How to Register to Vote (Plus, Who’s Eligible to Register)

If you're wondering how to register to vote for the first time, you might not be sure what to expect from the process. You could even be feeling a little overwhelmed, and honestly, that would make total sense.

Especially ahead of a big election — say, this year’s U.S. presidential election — the stakes can feel incredibly high. And thanks to voter suppression, finding trustworthy information about everything from where to register to vote to your state’s voter registration deadline may not seem intuitive. That’s only been heightened by a wave of new laws meant to restrict voting. Since 2020, 24 states have passed such measures, seizing on Donald Trump’s (widely, repeatedly discredited) claims of voter fraud to dilute democracy.

All of which is to say: if you’re feeling confused by the U.S. voter registration process, know that that in and of itself is reason to learn how to vote. When voting infrastructure is chronically underfunded and needlessly complicated, you can safely assume that’s by design. Confusing, complex voter registration requirements often keep young and marginalized groups away from the ballot box, giving more voting power to groups who already hold power. Consider:

• Just 23% of voting-eligible people under 30 voted in the 2022 midterm elections, per CIRCLE. That’s compared to an overall voter turnout of 52%.
• For the 77% who didn’t vote, nearly a third reported not having enough information about the candidates and 21% didn’t know where to vote. Another 21% hadn’t registered to vote due to confusion over the process, missing the deadline, or having trouble with their voter registration application.
• Even still, Gen Z is voting at a higher rate than previous generations. That’s despite a lack of top-down effort made to empower young voters; in 2022, only about half (54%) of voters under 30 told CIRCLE they’d been contacted by a political party or group about the election. Those without college experience were even less likely to have been contacted. Other ballot box barriers, like a lack of transportation to polling sites and voter ID issues, are more likely to be felt by young voters of color.

Registering to vote, then making sure you know how and where to cast your ballot, can be a vital way to stick it to the powers-that-be who don’t want your voice to matter. That’s true even if you aren’t feeling particularly excited about your candidate options for the 2024 presidential election. Remember, it’s not only the presidency on the ballot! Voting in down-ballot races can ensure you have a voice in LGBTQ+ rights, the climate, and reproductive rights, which are being attacked on the state and local levels.

Now that you’re (hopefully) feeling all the more motivated to vote, we’ll walk you through everything you’ll need to know to register to vote for the first time, including voter registration requirements and deadlines. And after, we’ll spell out some next steps to take once you’ve registered, too, so that you can confidently head to the polls (or to the mailbox!) come November.

In this article, find answers to:

• Voter registration requirements: Who can register to vote?
• How do I register to vote? Where do I register?
• What’s the voter registration deadline?
• I’ve registered to vote. What happens next?

Voter registration requirements: Who can register to vote?

In every state but North Dakota, you’ll need to register first in order to vote in a U.S. general election. Before learning how to register to vote, though, the first step is understanding whether you legally can. Below, we’ll run through all the voter eligibility criteria — starting with answering the common question: “How old do you have to be to vote?”— so that you can understand whether you can sign up to vote now.

Let’s get into it. How old do you have to be to vote, and is that the same age you need to be to register? Although you’ll need to be 18 by Election Day — in 2024, that’s Tuesday, November 5 — to vote in a general election, registration age requirements vary by state. In certain states, you can pre-register to vote as early as 16 or 17 and may even be able to vote in the primary election if you’ll be 18 by Election Day. Be sure to read the age-related rules for your specific state.

Registering to vote is currently limited to U.S. citizens. Non-citizens, including permanent legal residents (or green card holders), aren’t allowed to vote in federal elections but can vote in some local elections.

You need to be a resident of the state you intend to vote in, and often for a certain duration of time. While residency requirements vary state-by-state, no state can require you to live there more than 30 days before Election Day to vote, per federal law. Also, state residency is not the same thing as a permanent address! You can be experiencing homelessness and still vote.

To register to vote, you may have to provide a driver’s license or state ID number, the last four digits of your Social Security number, other identity-verifying documentation, or no documentation at all — it all depends on your state. If you aren’t asked to provide ID when registering, know that you’ll have to do this later on. A federal law specific to first-time voters requires you to show one of the following when voting for the first time: a current photo ID; a current copy of a utility bill, bank statement, government check, or paycheck; or another government document showing your name and address. That’s in addition to whatever your state’s usual voter ID laws are, which vary state-by-state. Currently, 36 states have voter ID laws in effect; be sure to look up your state’s before Election Day.

