Voting in an election can seem intimidating whether you’re a seasoned voter or a first-timer — and that feeling has only been heightened in the time of COVID-19. However, registering to vote is actually much easier than you think!

There are deadlines to be aware of if you want to be sure your vote is counted. In particular, if you haven’t registered to vote yet, it’s important to know when voter registration ends in your state so that you can register on time and rest easy knowing that you are successfully on the road to completing your civic duty. Here’s a useful guide to voter registration deadlines by state that you’ll want to mark on your calendar ASAP.

Note: be sure to check here for information regarding voting and COVID-19. You can request an absentee ballot if you are not comfortable heading to the polls in person, or if your plans change and you will not be in the state you registered to vote in on Election Day. Keep in mind that the deadlines for absentee ballots to be received by the states are different than the deadlines for registering to vote in general. Do your research as you register, and you will have no issues!

Alabama

In Person: 15 days prior to Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 15 days before Election Day
Online: 15 days prior to Election Day

Alaska

In Person: 30 days prior to Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 30 days before Election Day — if this falls on a Sunday, then postmarked 31 days before Election Day
Online: 30 days prior to Election Day

Arizona

In Person: 29 days before Election day, or on the next immediate business day if the deadline falls on a holiday or weekend
By Mail: Postmarked 29 days before Election Day, or on the next immediate business day if the deadline falls on a holiday or weekend
Online: 29 days prior to Election Day

Arkansas

In Person: 30 days prior to Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 30 days before Election Day — if this falls on a Sunday, then postmarked 29 days before Election Day

California

In Person: 15 days prior to Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 15 days before Election Day
Online: 15 days prior to Election Day
Election Day Registration: If the voter registration deadline has passed, you can still register to vote and cast a provisional ballot in person at your County Elections Office at any time up to and including Election Day. Your provisional ballot will be counted when your County Elections Official verifies your voter registration.

Colorado

In Person: Election Day
By Mail: Received 8 days prior to Election Day
Online: 8 days before Election Day
Election Day Registration: You can register and cast a ballot up through Election Day by appearing in-person at a Voter Service and Polling Center during the Early Voting period or on Election Day.

Connecticut

In Person: 7 days prior to Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 7 days prior to Election Day
Online: 7 days prior to Election Day
Election Day Registration: If the voter registration deadline has passed, you can still register to vote in person at a designated Election Day Registration office.

Delaware

In Person: 24 days prior to Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 24 days prior to Election Day
Online: The fourth Saturday prior to Election Day

District of Columbia

In Person: Election Day with proof of residency
By Mail: Received 21 days prior to Election Day
Online: 21 days prior to Election Day
Election Day Registration: You can still register to vote and a cast a ballot at the same time during early voting or on Election Day. Simply go to your regular polling place or early voting site to register and vote.

Florida

In Person: 29 days prior to Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 29 days prior to Election Day
Online: 29 days prior to Election Day

Georgia

In Person: 29 days prior to Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 29 days prior to Election Day
Online: The fifth Monday before Election Day

Hawaii

In Person: 30 days prior to Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 30 days before Election Day
Online: 30 days prior to Election Day
Election Day Registration: If you have missed the voter registration deadline, you can still register to vote and a cast a ballot at the same time during early voting at early walk-in locations and on Election Day at your polling place.

Idaho

In Person: 24 days prior to Election Day. If you miss this deadline, you may register on Election Day as long as you show proof of residence
By Mail: Postmarked 25 days prior to Election Day
Online: 25 days prior to Election Day
Election Day Registration: If you have missed the voter registration deadline, you can still register to vote and a cast a ballot at the same time during early voting or on Election Day. Simply go to your regular polling place or early voting site to register and vote.

Illinois

In Person: 27 days prior to Election Day, after which you may register during the early voting period through Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 28 days prior to Election Day
Online: 16 days prior to Election Day
Election Day Registration: You can also register in person at your local elections office during the “grace period.” The grace period starts 27 days before Election Day and ends on Election Day. Grace Period Voting does not take place at your regular polling place. Grace Period Voting almost always happens at your Local Election Office.

