You Can Still Register to Vote in These States
Even with all the clamor associated with tomorrow’s elections, it is entirely possible that there are people who intended to register to vote or thought they were already registered , but tomorrow they will realize that this never happened. In most states, you’re out of luck. But there are states (plus the District of Columbia) that allow voters to register before and on election day.
States where you can register to vote on Election Day
According to the National Council of the legislative assemblies of states (NCSL), there are 22 states (plus the District of Columbia) that allow voters to register on election day. These:
- Alaska *
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Colombia area
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Maine
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- Rhode Island*
- Utah
- Vermont
- Washington
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
* Alaska and Rhode Island offer same-day voter registration, but only for the presidential race.
Occasionally North Carolina can be found on this list. But while the state offers same-day registration during early voting, this is no longer an election day option.
NCSL has compiled a table of each of the specific rules in each state that you will want to check if you plan to use same day voter registration.
What you need for same day voter registration
To take advantage of this policy in the states that offer it, please bring your proof of residency and identification. The type of ID required varies by state – some require photo ID and others do not.
Proof of Residence is another key requirement for Same Day Voter Registration (SDR). NCSL explains why :
In traditional registrations (before Election Day), electoral officials have time to send a non-postal mail message to a potential voter to verify their place of residence prior to processing the registration application. Since this is not possible with SDR, a potential voter must provide proof of residence at the time of registration or shortly after registration. A current driver’s license or ID will be sufficient in all states. In some states, documents such as a salary or a utility bill with an address are acceptable for proof of residency. Several states also allow an already registered voter to vouch for a registrant’s place of residence on election day.
In addition to proof of residence and proof of identity, each state also has additional security requirements , which may include, but is not limited to, affidavits, preliminary votes, or inter-agency and inter-state verification. So prepare the necessary documentation and check the requirements in your state to make sure you have what it takes to vote tomorrow.