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Voter Registration Deadlines by State
The last day to register to vote in every state for the November 3, 2026 midterm elections. Most deadlines fall between October 4 and October 27 — and 10 states share a single cutoff on October 4.
Registration Deadline · 10 states · October 4, 2026
Quick Answer
- Earliest Deadlines
- 10 states close registration on October 4, 30 days before Election Day
- Latest Deadline
- Connecticut — October 27, seven days out
- Same-Day Registration
- 20 states + D.C. let you register on Election Day itself
- No Registration At All
- North Dakota — just bring ID
- Election Day
- Tuesday, November 3, 2026
2026 Registration Deadlines by State
Where a state sets a different deadline for registering online or by mail, both are listed — that gap is the one most likely to catch a voter out, and it runs in both directions. Nevada takes online registrations three weeks after its in-person cutoff; Nebraska's in-person deadline is the later of the two.
| State | Deadline | Rule | Same-Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| AlabamaHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 19 | 15 days before Election Day | — |
| AlaskaHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 4 | 30 days before Election Day | — |
| ArizonaHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 5 | 29 days before Election Day | — |
| ArkansasHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 4 | 30 days before Election Day | — |
| CaliforniaHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 19 | 15 days before Election DayConditional same-day registration runs from 14 days out through Election Day. | Early voting & Election Day |
| ColoradoHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 26 | 8 days before Election Day | Early voting & Election Day |
| ConnecticutHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 27 | 7 days before Election Day | Election Day |
| DelawareHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 10 | 24 days before Election Day | — |
| FloridaHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 5 | 29 days before Election Day | — |
| GeorgiaHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 5 | 29 days before Election Day | — |
| HawaiiHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 24 | 10 days before Election Day | Early voting & Election Day |
| IdahoHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 23 | 11 days before Election Day | Election Day |
| IllinoisHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 6 | 28 days before Election Day16 days before if registering online (≈ Oct 18)Availability and locations of same-day and Election Day registration vary by county. | Early voting & Election Day |
| IndianaHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 5 | 29 days before Election Day | — |
| IowaHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 19 | 15 days before Election Daymail registrations must be postmarked 15 days beforeSame-day registration runs during in-person absentee voting and on Election Day. | Early voting & Election Day |
| KansasHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 13 | 21 days before Election Day | — |
| KentuckyHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 5 | 29 days before Election Day | — |
| LouisianaHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 4 | 30 days before Election Day20 days before if registering online (≈ Oct 14) | — |
| MaineHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 13 | 21 days before Election Day | Election Day |
| MarylandHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 13 | 21 days before Election Day | Early voting & Election Day |
| MassachusettsHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 24 | 10 days before Election Day | — |
| MichiganHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 19 | 15 days before Election Day | Early voting & Election Day |
| MinnesotaHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 13 | 21 days before Election Day | Early voting & Election Day |
| MississippiHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 4 | 30 days before Election Day | — |
| MissouriHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 7 | 27 days before Election Day | — |
| MontanaHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 4 | 30 days before Election DayLate registration continues through noon the day before Election Day. | — |
| NebraskaHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 23 | 11 days before Election Day if registering in person18 days before if registering online or by mail (≈ Oct 16) | — |
| NevadaHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 6 | 28 days before Election Day in person5 days before if registering online (≈ Oct 29) | Early voting & Election Day |
| New HampshireHow to vote → | Varies | 6 to 13 days before Election Day, depending on local supervisors of the checklistThe deadline is set town by town — check with your town or city clerk. | Election Day |
| New JerseyHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 13 | 21 days before Election Day | — |
| New MexicoHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 6 | 28 days before Election DaySame-day registration runs from 28 days out through the Saturday before Election Day; Election Day registration covers statewide contests. | Early voting & Election Day |
| New YorkHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 24 | 10 days before Election Day | — |
| North CarolinaHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 9 | 25 days before Election DaySame-day registration is available during early voting only — NOT on Election Day. | Early voting only |
| North DakotaHow to vote → | None needed | North Dakota has no voter registrationBring valid ID showing a North Dakota residential address to vote. | — |
| OhioHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 4 | 30 days before Election Day | — |
| OklahomaHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 9 | 25 days before Election Day | — |
| OregonHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 13 | 21 days before Election Day | — |
| PennsylvaniaHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 19 | 15 days before Election Day | — |
| Rhode IslandHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 4 | 30 days before Election Day | — |
| South CarolinaHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 4 | 30 days before Election Day | — |
| South DakotaHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 19 | 15 days before Election Day | — |
| TennesseeHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 4 | 30 days before Election Day | — |
| TexasHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 4 | 30 days before Election Day | — |
| UtahHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 23 | 11 days before Election Day | Early voting & Election Day |
| VermontHow to vote → | Varies | No advance deadline — register through Election Day | Election Day |
| VirginiaHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 23 | 11 days before Election Day | Early voting & Election Day |
| WashingtonHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 26 | 8 days before Election Day for online and mail registrationIn-person registration stays open through 8 p.m. on Election Day. | Election Day |
| West VirginiaHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 13 | 21 days before Election Day | — |
| WisconsinHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 14 | 20 days before Election Day if registering online or by mailin person through the Friday before Election Day | Election Day |
| WyomingHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 20 | 14 days before Election Day | Election Day |
| District of ColumbiaHow to vote → | ≈ Oct 13 | 21 days before Election Day | Election Day |
15 days before Election Day
30 days before Election Day
29 days before Election Day
30 days before Election Day
24 days before Election Day
29 days before Election Day
29 days before Election Day
29 days before Election Day
21 days before Election Day
29 days before Election Day
30 days before Election Day
10 days before Election Day
30 days before Election Day
27 days before Election Day
30 days before Election Day
11 days before Election Day if registering in person
6 to 13 days before Election Day, depending on local supervisors of the checklist
Election Day
How to vote in New Hampshire →21 days before Election Day
10 days before Election Day
North Dakota has no voter registration
30 days before Election Day
25 days before Election Day
21 days before Election Day
15 days before Election Day
30 days before Election Day
30 days before Election Day
15 days before Election Day
30 days before Election Day
30 days before Election Day
8 days before Election Day for online and mail registration
Election Day
How to vote in Washington →21 days before Election Day
20 days before Election Day if registering online or by mail
Election Day
How to vote in Wisconsin →States With Same-Day Registration
20 states and the District of Columbia let you register and vote in the same trip on November 3. If you miss your state's deadline and you live in one of them, you have not lost your vote — bring proof of residence and go.
California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
North Dakota is a category of its own: it is the only state with no voter registration. Bring valid ID showing a North Dakota residential address and you can vote.
How to Register
Every state accepts registration by mail, and most accept it online. Start at vote.gov, which routes you to your own state's system and to its registration lookup.
Check your status even if you are confident you registered. States remove voters who have moved, and a registration tied to an old address is the most common reason an expected voter is turned away. If you have moved since 2024 — including within the same county — verify before your state's deadline rather than after it.
Live on Congress Countdown
Once you are registered, find out when you can vote
Early voting opens in every state between mid-September and late October.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the voter registration deadline for the 2026 midterm elections?
It depends on your state. Deadlines for the November 3, 2026 election run from October 4 to October 27, and 10 states share the earliest common date of October 4. 20 states and D.C. also allow you to register on Election Day itself. North Dakota has no voter registration at all.
Which states let you register to vote on Election Day?
20 states and D.C. offer registration on Election Day: California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming. North Carolina allows same-day registration during early voting but not on Election Day, and North Dakota does not require registration.
Can I still vote if I miss the registration deadline?
In states with same-day or Election Day registration, yes — you can register and vote in one trip, usually with proof of residence. In states without it, missing the deadline means you cannot vote in that election, though you can register for the next one. Check vote.gov for your state.
Is the online registration deadline the same as the mail deadline?
Not always, and the difference can be large. Nevada accepts online registrations up to five days before Election Day but requires in-person registration 28 days out; Nebraska works the opposite way, with the in-person deadline later than the online one. Illinois, Louisiana, Washington and Wisconsin also set different deadlines by method.
How do I check whether I am already registered?
Use vote.gov, the federal government’s official voting site, which links to every state’s registration lookup. Checking is worth doing even if you believe you are registered — states periodically remove voters who have moved or not voted recently.