place, by mail, or at a county elections office. You can even register at an armed forces recruitment office. Voting by mail is particularly easy this year as ballots are mailed to active voters automatically. Mail-in ballots must be received by Nov. 3 at 7 PM.
You can check your voter registration status here.
Connecticut
Connecticut is also not too bad. You must register to vote by Oct. 27. If you miss that deadline, you may register at the polls on Election Day, but you have to vote in person. If you vote at the polls, you must either sign an affidavit confirming your identity or show a printed form with your name and address on it (or your name and photo) or your social security card. You do need an excuse to vote by mail, but you can cite fears of COVID-19. Connecticut is also mailing absentee ballot applications to all active voters. There is no in-person early voting. You may register to vote online, by mail, or at the registrar’s office. Your mail-in ballot must be postmarked by Nov. 3.
You can check your registration status online here.
Delaware
Delaware is not bad. First, you must register to vote by Oct. 10. If you vote at the polls, similarly to Connecticut, you may need to fill out a form before you can vote or show an identifying document, like a photo ID or credit card with both your name and photo. There is no option for in-person early voting, but you can vote by mail. You do need to cite an excuse, but you may cite fear of COVID-19. Delaware is also sending all registered voters absentee ballot applications. Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov. 3 at 8 PM.
You can check your registration status online here.
Washington, D.C.
Washington is pretty reasonable, but you don’t have the option of registering to vote online. You must register to vote by Oct. 13. If you miss that deadline, you may still register to vote through Election Day if you go to the polls; the only con here is that you must then vote at the polls. You may vote early in person from Oct. 27 to Nov. 3. Washington is sending absentee ballots to all active and registered voters. You may register by mail, at an early voting site, or at a government agency. Your mail-in ballot must be postmarked by Nov. 3.
You can check your registration status online here.
Florida
You must register to vote by Oct. 5. If you vote at the polls, you must show a photo ID with a signature on it; if your photo ID does not have a signature on it, you need another form of ID that does include your signature. You can vote by mail without needing an excuse. Early in-person voting is offered in some counties starting on Oct. 19. You can register to vote online, by mail, or at the DMV or other government agencies. Some counties are mailing absentee ballot applications to all voters. Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov 3. at 7 PM.
You can check your registration status online here.
Georgia
Now, Georgia. Georgia is far from easy because of its very strict photo ID law, though you are allowed to vote by mail without giving an excuse. The registration deadline is Oct. 5. There is no same-day registration in Georgia. You may register online, by mail, or at your local registrar’s office. Notably, DeKalb County is mailing absentee ballot applications to all registered voters. If you vote at the polls, you must show a government-issued photo ID. Early voting starts on Oct. 12. Mail-in ballots must be received by Nov. 3.
You can check your registration status online here.
Hawaii
Compared to Georgia, Hawaii is a breeze. How much easier is it? If you want to vote at the polls, you must show a government-issued photo ID, identifying document (like a utility bill or bank statement), or say your name, address, and date of birth. You must register to vote by Oct. 5, which you can do online, by mail, or at the County Election Division. If you don’t register by the deadline, you can still register at the polls, but you must then vote in person. There is early, in-person voting from Oct. 20 to Nov. 2. Ballots are also mailed to all registered voters. Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov. 3.
You can check your registration status online here.
Idaho
You must register to vote by Oct. 9, and you can do so online, by mail, or at your local elections office. If you miss the Oct. 9 deadline, you may still register at the polls through Election Day; the only downside is that you must vote in person. Early in-person voting goes from Oct. 19 to Oct. 30. If you vote at the polls, you may show either a government-issued photo ID (or an ID from an in-state school) or sign an affidavit attesting to your identity. You may vote by mail without an excuse. Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov. 3 at 8 PM.
You may check your registration status online here.