Indiana

In Person: 29 days prior to Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 29 days prior to Election Day
Online: 29 days prior to Election Day

Iowa

In Person: 10 days prior to Election Day. If you miss the deadline, you can also register to vote in-person during early vote or on Election Day.
By Mail: Postmarked 15 days prior to Election Day or received 10 days prior to Election Day
Online: 10 days prior to Election Day
Election Day Registration: If you have missed the voter registration deadline, you can still register to vote and cast a ballot at the same time during early voting or on Election Day. Simply go to your regular polling place or early voting site to register and vote.

Kansas

In Person: 21 days prior to Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 21 days prior to Election Day
Online: 21 days prior to Election Day

Kentucky

In Person: 29 days prior to Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 29 days prior to Election Day
Online: 29 days prior to Election Day

Louisiana

In Person: 30 days prior to Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 30 days before Election Day
Online: 30 days prior to Election Day

Maine

In Person: Election Day
By Mail: Received 21 business days prior to Election Day
Election Day Registration: If you register to vote within 21 days of an election, including on election day, you must appear in person to register at the municipal registrar in order to register.

Maryland

In Person: 21 days prior to Election Day. You may also register during early voting or on Election Day with proof of address.
By Mail: Postmarked 21 days prior to Election Day
Online: 21 days prior to Election Day
Election Day Registration: You can register to vote in-person during early voting and on Election Day.

Massachusetts

In Person: 20 days prior to Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 20 days prior to Election Day
Online: 20 days prior to Election Day

Michigan

In Person: Election Day at your city or township clerk office. The voter registration deadline is 15 days before Election Day, if you submit an application form through a voter registration drive or deliver it to a county clerk or secretary of state office.
By Mail: Postmarked 15 days prior to Election Day
Online: 15 days prior to Election Day
Election Day Registration: If you have missed the voter registration deadline, you can still register to vote and cast a ballot at the same time during early voting or on Election Day. If you plan to register in person within 14 days of Election Day, you will need to present proof of residency.

Minnesota

In Person: Election Day
By Mail: Received 21 days prior to Election Day
Online: 21 days prior to Election Day
Election Day Registration: If you have missed the voter registration deadline, you can still register to vote and cast a ballot at the same time during the in-person absentee voting period or on Election Day. Simply go to your regular in-person absentee voting site or to your regular polling place to register and vote.

Mississippi

In Person: 30 days prior to Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 30 days before Election Day

Missouri

In Person: 27 days prior to Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 27 days prior to Election Day
Online: 27 days prior to Election Day

Montana

In Person: Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 30 days prior to Election Day. Received 27 days prior to Election Day.
Online: N/A
Election Day Registration: If you have missed the voter registration deadline, you can still register to vote at your county election office through close of polls on Election Day, except between noon and 5:00 p.m. the day before the election. You’ll have to register at the office of your Local Election Office — not at a polling place.

Nebraska

In Person: 11 days prior to Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 18 days prior to Election Day. Received 14 days prior to Election Day, if there’s an illegible postmark.
Online: 18 days prior to Election Day

Nevada

In Person: Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 28 days prior to Election Day
Online: 5 Days prior to Election Day
Election Day Registration: You may register to vote in-person at the polling place either during early voting or on Election Day.

New Hampshire

In Person: Election Day. Before Election Day, the last day to register is the last meeting of the Supervisors of the Checklist. The supervisors meet once, 6 to 13 days before Election Day. Check your town/city website, or call your clerk’s office for the date, time, and location of the Supervisor’s meeting.
By Mail: Received between 6 and 13 days prior to Election Day, depending on which town you live in
Election Day Registration: If you have missed the voter registration deadline, you can still register to vote and cast a ballot at the same time on Election Day. Simply go to your regular polling place or early voting site to register and vote.

New Jersey

In Person: 21 days prior to Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 21 days prior to Election Day

New Mexico

In Person: The Saturday prior to Election Day at the county clerk’s office. 28 days prior to Election Day otherwise
By Mail: Postmarked 28 days prior to Election Day. However, an application amy be accepted through the Friday following the deadline if the application is postmarked before the deadline.
Online: 28 days prior to Election Day

New York

In Person: 25 days prior to Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 25 days prior to Election Day. Received 20 days prior to Election Day.
Online: 25 days prior to Election Day

North Carolina

In Person: The Saturday prior to Election Day if voting early in-person. Otherwise 25 days prior to Election Day.
By Mail: Postmarked 25 days prior to Election Day.
Online: 25 days prior to Election Day
Election Day Registration: If an individual becomes qualified to vote between the registration deadline (the 25th day before Election Day) and Election Day, then the individual may apply to register on Election Day by submitting an application to: a member of the county board of elections, the county director of elections, or the chief judge or a judge of the precinct in which the person is eligible to vote. If the application is approved, the individual may vote the same day.

