What follows is voting information for people in any state, as well as state-specific resources. To go to a specific topic, you can scroll down, and here's an overview of what you'll find:

What's on this Page:

  • Easy Ways to Register to Vote & Get Voting Help
  • Making a Voting Plan, Why It's so Important, & What to Consider When You Make It 
  • Links & Tools for Voters
  • Voting if You've Been Convicted of a Felony
  • What Is Push Polling & How It Impacts Voting
  • What Kind of Ballot Will You Get? Can You Get Paper?
  • Voter Protection/Assistance Hotlines (no matter where you live)

General Voting Information

 

Easy Ways to Register to Vote & Get Voting Help:

In many states, you can register to vote without leaving your home, by visiting a website or using an app for your phone/tablet. Here are some resources to make registration & voting as easy as possible:

  • TurboVote: This is an application that helps you register to vote, get an absentee ballot/mail-in ballot if needed, reminds you when upcoming elections are, & shows you what your ballot will look like before you vote. Visit: https://turbovote.org/?ref=producthunt 
  • Voter Participation Center: This website helps you register to vote online, check your make sure you're registered, & see if you can restore your voting rights after being convicted of a felony.
  • The Democratic Party: This website lets you to register to vote, check your registration status, apply to vote by mail, & learn more about voting in your state.You can also call their hotline if you run into issues when you're trying to vote, so program this number into your phone: 833-336-8683, or text VOTE (or for Spanish, VOTO) to 70888. 

Even if you've already registered to vote in the past, it's important to check your voter registration with your state's Secretary of State or county board of elections. Some states purge (remove) people from the voter rolls at times, so double-check that you're listed as active and registered at least 45-90 days before each election.

Making A Voting Plan & Why It's so Important

Some people, even political leaders, will do many things to make it hard to vote--sometimes, a law will be passed that limits who can vote, or people can only vote if they have a certain ID. The most important thing is to always have a voting plan, & vote in every election, no matter how small seems. Every vote matters--control of Virginia's entire state government came down to ONE vote after the 2017 elections, and it was resolved by drawing out of a hat. If your vote wasn't so important, politicians wouldn't be working so hard to take it away! To make sure you get to exercise your right to vote, it's important to make a voting plan. Here are things to think about when you make your voting plan. You can print this out & take it to the polls with you when you go to vote:

What to Include/Consider in Your Voting Plan

  • Put your state & national voter assistance hotlines in your phone before your vote, in case you have any problems when you try to vote. Call them immediately if you have any difficulties or questions. Your state hotlines can be found at www.DIYabled.com/voting. Your national hotline is 833-336-8683, in English & Spanish. You can also text VOTE or VOTO to 70888 for help. It's best to call the state hotline first, if you have one. 
  • Make sure you’re registered to vote. If not, register (or re-register if you were removed from your state’s active voting list). Do not assume you are on your state's voting rolls (list) because you registered at another time--always check your registration status, ideally 2-3 weeks before election season begins. You can put a reminder in your calendar to check your registration status when the time gets close, & many states offer same-day registration, so you can register & vote during early voting or on Election Day.
  • Know how you plan to vote. Do you want to vote early, absentee by mail, in person, or electronically (in some states), or on election day, & what will you need to have ready (ID, etc.) to vote & have your ballot counted? 
  • Do you have to have a certain ID to vote in your state? If you aren't sure, call your voter hotlines or visit www.IWillVote.com to check if you need an ID, & if so, what kind of ID is accepted in your state. 
  • If you don't have an ID or can't afford one, what resources are there to help you get one? Check out your DMV/driver’s license office for programs to help you get a free ID for voting, or try www.VoteRiders.Org, your hotlines, or www.IWillVote.com.
  • If you can't get an ID & need one to vote, do you qualify for any exceptions to the rule? Many states will allow you to prove your ID in other ways or get an exception if you can't provide an ID because of religious reasons, undue hardship, not having the money, or disability. Check with your local or state election officials to see if there's a process to apply for an exception or use another document to prove your identity. 
  • If voting in person, where is your polling location & the hours/days it’s open? Don't assume it's always the same place--it may change at any time, so make sure you check before you go to vote. The early voting location is often different from the one you'd go to on Election Day, so make sure you're going to the right place by calling your hotlines & checking IWillVote's page. 

  • Are there any arrangements you need to make to vote: transportation, a disability accommodation, etc.? If so, what it your plan? For transportation help, call your hotline. Uber/Lyft usually offer free or reduced cost trips to & from a polling place, & you can also try https://rideshare2vote.com/, or organizations that help disabled people get to their polling location, like https://ridestovote.com/ , which recruits volunteers & also helps pair them with someone who needs a ride.

If you’re in lines when a polling place closes, you’re allowed to vote, so STAY IN LINE! Every location has hours they’re open to let people vote. They must be open for the entire time it says it will be, & if you’re in line to vote when the polls close, poll workers are legally required to let you vote. If the polls close at 7 pm, & you’re waiting in line by or before 7, you cannot be turned away or told it's too late to vote. If the polls open late, they must also stay open later. Thank you for being a voter! Your vote matters!

