Check if You Are Registered to Vote

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Voting in the United States is a right and a responsibility. If you are not sure about whether or not you are currently registered to vote, there are a few avenues you can take to check on your status.

Steps

  1. Find out what your state laws are about voting registration. Each state has different laws and regulations about voting, and you should pay special attention to laws about residency and expiration. Learn how long your state allows voters to remain inactive before that registration expires. In some states, a voter registration will expire if a voter has not participated in the last two presidential elections. Other states are more rigid, while others still are more lax. Do an Internet search to learn what your state law says or contact your county board of elections for more information.
  2. Check your voter registration card. Many states will send you a voter registration card to confirm that you have registered. The voter registration card you were issued at the time you registered should indicate your county and voting district. If you have had your registration card for a while and may have moved between the time you first received it and now, check the card to verify whether or not the county you registered in matches the county you live in now. If you no longer live in the same county, then you may need to re-register depending on your state’s laws.[1]
  3. Call your state or county elections agency or elections board.[2] Each state has an office of voter affairs. Oftentimes, you will need to speak directly with your county or city election board to verify whether or not you are registered, but the state office for voter affairs should be able to direct you or provide you with the number you need to call.
    • Alabama: (334) 242-7200
    • Alaska: (866) 952-8683
    • Arizona: (877) THE-VOTE
    • Arkansas: (800) 482-1127
    • California: (800) 345-8683
    • Colorado: (303) 894-2200
    • Connecticut: (860) 509-6100
    • Delaware: (866) 276-2353
    • Florida: (850) 245-6200
    • Georgia: (404) 656-2871
    • Hawaii: (800) 442-VOTE
    • Idaho: (208) 334-2852
    • Illinois: (217) 782-4141
    • Indiana: (317) 232-3300
    • Iowa: (515) 281-8849
    • Kansas: (785) 296-4561
    • Kentucky: (502) 573-7100
    • Louisiana: (225) 922-0900
    • Maine: (207) 624-7736
    • Maryland: (410) 269-2840
    • Massachusetts: (617) 727-2828
    • Michigan: (888) 767-6424
    • Minnesota: (877) 600-VOTE
    • Mississippi: (601) 359-6360
    • Missouri: (573) 751-2301
    • Montana: (888) 884-VOTE
    • Nebraska: (888) 727-0007
    • Nevada: (775) 684-5708
    • New Hampshire: (603) 271-3242
    • New Jersey: (609) 292-3760
    • New Mexico: (505) 827-3600
    • New York: (518) 474-6220
    • North Carolina: (919) 733-7173
    • North Dakota: (701) 328-4146
    • Ohio: (614) 466-2585
    • Oklahoma: (405) 521-2391
    • Oregon: (503) 986-1518
    • Pennsylvania: (877) 868-3772
    • Rhode Island: (401) 222-2345
    • South Carolina: (803) 734-9060
    • South Dakota: (605) 773-3537
    • Tennessee: (615) 741-7956
    • Texas: (800) 252-VOTE
    • Utah: (877) 9UT-EGOV
    • Vermont: (802) 828-2464
    • Virginia: (800) 552-9745
    • Washington: (800) 448-4881
    • Washington, DC: (202) 727-2525
    • West Virginia: (304) 558-6000
    • Wisconsin: (608) 266-8005
    • Wyoming: (307) 777-5860
  4. Go to the website of your state voter affairs office. Nowadays, every state has a website that residents of the state can use in order to help with voting concerns. Most of these websites should provide instructions on how to confirm your registration. In many cases, the state website even has a way for residents to check on their current registration status online, which can be especially useful since it means avoiding a time-consuming game of “telephone tag.” In some cases, you will need nothing more than your name and county. In others, you might need additional information, like address and birth date.
  5. Check with a non-partisan service. In an effort to improve voter turn-out, state election officials gathered together to create a nonpartisan website called canIvote.org.[3] The website is designed to be used as an easy way to check whether or not you are registered to vote. Accessing the website is as simple as visiting the page, selecting your state from the drop down menu, and following the instructions that come up afterward.

Tips

  • If you want to register to vote, you can contact your city or county board of elections and fill out a voter registration form there. Alternatively, you can also go to the website of the United States Election Assistance Commission and download the National Mail Voter Registration Form there.[4] Follow the state-specific instructions for your state in order to mail it in.

Warnings

  • Make sure you know how far in advance your state requires you to register to vote in the next election. It is important that you check on your current registration status well in advance; otherwise, you may discover that you are not currently registered and may miss out on voting as a result.

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Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.headcount.org/voting-faq/
  2. ↑ http://www.headcount.org/verify-voter-registration/
  3. ↑ http://www.canivote.org/
  4. ↑ http://www.eac.gov/voter_resources/register_to_vote.aspx

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