Register to vote what do i need

You can find your local election official's website and contact information by using this database from the US Vote Foundation. A total of 35 states have laws requesting or requiring voters to show some form of identification at the polls. Scroll over the map below for state-by-state details. The remaining 15 states use other methods to verify the identity of voters. Most frequently, other identifying information provided at the polling place, such as a signature, is checked against information on file.

Please note that the information contained on this page contains information on the current, in-effect laws. Proponents see increasing requirements for identification as a way to prevent in-person voter impersonation and increase public confidence in the election process. Opponents say there is little fraud of this kind, and the burden on voters unduly restricts the right to vote and imposes unnecessary costs and administrative burdens on elections administrators.

Photo ID requested If no ID is presented, 2 election officials can sign an affidavit attesting to the voter's identity; otherwise the voter votes on a provisional ballot and must resturn to show an ID within 4 days. ID Requested; Photo Not Required If ID is not presented, a voter provides name, date of birth, and address, and signs under penalty of making a false statement.

Photo ID requested If ID is not presented, the voter votes on a provisional ballot and election officials compare the signature on it to a signature on record. ID requested; photo not required If ID is not presented, the voter recites date of birth and address for corroboration. Strict Photo ID If ID is not presented, the voter votes on a provisional ballot and must return within 6 days to show an ID or sign an affidavit swearing to indigence or a religious objection.

ID requested; photo not required. If ID is not presented, the voter is asked to sign an oath verifying their identity, and will be allowed to cast a regular ballot.

Strict Photo ID If ID is not presented, the voter votes on a provisional ballot and must show ID in person or via mail or email before the canvass board meets. Photo ID requested If ID is not presented, the voter signs an affidavit and provides date of birth and other information from the poll book. Photo ID requested If ID is not presented, the voter signs an affidavit and votes on a regular ballot.

Strict Photo ID If ID is not presented, the voter votes on a provisional ballot and must return within 5 days to show ID or sign an affidavit attesting to a religious objection to being photographed.

ID Requested; Photo Not Required If ID is not presented, the voter votes on a provisional ballot and the signature on the ballot envelope is matched to the voter's signature on record. If ID is not presented, the voter signs a challenged voter affidavit and votes a regular ballot. After the election a mailing is sent and the voter must sign and return it; if it is not returned, the voter will be investigated for voter fraud. If ID is not presented, a voter may cast a ballot that is set aside in a sealed envelope.

The ballot is counted in the voter provides valid identification within six days of the election. If no ID is not presented, the voter votes on a provisional ballot and election officials verify the information provided.

A strict voter ID law was enacted in , but is not in place because the state Supreme Court struck it down. Photo ID requested If ID is not presented, the voter votes on a provisional ballot, and election officials match the signature against signatures on record. Otherwise the voter who doesn't show an ID votes a provisional ballot and must show an ID within a few days of the election.

Photo ID requested If ID is not presented, the voter provides name and address and signs an affidavit. Strict Photo ID If ID is not presented, the voter votes on a provisional ballot and must return within two days to show an ID or sign an affidavit attesting to indigence or a religious objection.

Photo ID requested. Voters who do not possess an acceptable form of photo ID and cannot obtain one, may present a supporting form of ID and execute a Reasonable Impediment Declaration. If ID is not presented, the voter may vote a provisional ballot and may provide ID to the election inspectors before the polls close or to the municipal clerk no later than 4pm on the Friday following Election Day.

The voter must go to a county clerk no later than the close of business the following day and present a qualifying ID for the provisional ballot to be counted. Voter ID laws can be categorized in two ways.

First, the laws can be sorted by whether the state asks for a photo ID or whether it accepts IDs without a photo as well. Second, the laws can be divided by what actions are available for voters who do not have ID. These two categorization schemes can and do overlap. Photo vs. Other states accept non-photo identification such as a bank statement with name and address or other document that does not necessarily have a photo.

