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It May Be Too Late to Register to Vote in Your State. How to Find Out

Depending on where you live, the voter registration deadline may have already passed for Election Day 2022.

Katie Teague Writer II
Katie is a writer covering all things how-to at CNET, with a focus on Social Security and notable events. When she's not writing, she enjoys playing in golf scrambles, practicing yoga and spending time on the lake.
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Katie Teague
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voter registration reminder form

Find out if you're registered to vote.

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If you haven't registered to vote yet, or you're unsure if you're registered, you'll want to find out ASAP. Many states have a hard deadline for when you can register to vote, which is usually roughly two weeks to a month before Election Day (you can find your state's deadline day at vote.org). 

There are some states, however, that will let you register to vote at your polling place on Election Day. If you're not sure what your registration status is, it doesn't take long to find out.

Here's what you need to know about registering to vote and what you need to bring if you vote in person on Election Day. 

How to check if you're registered to vote

To see if you're currently registered to vote, visit vote.org and click Check Your Registration. From there, you'll need to enter your personal information, like your first and last name, current address, date of birth and an email address. Make sure all your information is correct and select Check your registration. On the next screen, you'll either see confirmation that you're registered or that you need to register to vote.

What to do if you're not sure you're registered to vote

If you go to the polls on Election Day without knowing if you're registered, arrive at your local polling place with your proof of address and ID and speak to polling officials. You may be instructed to complete a ballot, which would count if you are registered, and would not count if you aren't. We recommend checking electronically (see above) to make sure.

Can I register to vote on Election Day?

These states will still let you register to vote on Election Day, but it must be in person. Note that you'll most likely need to bring proof of address and a form of ID.

  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • District of Columbia
  • Hawaii
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Iowa
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Nevada
  • New Hampshire
  • New Mexico
  • North Dakota doesn't require voter registration
  • Rhode Island
  • Utah
  • Vermont
  • Washington
  • Wisconsin
  • Wyoming

How do I register to vote?

If you're not registered to vote, visit vote.org and click Register To Vote. From here, enter your personal details as mentioned above and click Continue. When you're finished filling out the form, you'll need to sign and date it, then hand-deliver the form to the provided address. Make sure to meet the deadline for registering to vote in your state, if it hasn't already passed.

I voted stickers

You may need to reregister to vote.

James Martin/CNET

If the deadline has passed for online voting in your state, but your state allows Election Day registration, call ahead of time to make sure you have everything you need to register. Most states that allow you to register on Election Day let you register at the polls.

Common reasons for needing to reregister to vote

Even if you already registered to vote, here are several reasons why you may need to reregister.

  • You recently moved to another location.
  • You've changed your name since the last time you voted.
  • You'd like to change political parties.
  • You haven't voted in the past four years.
  • You've never registered to vote at all, in which case you'd need to register for the first time.