Illinois
Most notable about Illinois is that the state does not require a photo ID to vote and that, because of the pandemic, it is mailing absentee ballot applications to the majority of voters. Still, the dates are a bit confusing, so let’s start at the beginning: If you register to vote by mail, you must do so by Oct. 6. If you register to vote online, you have until Oct. 18. Beyond Oct. 18, you may still register to vote, but you must do so at either an election office or at the polls. Similarly to other states, if you choose the latter options, you must then vote in person. You may vote by mail without an excuse. Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 3.
You can check your registration status online here.
Indiana
Like Georgia, it is nowhere near easy to vote in Indiana. But first, the basics: You must register to vote by Oct. 5 and you can do so online, by mail, or at your county clerk’s office. You can vote by mail, but you need an excuse, and it must be one of the 11 given criteria. Unlike a number of states, you cannot cite fear of COVID-19 as an excuse to vote by mail in Indiana. Early in-person voting begins on Oct. 6. Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov. 3 at 12 PM.
You can check your registration status online here.
Iowa
Like some other states, Iowa is mailing absentee ballot applications to all active registered voters this fall. This step is part of what makes it not too bad to vote in Iowa, though the state’s voter ID law is strict. You must register to vote by Oct. 24. You do not need an excuse to vote by mail. You may register online, by mail, or at your county’s auditor office. You may register at the polls on Election Day, but then you must vote in person. Now, about the photo ID law: Basically, you must show a government-issued photo ID at the polls. The only exception is if a registered voter from the precinct will attest to your identity. Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov. 3 at the close of polls.
You can check your registration status online here.
Kansas
While not the absolute worst, Kansas certainly does not make it easy to vote. Some counties have mailed advance mail ballot applications to active voters. You may register to vote online, by mail, or at your county clerk’s office by Oct. 13. Early in-person voting begins statewide Oct. 27, though it begins Oct. 14 in some places. You can vote by mail without needing an excuse. Now, at the polls, you must present either a government-issued photo ID or an ID from a college or university in Kansas. The only other option is that you may use a concealed carry permit. (This can be from any state, doesn’t have to be Kansas.) Your mail-in ballot must be postmarked by Nov. 3.
You can check your registration status online here.
Kentucky
You may register to vote in Kentucky online, by mail, or at your county election office. This must be done by Oct. 5. If you choose to vote by mail, you must give an excuse. Luckily, you can cite fear of contracting or spreading COVID-19 as your reason. Early-in person voting begins on Oct. 13. At the polls, you must show a government-issued photo ID. If you do not have one, you may use a photo ID issued by a school. Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov. 3 at 6 PM.
You can check your registration status here.
Louisiana
It is not remotely easy to vote in the state of Louisiana, though the state’s voter ID law is not as bad as some others. First, you must register to vote by Oct. 5 if you are registering by mail or in person. If you register to vote online, you have until Oct. 13. If you vote by mail, you need an excuse, and despite a literal global pandemic, you cannot cite fear of COVID-19. However, if you are at a higher risk of COVID-19 because of a medical condition, are in quarantine, or are caring for someone in quarantine, those count as reasons. Experiencing COVID-19 symptoms also counts. Notably, absentee ballots must be signed by a witness. If you vote at the polls, you have to show a photo ID with both your name and signature. The other option is to sign a sworn statement attesting to your identity. Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov. 2 at 4:30 PM.
You may check your registration status online here.
Maine
Maine is not too bad given that they don’t have a strict photo ID law, but you can’t register to vote online. You must register to vote by Oct. 19 and you can do so by mail, at a state or federal social services agency, voter drive, or at the motor vehicles bureau. If you miss that deadline, you can register to vote at a city hall or your municipal clerk’s office until Election Day; at that point, you can still register at the polls. Like other states, you must then vote in person. You can vote by mail without citing a reason. Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov. 3. at 8 PM.
You can check your voter registration status here.
Maryland
Similarly to Maine, Maryland makes it decently easy to vote in terms of the ID you can use, though if you’re voting in Maryland for the first time and registered to do so by mail, you must bring either a valid photo ID or a document that has both your name and address (like a utility bill or bank statement) from within 3 months of the election. This year, the state is also mailing absentee ballot applications to every active registered voter. You don’t need an excuse to vote by mail. You must register to vote by Oct. 13, and you can do so online, by mail, or at your local board of elections. If you miss the deadline, you may register at the polls through Election Day. As usual, the caveat with doing so means that you have to vote in person. Early in-person voting begins on Oct. 26. Your mail-in ballot must be postmarked by Nov. 3.