Using this categorization for laws that are in effect as of September , 17 states ask for a photo ID and 19 states also accept non-photo IDs. To see this difference, look at the columns in Table One.

Procedures for when a voter does not have identification : If a voter fails to show the ID that is asked for by law, states provide alternatives. These laws fit two categories, non-strict and strict. To see this difference, look at the rows in Table One. Alabama [1] Florida Idaho Louisiana Michigan.

Montana Rhode Island South Carolina [4]. In , Pennsylvania enacted a strict photo voter ID law, but it was struck down by the. Since no appeal was filed, it is not in effect. North Carolina also enacted a photo voter ID law in ; it was struck down in and an appeal is likely. Therefore, these states are not included in this chart of in-force laws. However, there is an alternative: two election officials can sign sworn statements saying they know the voter.

However, Oklahoma law also permits a non-photo voter registration card issued by the appropriate county elections board to serve as proof of identity in lieu of photo ID.

However, until December 31, , Wyoming will accept Medicare and Medicaid identification cards as valid forms of ID for voting, neither of which contain a photo. See details in Table 2, below. It has been implemented, even as legal challenges have proceeded through the courts. In July a federal court ruled that the law was unconstitutional, and that an alternative to showing an ID, such as signing an affidavit attesting to identity, must be permitted.

Then in August an appeals court ruled that the law could be implemented as long as the state keeps its pledge to provide temporary free IDs to those in need, and to publicize the law. This temporary order changed North Dakota to a non-strict state in In , HB was enacted allowing voters who do not present an ID at the polls to cast a ballot that is set aside until the voter presents valid identification.

This moved North Dakota once again into the strict non-photo ID category. There are some alternative options for voters without identification in special categories, though. See Table 2 below for details. In addition to the laws governing what identification all voters must show at the polls, first time voters may face additional requirements.

The federal Help America Vote Act section b 2 A mandates that all states require identification from first-time voters who register to vote by mail and have not provided verification of their identification at the time of registration. Most states with strict voter identification requirements make some exceptions.

These exceptions may include people who:. Additionally, voter ID requirements generally apply to in-person voting, not to absentee ballots or mailed ballots. All voters, regardless of the type of verification required by the states, are subject to perjury charges if they vote under false pretenses.

If you have questions regarding the voter ID requirements in your state, please contact your local election administrator. If voting a provisional ballot, the voter has until PM on the Friday after the election to bring the required ID.

An election official may waive the identification requirement if the election official knows the identity of the voter. A voter who cannot exhibit a required form of identification shall be allowed to vote a questioned ballot. An elector who does not provide the required identification shall receive a provisional ballot. Provisional ballots are counted only if the elector provides identification to the county recorder by 5 p.

Documents and identification cards that comply with the requirements include without limitation:. A document or identification card may be presented in a digital format on an electronic device if it complies with other requirements and has been approved or issues by the U. A voter who did not present a required document or identification card may cast a provisional ballot.

The ballot will be counted only if the voter presents acceptable identification to the county clerk or election board by noon the Monday following the election.

However, at least one location is open on Election Day for in-person voting, and the ID requirement spelled out here applies to those voters. The designated election official shall attempt to verify that an elector who cast a provisional ballot is eligible to vote.

The designated election official or designee shall complete the preliminary verification of the elector's eligibility to vote before the ballot is counted. Elector shall, on a form prescribed by the secretary of the state, write the elector's residential address and date of birth, print the elector's name and sign a statement under penalty of false statement that the elector is the elector whose name appears on the official checklist.

In the event the voter does not have proof of identity with them, he or she shall sign an affidavit of affirmation that he or she is the person listed on the election district record. If the elector fails to furnish the required picture identification with signature as required, the elector shall be allowed to vote a provisional ballot.

The canvassing board shall determine the validity of the ballot by determining whether the elector is entitled to vote at the precinct where the ballot was cast and that the elector had not already cast a ballot in the election.