• Can you register to vote in the state where you go to college if you’re an out-of-state student? In this situation, you have two options. The first: Choosing to retain permanent residency in your home state and vote by absentee ballot, which means you won’t have to travel home to vote. (We’ll dig into what absentee voting is later!) The second option is changing your residency to the state where you attend college; you can do this even if you live on campus! You’re only allowed to be registered to vote in one state, and choosing often comes down to the way you answer some personal questions, like: Where is my community, and where do I currently consider my “home” to be? Do I see myself staying here after college? Where can my vote matter more?
• Can currently or formerly incarcerated people register to vote? In some states, you aren’t allowed to vote after being convicted of a felony — which is a major problem. For the 2022 midterm elections, an estimated 4.4 million Americans, or two percent of the voting-eligible population, had their right to vote removed due to a felony conviction. And for still others who are currently incarcerated but legally allowed to vote, actually doing so from a jail or prison can be near impossible. Laws, once again, vary state-by-state, so be sure to know the laws in your state.
• Can people with mental disabilities register to vote? The National Voting Rights Act allows states to remove registered voters due to mental, cognitive, or emotional health “incapacity.” While a court-issued edict or the establishment of a guardianship is generally required for incapacity to be legally enforceable, this is still exclusionary. Learn more about related laws in your state.
• Can you register to vote if you live or are studying abroad? Yes, if your state allows for voter registration by mail or online! (And the majority do.) Going abroad doesn’t lose you this right, and you’ll be able to vote while abroad, too.
• I didn’t register to vote, but it says I’m already registered online. Is this a mistake? Some states have automatic voter registration. In those states, state agencies like DMVs are required to automatically register people to vote upon receiving unrelated documentation that shows eligibility.
• Can you register to vote from a tribal nation? Yes, Indigenous Americans living on reservation land have the right to register to vote in U.S. elections. But despite that being federal law, voter suppression tactics have too-often targeted Indigenous voters, historically and today. Many Native American activists see voting by mail as a potential, equitable solution.
• If I’ve registered to vote once, will I ever have to re-register? Once you’ve registered to vote once, most changes to your voting registration — like a change in name or address — involve updating your registration, not re-registering. You’ll only have to re-register to vote if your right to vote was taken away or — a bit randomly — if you live in Wyoming and didn’t vote in the prior general election.

How do I register to vote? Where do I register?

The exact “how and where” may vary state-to-state, but every state offers one or more of the following three ways to sign up to vote: registering online, by mail, or in-person.

All but eight states and three U.S. territories allow you to register to vote online. Organizations like VOTE411 make the process super simple, and you can also complete your online voter registration on the government portal.

The easiest way to register to vote by mail is by printing off and completing the National Mail Voter Registration Form. You’ll find the form itself, which is available in 21 languages, as well as instructions on where to mail it to on the United States Election Assistance Commission’s website. Remember to sign it before sending it in!

Want to go analog? Depending on factors that include your level of access, mobility, and transportation, you can always register to vote in-person. The 1994 National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) required all states that don’t offer same-day voter registration — more on that next — to provide voter registration at DMVs, public assistance offices, and other state-affiliated agencies like libraries and universities. Still wondering “where can I register to vote?” You can always drop by your local election office and sign up there.

Your deadline will depend on your state. Some states effectively don’t have a register-to-vote deadline by allowing same-day voter registration; that means you can register at your designated polling place (which is specific to your address, and can be found online) at the same time that you vote. Other states require you to submit your registration days or weeks in advance. For states that do, 30 days before Election Day is the furthest in advance you’ll be required to register.

You should know, too, that many states’ voter registration deadlines differ according to the way you registered. And if you’re registering to vote by mail, some states’ deadlines are based on when your voter registration was postmarked — not when it was received. (If you’re wondering “can I still register to vote?” and can’t make it to a physical sign-up location before the deadline, it’s possible this could buy you a little time!)

As with everything related to voting, thanks to the number of state-specific rules — remember when we called the U.S. voting system needlessly complicated? — it’s really important to look up the voter registration deadline in your specific state. Rock the Vote put together an interactive map with easily digestible, state-specific information that includes voter registration deadlines as well as whether you can pre-register to vote before you turn 18, which states off same-day registration, what it’s like to register to vote as a student, and more.

I’ve registered to vote. What happens next?

You submitted your voter registration — kudos! You should get a voter registration card in the mail, but you won’t actually need it to vote. Your card can also take several weeks to receive; in the meantime, you can continue checking your voter registration status online to see if it’s updated. If you have any question as to whether your voter registration was received, try dropping by your local election office in person (with plenty of time before your state’s voter registration deadline!). If you’re really down to the wire, go to your designated polling site during early voting or on Election Day; they’ll be able to tell you whether you’re able to vote.

In the meantime, start getting ready to cast your ballot! To prepare, you should:

In our hyperpartisan political system, people too often just vote for the candidate who represents their party without bothering to learn much about what that person stands for. But it's worth taking some time to read up on the policy platforms of the people who are going to represent you. And not just at the federal level — we're talking about state lawmakers, city council, and your school board. State and local officials have a huge influence over how policing, schools, climate policy, and so many other issues affect us, so you want to make sure you agree with their positions on the issues that matter most to you before casting your vote.