You can check your voter registration status here.
Massachusetts
You may register to vote online, by mail, or at your local clerk’s office by Oct. 24. You may vote by mail without an excuse this year, and the state is sending mail-in ballot applications to all registered voters. Early in-person voting goes from Oct. 17 to Oct. 30. Your mail-in ballot must be postmarked by Nov. 3.
You can check your voter registration status online here.
Michigan
Michigan is pretty simple as they mailed absentee ballot applications to all registered voters. In Michigan, you can register to vote by Oct. 19 by mail or online. If you register at your local county clerk’s office, you can cast your ballot there through Election Day, meaning that the state offers same-day registration. At the polls, you must either show a photo ID or sign an affidavit saying you do not have a photo ID. You do not need an excuse to vote by mail. Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov. 3 at 8 PM. Update: Good news! A judge in Michigan has ruled that clerks must accept mail-in ballots provided they’re postmarked by Nov. 2 and are received within two weeks of polls closing.
You can check your voter registration status here.
Minnesota
In Minnesota, you must register to vote online or by mail by Oct. 13. If you miss that deadline, you may register to vote at the polls on Election Day, or up until Nov. 3 at your local county election office. As usual, if you register on Election Day, you must then vote in person. Otherwise, you may vote by mail without needing to cite an excuse; in fact, the state is mailing absentee ballot applications to all registered voters. Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov. 3.
You can check your voter registration status here.
Mississippi
Voting in Mississippi is among the most difficult of all of the states, and especially so this cycle. First, the basics: You must register to vote by Oct. 5 and you can do so by mail or at your county circuit clerk’s office—you cannot do so online. At the polls, you must show either a government-issued photo ID, tribal ID with a photo, or an ID from a college in Mississippi. If you vote by mail, you need an excuse, and despite an ongoing global pandemic, you cannot use fear of COVID-19 as said excuse in Mississippi. However, if a doctor has advised you to quarantine, or you are the caretaker for someone in quarantine, those do count as excuses. You also need to get both your ballot request and your ballot notarized. Your mail-in ballot must be postmarked by Nov. 3.
You can check your voter registration status here.
Missouri
Missouri is also very tough as it similarly is strict on voter ID and requires you to have your mail-in ballots notarized. First, you must register to vote by Oct. 7, which you can do online, by mail, or at your local county clerk’s office or DMV. If you vote at the polls, you have to show either a government-issued photo ID or a government document that has both your name and address. You may also cast a provisional ballot if you do not have an ID. Now, Missouri is unusual because the state has different rules for mail-in ballots and absentee ballots. If you use an absentee ballot, you used to need an excuse, but because of the virus, Missouri has waived that requirement. Adding to the confusion, if you use an absentee ballot, you may drop it off in person, but if you vote by mail, you must literally mail it. Mail-in ballots also require notarization. If you vote by mail, you do not need an excuse. Important note: If you have COVID-19, are confined because of the illness, or fall into a high-risk category for the virus, you are eligible for an absentee ballot (meaning it does not need to be notarized). Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov. 3 at the close of polls.
You can check your voter registration status here.
Montana
Compared to Missouri, Montana is a breath of fresh air, especially as it’s mailing ballots to almost all voters this fall. You must register to vote by Oct. 24 and can do so by mail or at your county clerk elections office—you cannot register to vote online. There are some late registration centers open until the close of polls on Election Day as well. All voters in Montana are eligible to vote by mail as an absentee, without needing an excuse. At the polls, you must present either a government-issued photo ID or a government document that has both your name and address on it, or utility bill or bank statement. Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov. 3 at 8 PM.
You can check your voter registration status here.