Florida uses signature matching: the voter signs the provisional ballot envelope. That signature is compared to the signature in the voter registration records. If they match, the ballot is counted. A voter without one of the acceptable forms of photo identification can vote on a provisional ballot. He or she will have up to three days after the election to present appropriate photo identification at the county registrar's office in order for the provisional ballot to be counted.

Acceptable types of ID are not specified by law. Hawaii's office of elections provides this information: "Forms of acceptable identification include a valid photo ID Drivers License, State ID, etc , a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or other government issued document that shows your name and address.

A voter may complete an affidavit in lieu of the personal identification. The affidavit shall be on a form prescribed by the secretary of state and shall require the voter to provide the voter's name and address. The voter shall sign the affidavit. Any person who knowingly provides false, erroneous or inaccurate information on such affidavit shall be guilty of a felony.

Voters who are unable or decline to produce proof of identification may vote a provisional ballot. The ballot is counted only if 1 the voter returns to the election board by noon on the Monday after the election and: A produces proof of identification; or B executes an affidavit stating that the voter cannot obtain proof of identification, because the voter: i is indigent; or ii has a religious objection to being photographed; and 2 the voter has not been challenged or required to vote a provisional ballot for any other reason.

In , voters will be asked for ID and anyone who does not have necessary ID will be asked to sign an oath verifying their identity, and will be allowed to cast a regular ballot. In , voters without the necessary ID will be offered a provisional ballot and can provide ID up until the time of the county canvass of votes Monday after election day. Voter cards let you know that you have successfully registered to vote. They contain information for where you will vote on Election Day and a phone number for your state if you have any questions.

Voter Cards are NOT required to vote. Check out our Election Center for additional information about what you must bring with you to the polls on Election Day. You should be able to call your state and request a new voter card. Not all states send out voter cards. Check out the Rock the Vote Election Center for information on where you can vote early.

Some states allow you to do this. Please check with your local elections office to determine the rules in your state. To vote by absentee ballot, you must submit an absentee ballot request form through your state. You can grab yours at our Election Center. You must be registered to vote to request an absentee ballot. The requirements for requesting an absentee ballot vary from state to state. There will be lawyers on hand to answer Election Day questions and concerns about voting procedures.

First, make sure you are at the right polling place. If you are at the wrong polling place they will not have your name on the list of voters. If you are at the correct location and are not on the list, you can still cast a ballot.

Ask the poll worker for a provisional ballot. After the polls close on Election Day the state will check on the status of your voter registration and if there was a mistake made. The state must notify you as to whether your ballot was counted. There will be lawyers there to help. The rules vary state by state. Check out your state rules at our Election Center.

Polling places are usually within walking distance of your home unless you are in a very rural area. Voting FAQs. Is it too late to Register to Vote? Voter registration deadlines vary by state. Check out our Election Center for information for the voter registration deadlines in your state. I may already be registered but I don't know. How do I know if i'm registered to vote? Can you register to vote online? When I received my completed online voter registration form from Rock the Vote, I realized a piece of my personal information email, phone, address, etc.

What should I do? Not to worry. Can I put a PO Box address or a school mailbox address as my permanent address? Your form will not be processed if you put a P. Box as your permanent address. For districting purposes, you must put a physical address. There is a section of the form to put your mailing address, in addition to your physical address.

I just moved to a new state yesterday. Download voter registration form. No state ID and no printer? With TurboVote, you can digitally fill out a form and have them print and mail it to you, so you can sign and return to the Board of Elections. Get started with print-free registration. If you are 16 or 17 years old, you can pre-register to vote! After pre-registering, you will automatically become registered on your 18th birthday.

What could be a better present than that? These forms must be completed in English. When you move, you should change your address with the Board of Elections by submitting a new voter registration form.

If you would like to become a member of a political party, or remain a member of your current political party, make sure to select your political party on your registration. In order to vote in the November 2nd general election, your change of address must be received by the Board of Elections by October 13th.

You do not have to join a political party when you register to vote. However, only members of political parties are eligible to vote in primary elections.