   Links & Tools for Voters:

  • A Guide to Each State's Election Rules & Laws: 
  • https://usafacts.org/articles/how-do-voting-laws-differ-by-state/
  • Every State's Election Dates & Deadlines:   https://www.usvotefoundation.org/vote/state-elections/state-election-dates-deadlines
  • How to Vote if You or Your Child Is in the Hospital: Visit www.patientvoting.com & know that many states will let you vote from the hospital, sometimes by applying for an emergency absentee ballot as much as a few weeks ahead of Election Day. 
  • Find Your Local Elected Officials: This page is helpful in case you need to communicate about a ballot application, absentee/mail-in ballot, or to get important information to vote, especially if you vote early or absentee. Note: early voting is NOT the same thing as absentee voting. Although they can both happen before Election Day, some states, like Mississippi, don't have early voting, so the only people who can vote before Election Day are people who applied for & are eligible for an absentee ballot, which can be in person, by mail, or even digitally in a few states, like Virginia. 
  • Vote Pro-Choice Voting Guide: https://www.voteprochoice.us/voter-guide
  • How Old You Have to Be to Register, &/or Vote: You can register or pre-register to vote in some states before you turn 18, and you may be able to vote in a primary if you will be 18 by the time the general election is help. For info about your state, visit: https://www.usa.gov/voter-registration-age-requirements
  • Contact Info for All of Your Elected Officials (Federal & State):  https://secure.everyaction.com/p/VRl-GNlm_0mCSWaMc4d6_w2 
  • Track Your State's Legislative Action & Contact State Elected Officials: https://pluralpolicy.com/find-your-legislator/ 
  • How to Make Sure Your Absentee/Mail-In Ballot & Envelope Gets Accepted: This website lets you pick your state and will walk you through each state's rules about how to fill out an application for an absentee ballot, as well as what you will need to do on your absentee ballot's certification envelope (which is usually returned by the postal service but may require USPS Express Mail or Fed Ex if it's not going to arrive in time otherwise. Absentee ballots and absentee voting can also be called "voting by mail," "mail-in ballots," "early voting," or "digital voting" in certain states. They all mean the same thing--that you aren't planning to vote in person on Election Day, but have decided to vote early or in a different way, like by mail.
  • Help Getting IDs Generally: You can contact info@voteriders.org , go to the Vote Riders website, or call 844-338-8743. States also usually offer a free voting ID that you can get at your local DMV/drivers license office, but you may need to bring certain documents with you or plan it out in advance. Call your voter assistance hotlines if you need help with this--they will walk you through how to get an ID your state accepts for voting. 
  • If You're Homeless/Houseless & Need Help Registering or Voting: Our blog covers that issue here, and the short answer is that YES, you can vote, even if you're homeless. The page about how to do it is here. 

Voting if You've Been Convicted of a Felony:

There are many resources to help people vote, in situations when someone was convicted of a felony. Your state hotlines should be able to tell you the specific rules, & we cover this on our State Voting Info page (scroll past the hotlines and election offices to the state-specific information), but another resources you can use to see if you can vote when you have a felony conviction is: https://campaignlegal.org/restoreyourvote. In many states, the rule is that once you've completed the sentence you were given (which may include probation or parole), your can vote. If you have additional questions, ask about how to restore voting rights. If you're wondering about whether you can vote after having been convicted of a felony, check out this page.

A.) In Maine, Vermont, and Washington, D.C., you can vote even if you are incarcerated. 

B.) States that automatically restore the right to vote for formerly-incarcerated people once individuals are released are: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, & Washington (the state). You do not need to petition to have your voting rights restored once you are released, but you will probably need to register to vote or re-register after you're incarcerated.

C.) In some states, your right to vote should automatically be restored once you have completed your entire sentence, which includes probation, parole, any fines or fees owed, and incarceration. If you are no longer incarcerated but are still on parole, were never incarcerated but are on probation for a felony, or if you haven't paid all of the fines/fees the judge/jury decided that you owe, AND you were convicted of a felony, you can't vote. However, you CAN vote once you've completed every part of your sentence, & the states that automatically restore the right to vote once a person with a felony conviction completed their full sentence: Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South DakotaTexas, West Virginia, & Wisconsin.

D.) Some states may require you to petition to have your right to vote restored, or they will restore your right to vote IF you have completed your sentence, but, unlike in part (C.), they may have additional requirements in order for your to vote. These requirements can include not being allowed to vote if you were convicted of a certain type of felony, having a post-sentencing waiting period, &/or may mean that you have to petition to have your rights restored. States with the strictest rules about restoring the right to vote after a felony conviction are: Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Virginia, & Wyoming. Make sure you call your state voter protection hotlines, visit the websites mentioned above, or speak with your election authorities (listed on the voting info page). 

The bottom line is that in most states, people who were convicted of a felony and incarcerated can vote at some point. It may require completion of a sentence &/or incarceration, but you can usually have your voting rights restored, often automatically. 