Nebraska
Nebraska makes it even easier to vote. Nebraska is mailing absentee ballot applications to all registered voters. You must register to vote by Oct. 16, and you can do so online, by mail, at the DMV, or select other state offices. Early, in-person voting goes from Oct. 5 to Nov. 2. You can vote by mail without an excuse. Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov. 3 at 8 PM. You can check your voter registration status here.
Nevada
To register to vote in Nevada, you must do so by Oct. 6 if you choose to do so by mail or in person. If you register to vote online, you have until Oct. 29. The state offers early, in-person voting from Oct. 17 to Oct. 30. You do not need an excuse to vote by mail, and in fact this year, Nevada is mailing absentee ballots to all active voters. You may also register to vote at the polls through Election Day, though you must then vote in person. Your mail-in ballot must be postmarked by Nov. 3.
You can check your voter registration status here.
New Hampshire
Registering to vote in New Hampshire is astoundingly confusing, largely because it’s inconsistent throughout the state. First, here are the basics, but this definitely requires checking your own jurisdiction's guidelines: You can request to register to vote by mail, and then register in person at your local clerk’s office. You cannot register to vote online. You have to register to vote between six and 13 days before the election, depending on which town or city that you live in. You may also register to vote at polling locations on Election Day. Generally speaking, no-excuse voting by mail is not available to New Hampshire residents, but because of the virus, all voters may request an absentee ballot due to fear of contracting the coronavirus. There is not an explicit deadline for requesting an absentee ballot. Also, if you vote at the polls, you must show a photo ID. If you do not have a photo ID, a voting official at your polling location can verify your identity. Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov. 3 at 5 PM.
You can check your voter registration status here.
New Jersey
All registered voters are supposed to get ballots mailed to them this fall because of the virus. These ballots should be mailed by Oct. 5. There is no excuse required to vote by mail. You must register to vote by Oct. 13 either by mail or with an election official—there is no online option, which is the main frustration with New Jersey’s system. Notably, if you choose to vote in person on Election Day, you will be using a provisional ballot. Your mail-in ballot must be postmarked by Nov. 3.
You can check your voter registration status here.
New Mexico
Voting in New Mexico is pretty simple as some counties are mailing absentee ballot applications to all registered voters. The only big negative is that you cannot yet register to vote the same day as the election. If you choose to register to vote online in New Mexico, you must do so by Oct. 6. Otherwise, you can register to vote at your county clerk’s office or early voting location or by mail until Oct. 31. You can vote by mail without an excuse. Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov. 3 at 7 PM.
You can check your voter registration status here.
New York
In New York, you must register to vote by Oct. 9, and you can do so online, by mail, or through your local county board of elections or voter registration center. Early voting occurs from Oct. 24 to Nov. 1. You do need an excuse to vote by mail, but everyone can cite fear of contracting COVID-19. Your mail-in ballot must be postmarked by Nov. 3.
You can check your voter registration status here.
North Carolina
North Carolina is far from easy. If you register to vote at the polls, you have until Oct. 31 to do so, though, as in other states, you must vote in person. But if you register to vote online, by mail, or at your county board of elections, you have until Oct. 9. You do not need an excuse to vote by mail. Absentee ballots must be signed by a witness. (It used to be two witnesses, but because of the pandemic, they changed it to one.) Your mail-in ballot must be postmarked by Nov. 3 at 5 PM.
You can check your voter registration status here.
North Dakota
You do not have to register to vote in North Dakota! What do you do instead? Theoretically, you simply show up to the polls with proof of your identity and residency. Mind you, if your ID does not state your address or birth date, you must show a second document, like a utility bill, as well. While you don’t have to register to vote in North Dakota, the state has a long history of disenfranchising Native voters with its ID requirements. You can vote by mail without an excuse, and in fact, the state is mailing absentee ballot applications to all registered voters. Your mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 2.
Ohio
You must register to vote by Oct. 5, and you can do so online, by mail, at the DMV, library, county board of elections, or county treasurer’s office. You can vote by mail without an excuse. If you vote at the polls, you’ll need to have a government-issued photo ID, or a document that has your name and address, like a government check, utility bill, paycheck, or bank statement. Your mail-in ballot must be postmarked by Nov. 2.