North Dakota

In Person: No voter registration — you simply need to bring valid proof of ID and residency to the polls in order to vote.
By Mail: No voter registration — you simply need to bring valid proof of ID and residency to the polls in order to vote.
Election Day Registration: No voter registration — you simply need to bring valid proof of ID and residency to the polls in order to vote.

Ohio

In Person: 30 days prior to Election Day, extended to the next business day if this falls on a Sunday
By Mail: Postmarked 30 days before Election Day, extended to the next business day if this falls on a Sunday
Online: 30 days prior to Election Day

Oklahoma

In Person: 25 days prior to Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 25 days prior to Election Day

Oregon

In Person: 21 days prior to Election Day
By Mail: Received 21 days prior to Election Day
Online: 21 days prior to Election Day

Pennsylvania

In Person: 15 days prior to Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 15 days before Election Day
Online: 15 days prior to Election Day

Rhode Island

In Person: 30 days prior to Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 30 days before Election Day — if the postmark is missing or unclear and the registration form is received no later than 5 days after the deadline, the individual will be presumed to have been registered by the deadline
Online: 30 days prior to Election Day
Election Day Registration: You may register in person on Election Day at your local Board of Canvassers but only for Presidential elections.

South Carolina

In Person: 30 days prior to Election Day — if this falls on a Sunday, the last preceding day that the county board of voter registration and elections is open
By Mail: Postmarked 30 days before Election Day — the deadline is extended to the next business day if this falls on a Sunday
Online: 30 days prior to Election Day

South Dakota

In Person: 15 days prior to Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 15 days before Election Day

Tennessee

In Person: 30 days prior to Election Day — if this falls on a Sunday, 29 days before Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 30 days before Election Day — the deadline is extended to the next business day if this falls on a Sunday
Online: 30 days prior to Election Day

Texas

In Person: 30 days prior to Election Day — if this falls on a Sunday, 29 days before Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 30 days before Election Day — the deadline is extended to the next business day if this falls on a Sunday

Utah

In Person: 7 days prior to Election Day in clerk’s office, but you may also register during early vote and on Election Day .However, individuals must vote by provisional ballot if they: (i) register online or in-person between 7 and 14 days prior to Election Day, (ii) register during early voting, or (iii) register on Election Day.
By Mail: Postmarked 30 days prior to Election Day — the deadline is extended to the next business day if this falls on a Sunday.
Online: 7 days prior to Election Day

Vermont

In Person: Election Day — must show proof of residency
By Mail: Received by Election Day.
Online: Election Day. If you register online the day before or on Election Day, your application may not be processed and your name may not appear on the checklist and you may be asked to fill out another application at the polls. To be sure your name appears on the checklist, register by the Friday prior to the election.
Election Day Registration: You can register to vote on Election Day at your polling place.

Virginia

In Person: 22 days prior to Election Day — if this day falls on a Sunday, 21 days prior to Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 22 days prior to Election Day — deadline is extended to the next business day if this falls on a Sunday.
Online: 22 days prior to Election Day

Washington

In Person: Election Day
By Mail: Received 8 days prior to Election Day
Online: 8 days prior to Election Day
Election Day Registration: Individuals may register to vote in their county auditor’s office, the division of elections if in a separate city from the county auditor’s office, a voting center, or other location designated by the county auditor in his or her county of residence no later than 8:00pm on the day of the primary, special election, or general election.

West Virginia

In Person: 21 days prior to Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 21 days prior to Election Day
Online: 21 days prior to Election Day

Wisconsin

In Person: The Friday before Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked the third Wednesday prior to Election Day
Online: 20 days prior to Election Day
Election Day Registration: Individuals may register to vote in person at your polling place on Election Day.

Wyoming

In Person: 14 days prior to Election Day
By Mail: Postmarked 14 days prior to Election Day. After this date, individuals may register to vote by mail if their registration is also accompanied by an absentee ballot request.

The information above is sourced from Vote.org.

A State-by-State Guide to Voter Registration Deadlines