What is Push Polling & What Can I Do about it?

Push polling is a form of voter intimidation and can cause people to become disenfranchised and lose their right to voter or have their ballots counted.  Here's more information, so you can protect yourself against this very real threat to free and fair elections. There are two types of push polling. One is where you are contacted and told that because you voted for a certain candidate in a primary, or the election is a runoff, or you've registered with a certain political party, that you don't need to vote. This is false, and if anyone tells you this, they are trying to make sure your vote doesn't get cast or counted in an upcoming election. The second time has to do with someone who says they represent a polling outlet and how they use misinformation to try to discourage voter turnout. Check out our push polling page to make sure you know your rights and are heard in every election! 

What Kind of Ballot You'll Get:

Can You Get Paper?

According to Verified Voter and Lifewire, most states will let you request and vote with a paper ballot. In fact, many states use only paper ballots. The Secure Elections Commission has stated that paper ballots are the safest to use because they cannot be easily hacked or altered. In some states, like Texas, the type of ballot you can get is decided by your precinct. Be sure to call your local board of elections at least 46 days before an election to see what options are available for you. If your precinct does have paper, you have the right to vote that way, even if election officials try to encourage touchscreen voting, or the polling location looks like it only has digital ballot stations. Here's some information about what to expect by state:

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  • Paper Ballots Only: Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.), Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia,* Washington (the state).
  • Touchscreen Only: Delaware, Georgia, Louisiana, New Jersey, South Carolina.
  • Paper & Electronic: (may depend on precinct): Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia,* Wisconsin, Wyoming. https://www.lifewire.com/which-states-in-united-states-use-electronic-voting-4174835  

* In both Virginia & West Virginia, some voters, usually from the military, overseas, &/or disabled communities, may be able to vote using their phone or computer. In those cases, the ballots are encrypted, & this is considered digital voting, but it is not common. 

If you have a choice & are able to decide on your own which type of ballot you'll get, consider:

1.) Which is easier for you to use & navigate: paper or a touch screen/digital device?

2.) If you're using paper, will you be able to make sure your ballot is clearly marked & that you filled in the whole bubble, or is it hard on your hands/is there a risk of making a mistake or filling in outside the lines in a way that might affect how your ballot is tallied?

3.) If you're using a touchscreen/digital device, is it accessible for you? Do they have audio that will play to allow deaf/hard of hearing people to vote (voting location should offer this option in least one voting booth)? Are you comfortable with the security & integrity of voting digitally?

 

Answers to some common worries about touchscreens: some people are afraid to use a touchscreen to cast their ballots at an in-person polling location. However, the touchscreen machines are not necessarily dependent on internet access/connected to the internet, and if they are, they're usually a private IP address that isn't easy to interfere with. If you use a touchscreen, you have the right to see or hear the choices you marked on your ballot when you've completed it, and if something is a mistake, you can go back and fix it. P. If you're using a touchscreen, many polling locations have a receipt that you can have printed out that will show you what candidates or ballot initiatives you voted for. This helps to ensure that there is security while voting is ongoing.

Answers to concerns about paper ballots: If you vote in person polling location should always allow you to have another paper ballot if you have one that you made a mistake on but that you did not turn in as a complete ballot. Even if your ballot was mailed to you, you typically have the right to go to an early voting or Election Day site and vote in person, instead. You cannot do both, so make sure that if you're worried about having filled in the wrong circle for a ballot, you do not complete the ballot or turn it in to a poll worker, who may consider it a returned ballot. If you have a paper ballot that was sent to you by mail but you plan to vote in-person instead, make sure you destroy your old paper ballot, so that the ballot you finally complete is the one that is counted! 

Voter Protection Hotlines

(no matter where you live):

If you ever have any trouble getting your ballot, finding out what kind of ID you may need, or need ANY help in making sure you or someone you know can vote, there are numbers you can call to get help. Please use the number for your individual state first if they have one because they can give you specific help. Some things you may be able to do are: check on the status of an absentee ballot request/ballot; find your polling location, get help getting an ID, ride, or accommodation for a disability; and get answers to questions to make sure you and other people can get to exercise the right to vote.

Here is a list:

  • DNC: 1-833-DEM-VOTE (1-833-336-8683) (covered 24/7) For Spanish Speakers: 866-2YO-VOTO https://www.facebook.com/groups/dncvopro/
  • Lawyer’s Committee For Civil Rights: for English: 866-OUR-VOTE; (866-687-8683; for Spanish: 888-Ve-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682); for AAPI: 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683)(Mandarin (普通話), Cantonese (廣東話), Korean (한국어), Vietnamese (tiếng Việt), Tagalog, Urdu (ارد), Hindi (हिंदी), and Bengali/Bangla (বাংলা), & Arabic: 1-844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287).

American Civil Liberties Union Voter Protection Hotline: 877-523-2792

NAACP Defense Fund Election Protection: 866-687-8683 

THANK YOU FOR BEING A VOTER! YOUR VOTE IS YOUR VOICE, & YOUR VOTE MATTERS!