You can check your voter registration status here.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is another state that’s a little tricky when it comes to the fine details. You must register to vote by Oct. 9 and you can do so online, by mail, or at your post office, library, or county election board. Because of the pandemic, if you vote by absentee ballot, you may submit a copy of your ID or have it notarized. At the polls, you need to show either a government-issued photo ID or voter ID card. Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov. 3 at 7 PM.
You can check your voter registration status here.
Oregon
This year, Oregon is mailing ballots to all active registered voters. Otherwise, you can register to vote by Oct. 13 online, by mail, or at your county elections office. You do not need to give an excuse to vote by mail … In fact, Oregon has all mail-in ballots! Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov. 3 at 8 PM.
You can check your voter registration status here.
Pennsylvania
You must register to vote by Oct. 19, and you can do so online, by mail, or at your local county elections office. You do not need an excuse to vote by mail. Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov. 3 at 8 PM. Update: Good News! Your mail-in ballot must be postmarked by Nov. 3 at 8 PM and can be received until Friday, Nov. 6 at 5 PM.
You can check your voter registration status here.
Puerto Rico
Unfortunately, in Puerto Rico, the deadline was Sept. 15. You must register in-person.
Rhode Island
Registering to vote in Rhode Island is a little tricky in that if you wait until Election Day, you can only vote for the president and vice president. But first, the basics: You must register to vote by Oct. 4 and you can do so online, by mail, or at your local board of canvassers. If you miss the Oct. 4 deadline, you can still register at the polls through Election Day, but you can vote for just the president and vice president, as mentioned before. Voters can also go to their city or town hall within 20 days prior to the election and vote. You must bring a photo ID from the government or a school in the U.S. You do not need an excuse to vote by mail, and the state is mailing absentee ballot applications to all registered voters. Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov. 3 at 8 PM.
You can check your voter registration status here.
South Carolina
South Carolina does not make voting easy. You must register to vote by Oct. 5. You can register in person, online, or by sending a form to the county board of voter registration. If you vote by mail, you generally do need an excuse, but they have amended that because of the virus. If you vote at the polls, you need to either show a government-issued photo ID. Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov 3. at 7 PM.
You can check your voter registration status here.
South Dakota
You must register to vote by Oct. 19, and you can do so by mail or in-person at a number of state agencies or the DMV. You cannot register to vote online. This year, South Dakota sent absentee ballots to all active voters. At the polls, you must present either a government-issued photo ID, tribal ID, ID from a school in South Dakota, or sign an affidavit attesting to your identity. Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov. 3 at the close of polls.
You can check your voter registration status here.
Tennessee
Tennessee is among one of the hardest states to vote in. You must register to vote by Oct. 5. If you vote at the polls, you must present a government-issued photo ID. Student IDs do not count. If you want to vote by mail, you must either be the caretaker of someone who is at high risk for COVID-19 or be at high risk yourself. Otherwise, you need an excuse to even request an absentee ballot. Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov. 3 at the close of polls.
You can check your voter registration status here.
Texas
Texas is another state that makes it really hard to vote. You must register to vote by Oct. 5 and you can do so by mail or at your local elections office—you cannot register online. You cannot vote by absentee without an excuse, and despite the pandemic, you cannot use fear of COVID-19 as your excuse. In most cases, you have to be over the age of 65, out of the country, or disabled. If you vote at the polls, Texas still makes it hard. You need to show a government-issued photo ID. Your mail-in ballot must be postmarked by Nov. 3 at 7 PM.
You can check your voter registration status here.
Utah
Compared to Texas and Tennessee, Utah is pretty easy. If you register online, by mail, or at your county clerk’s office, you must do so by Oct. 23. If you miss that deadline, you may still register to vote at the polls, but as is the norm, you must then vote in person on Election Day. You can vote by mail without an excuse. If you vote at the polls, be prepared to show either your government-issued photo ID or two documents that have both your name and residence on them. Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov. 3.