A number of states, like California and Florida, also include measures on their ballots that allow voters to directly approve or reject a given piece of legislation. These can include things like plastic bag bans, restoring the rights to vote to formerly incarcerated people, and legalizing marijuana. So take some time to familiarize yourself with any measures that may be up for a vote in your state.

As a registered voter who’s done your research on candidates, it’s time to make things official and vote. Not sure when or how to vote? Most states hold early voting periods in the lead-up to Election Day (Tuesday, November 5, 2024), which are a great way to avoid long lines and ensure your ballot is counted. Early voting can also be an especially good idea for first-time voters, since if you forget your state’s required form of identification at home or mix up polling locations, it won’t be your only shot to vote.

Whether you’re voting early or on Election Day, depending on your state’s laws, you’ll have one or more options for submitting your vote:

Thanks to the use of mail-in ballots, it’s possible to vote from the comfort of your couch. (Note: While these ballots are often referred to as “absentee ballots,” absentee voting is technically a separate process that we’ll describe next!)

Organizations like the Bipartisan Policy Center and Brennan Center for Justice say that voting by mail is safe and secure. More than simply being convenient, voting by mail is also a hugely important way to expand voting access, including to folks with disabilities, the immunocompromised, and individuals who have difficulty getting to in-person poll sites due to inflexible work hours, distance or transportation issues, or a lack of childcare.

Eight states use a vote-by-mail system that automatically mails ballots to all registered voters before Election Day. (Seven of those states give you the option to vote in-person, too; only Oregon doesn’t.) After filling out the ballot you were mailed, you’ll insert it into the provided security envelope and return it through the mail, by leaving it in a designated ballot drop box, or by returning it in-person at your local election office.

The exact process — you guessed it! — varies state-by-state, so make sure you’ve read up on your state’s vote-by-mail rules, including any identity documentation you’ll need to include with your ballot. (Remember that some first-time voters will be required to show ID regardless of their state’s voter ID laws, depending on how they registered to vote.)

If you don’t live in one of the eight states with automatic mail-in voting for all registered voters, you may still be able to vote by mail by requesting an absentee ballot.

Every state offers absentee voting to at least some degree, but many require an excuse – whether a conflicting work shift, an illness, or travel — as to why you can’t vote in-person. A small number of states use super-restrictive criteria for excuses, and others don’t require an excuse at all. Look up your state’s absentee voting rules, including what proof of identity you’re required to send and where you’re allowed to return your ballot.

If you live in one of the 29 states (or Washington, D.C.!) with ballot drop boxes for mail-in and absentee voters, you may think you can drop off your ballot at your convenience. But some states require drop boxes to be accessed only when an election official is present. You should know, too, that the due date for absentee ballots often comes before Election Day, and the United States Postal Service is likely to grow overburdened as the election gets nearer. So plan accordingly!

If you decide to vote in-person, first, make sure you know where your designated polling place is and that you’re looking at the location that corresponds to when you plan to vote. Your district’s early voting site may not be the same as your Election Day site, and vice versa!

Most polling places on Election Day open between 6 and 9 a.m. and stay open until around 7 to 9 p.m., but you should double check with yours to make sure; that’ll likely be listed online or via your local news media.

Finally, if you’re voting in-person on Election Day, here are some tips to keep in mind:

• You can get a sneak peak of how voting machines work. Most polling machines are super straightforward (if a little outdated), so don’t be nervous that you won’t know what to do. If you want to feel extra-prepared, though, you can check out what type of polling machine your state uses, find downloadable instructions, and watch video how-tos by going to your local Board of Elections website or by Googling “[state name] voting machines.”
• If you’re a voter with a disability or if you have difficulty reading or writing in English, certain accommodations are your legal right. Learn more about the assistance and accommodations you’re entitled to at your polling place here.
• If you can, show up in the morning to beat the crowds. Dress comfortably, bring a book or other quiet activity, and carry snacks and water in case you end up waiting in line longer than expected.
• If you’re in line and the polls close soon — don’t leave. No matter how many people are ahead of you, if you’re in line by the time polls close, you're allowed to cast a vote.
• Leave those campaign pins at home. As excited as you may be to vote for your candidate(s) of choice, most states don't allow signs and clothing supporting specific candidates inside polling sites.
• Not sure how to vote? You can leave it blank. It’s great to be familiar with everything that’s on the ballot, but if you’re not sure about something, feel free to skip it while you're at the machine.
• Problem? Ask for a provisional ballot. If you have any issues while at your polling place — for example, they tell you you’re not registered but you know you are and that you’re in the right place — ask for a provisional ballot, which will record your vote while they try to figure out the issue. The state should call you after the election to tell you if your vote counted or not. If you feel your voting rights were violated, call (866) OUR-VOTE for help.
• Take that selfie after you’ve left. You may be tempted to take a selfie with your ballot to encourage others to vote. But be careful of your state's laws when it comes to taking photos at a polling station. Some states strictly forbid taking photos while others have unclear guidelines. If you’re unsure of what your state allows, it's probably a safer bet to not post that selfie.

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