Voter Resources

VOTER REGISTRATION

ABSENTEE BALLOTS

MORE RESOURCES

VOLUNTEER TO BE A POLL WORKER

Voter Resources

VOTER REGISTRATION

ABSENTEE BALLOTS

MORE RESOURCES

VOLUNTEER TO BE A POLL WORKER

Frequently Asked Questions

You are eligible to vote if:
  1. You are a US citizen
  2. You meet your state’s residency requirements
  3. You are 18 years old or older
To Vote By Mail
  • Download the National Mail Voter Registration Form (NMVRF) here: https://www.eac.gov/voters/national-mail-voter-registration-form
    • You can also find NMVRF and state voter registration forms at libraries, public schools, and city and county clerks’ offices. Please note that of these offices are still closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Complete the form and submit it by mail according to the instructions. The NMVRF has a “State Instructions” section that lists the requirements for each state.
  • North Dakota, Wyoming, and the U.S. territories American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands do not accept the NMVRF. New Hampshire accepts the form only as a request for a state absentee voter mail-in registration form
Register to vote at:
  • State or local voter registration or election offices.
  • The Department of Motor Vehicles.
  • Public assistance agencies.
  • Armed services recruitment centers.
  • State-funded programs that serve people with disabilities.
Any public facility that a state has designated as a voter registration agency.
Once you’ve registered to vote, find your polling place here: https://www.vote.org/polling-place-locator/
To learn if your state offers online voter registration, contact your state or local election office. You can find your state or local election office website and contact information here: https://www.usa.gov/election-office
You can find out your state’s registration deadline here: https://www.vote.org/voter-registration-deadlines/
You may also contact your state or local election office to find out your state’s registration deadline. You can find your state or local election office website and contact information here: https://www.usa.gov/election-office
Many states have online tools where you can check your registration status. You can find out whether you are registered to vote here: https://www.vote.org/am-i-registered-to-vote/
If you registered by mail, you might have to show proof of identification the first time you vote. This proof of identification includes:
  1. A current and valid photo identification.
  2. A current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or government document that shows your name and address.
You may not have to show proof of identification if:
  1. You provided copies of the proof of identification with your voter registration form.
  2. Your state or local election official matched the driver’s license number or Social Security information on your application with a Federal or state identification record bearing the same number, name, and date of birth.
  3. You are entitled by Federal law to vote by absentee ballot.
Some states might allow you to cast a ballot before election day at:
  1. A jurisdiction’s election office.
  2. Another designated polling place.
  3. A ballot drop site.
The chart here shows state-by-state rules on early voting: https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/early-voting-in-state-elections.aspx#Early%20Voting%20Law%20Table
If you cannot go to your polling place on election day, you may qualify to cast an absentee ballot.
Some states offer “no-excuse” absentee voting, which allows any eligible citizen to cast an absentee ballot.
Other states allow you to cast an absentee ballot only if you cannot vote at the polling place for a reason outlined in state law, such as illness or physical absence from the jurisdiction for a certain number of hours on election day.
States also have different deadlines for requesting and submitting absentee ballots. You can find your state’s deadlines here: https://www.vote.org/absentee-ballot-deadlines/
You are entitled by Federal law to vote by absentee ballot in Federal elections if you meet qualifications outlined in the Voting Rights Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, and Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act.
You are assigned to a polling place based on the home address on your voter registration record.
Some states have ballot drop sites instead of polling places.
To find out the location of your polling place or ballot drop sites, you may visit this polling place locator: https://www.vote.org/polling-place-locator/
You may also contact your state or local election office to find out the location of your polling place or ballot drop sites. You can find your state or local election office website and contact information here: https://www.usa.gov/election-office
If your eligibility to vote in a Federal election is in question, you must be offered a provisional ballot at the polling place. The possible reasons you would receive a provisional ballot include:
  1. Your name does not appear on the official voter list at your polling place.
  2. Your eligibility is challenged in accordance with state law.
  3. You did not provide the required identification to register or at the polling place on election day.
  4. A court order requires provisional ballots.
  5. A court order extends polling place hours.
  6. State law mandates provisional ballots.
You have a right to cast a provisional ballot if you declare you are eligible and registered to vote in that jurisdiction. Your provisional ballot will be counted if the state or local election official later deter ­ mines that you were eligible and registered to vote under state law.
To register to vote or request a ballot as a member of the military or overseas citizen, use the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA).
  • The FPCA is available at fvap.gov
  • The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) Web portal offers a step-by-step guide to the voter registration process.
  • All states and territories accept the FPCA as a simultaneous application for registration and request for an absentee ballot.
  • Depending on your state of residence, return the completed FPCA by e-mail, fax, or mail.
  • Printed copies of the FPCA are available at U.S. embassies, military bases, and consular offices. Voting Assistance Officers at those sites can provide any in – formation or assistance you may need to complete the form.
You may also request the electronic transmission of blank voting materials.
Multiple federal laws require state and local governments ensure that people with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote. For example, many polling places include:
  • Clearly marked parking spaces.
  • Entrances with ramps.
  • Well-marked routes and signage to voting locations.
  • Voting equipment that is accessible for individuals with disabilities, including the blind and visually impaired.
For a full list of U.S. laws protecting the rights of voters with disabilities, please visit: www.ada.gov/ada_voting/ada_voting_ta.htm
The Voting Rights Act requires some jurisdictions to provide voting materials in languages other than English. Other jurisdictions voluntarily offer such assistance. Language assistance may include:
  • Equipping polling places with ballots and voting instructions in other languages.
  • Staffing polling places with bilingual poll workers.
  • Providing voting information online in languages other than English.
Contact your state or local election office to learn more about language assistance in your area. You can find your state or local election office website and contact information here: https://www.usa.gov/election-office
Under Federal law, you may bring an individual to assist you in voting for reasons of:
  1. Blindness
  2. Disability
  3. Inability to read or write
Federal law prohibits you from receiving voting assistance from your employer or an agent of your employer, or from an officer or agent of the voter’s union. A poll worker can provide voting assistance to:
  1. First-time voters.
  2. Voters with disabilities.
  3. Voters at polling places with new voting equipment.
If you experience a problem at a polling place or with voting procedures in your jurisdiction, there are multiple options available to you. You may:
  1. Contact your state or local election office for information on complaint procedures. You can find your state or local election office website and contact information here: https://www.usa.gov/election-office
  2. Register a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice at (800) 253–3931 or email section@usdoj.gov
Election workers are essential to ensuring that elections are a success. With each election, millions of Americans dedicate themselves to sustaining the backbone of democracy – our election process. The U.S. Election Assistance Commission encourages those interested in becoming election workers at the polls on election day to learn more about what is required and how to sign up to work with your local election official.
Get started and find out if you are eligible. Go to the State Compendium of Election Worker Laws and Statutes for a list of requirements by state. Things to look for include:
  1. Whether you must be a registered voter in the state.
  2. Whether there is an age requirement.
  3. Whether there is a residency requirement.
  4. Whether a political party affiliation is required.
Then, sign up to be an Election Worker here: https://www.eac.gov/help-america-vote