You can check your registration status here.
Vermont
Vermont is another state that makes voting pretty easy. You do not need an excuse to vote by mail. In fact, Vermont is mailing absentee ballot applications to all active registered voters this time. Otherwise, there is no deadline to register to vote, and you can do it up to Election Day, though if you register on Election Day, you must vote in person. Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov. 3 at 7 PM.
You can check your registration status here.
Virginia
Virginia also makes it pretty simple. You must register to vote by Oct. 13 and can do so at a number of places, including online, by mail, at the DMV, public library, local registrar, or select other state offices. There is no excuse needed to vote by mail; typically you need to have a witness sign your absentee ballot, but because of the pandemic, this is waived. At the polls, you need to show either a photo ID or document that affirms your identity, like a utility bill or bank statement. You can also sign a statement attesting to your identity instead. Your mail-in ballot must be postmarked by Nov. 3 at 7 PM.
You can check your registration status here.
Washington
Given that Washington State is mailing ballots to all active registered voters, the state makes it pretty easy. Otherwise, you must register to vote by Oct. 26 online or by mail. You can also register in person at your local county election office until Election Day, which means you would have to vote in person. At the polls, you have a few options to confirm your identity: You may show an ID card from the state, your employer, or a student ID card. You may also show a signature that matches the one on your voter registration form. Your mail-in ballot must be postmarked by Nov. 3.
You can check your registration status here.
West Virginia
In West Virginia, you must register to vote by Oct. 13, and you may do so online or by mail. You do need an excuse to vote by mail, but you are allowed to cite fear of COVID-19 as an “illness or injury” excuse. Voting in person is a little strange here in terms of ID requirements: You must show some form of an ID, or a voter with an ID must sign an affidavit vouching for your identity. Your mail-in ballot must be postmarked by Nov. 3.
You can check your registration status here.
Wisconsin
Voting in Wisconsin is pretty tough, but the bright side is that this fall, Wisconsin is mailing absentee ballot applications to all active registered voters. If you want to register to vote online or by mail, the deadline is Oct. 14. If you miss that deadline, you can also register to vote at the municipal clerk’s office by Oct. 30. If you miss that deadline, you may register at the polls on Election Day. If you register on Election Day, you must also vote in person. At the polls, you need to bring either a government- or Wisconsin school-issued photo ID. Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov. 3 at 8 PM. Update. Good news! A federal judge in Wisconsin ruled that absentee ballots need be postmarked by Nov. 3 and counted by Nov. 9. This ruling also moves the deadline for online and mail-in voter registration to Oct. 21.
You can check your registration status here.
Wyoming
Wyoming is also quite tough, though they are mailing absentee ballot applications to all active registered voters. If you register to vote by mail, your application has to be notarized—the main thing that makes Wyoming difficult—and the deadline is Oct. 19. You can also register at your county clerk’s office up until the election. You can also register at the polls, and as is usual, you must then vote in person. You cannot register online. Your mail-in ballot must be received by Nov. 3 at 7 PM.
You can check your registration status online here.
Another reminder is that while voting—and helping to register people to vote—is extremely important, not everyone has the right to vote. Undocumented folks are disenfranchised, as are people who are incarcerated. Many formerly incarcerated people also lack the right to vote. Registering certain populations, including the homeless community, can also be tremendously difficult. There is also the reality that not everyone wants to share their citizenship status, so if you ask someone if they’ve registered to vote or plan to, and they say no or don't engage much, make sure you bear in mind that not everyone wants to share their “why.” The point here is that while encouraging people to vote is important activism, it is also important to advocate for systemic changes that ensure more people can actually exercise that right.
Similarly, it’s important to keep in mind that many people simply feel that their vote doesn’t count. While that’s not easy to hear from the perspective of a person who’s trying to turn out the vote for obvious reasons, people’s lived experiences are real and valid. Many people do not fundamentally believe that their voice or vote matters and the way to handle that is not by berating them or talking down to them. If you can’t get someone excited at the federal or even state level, it can be useful to talk about local elections.