Updated Sept. 11, 2004
WASHINGTON (BP)–Voter registration is a crucial starting point for Christian civic engagement.
Voters may register online at www.ivotevalues.com.
Alternately, the FEC website gives the following general information and state-by-state voter registration deadlines:
“Registration applications may be obtained from either the local election official in your county or city, or through registration outreach programs sponsored by such groups as the League of Women Voters. In addition, you can also register to vote when applying for a driver’s license or identity card at State DMV or driver’s licensing offices, State offices providing public assistance, State offices providing State-funded programs for the disabled, and at armed forces recruitment offices.
“Many states also offer registration opportunities at public libraries, post offices, unemployment offices, and at public high schools and universities,” the Federal Elections Commission also notes. “Colleges, universities, and trade schools participating in federal student loan programs also offer voter registration applications to enrolled students prior to general elections.”
This fall’s general election will be Nov. 2.
For further local information, contact your local elections officials.
Alabama — Voter registration is closed during the ten days preceding an election. Applications must be postmarked or delivered by the eleventh day prior to the election.
Alaska — 30 days before the election.
Arizona — 29 days before the election.
Arkansas — 30 days before the election.
California — 15 days before the election.
Colorado — 29 days before the election. If the application is received in the mails without a postmark, it must be received within 5 days of the close of registration.
Connecticut — 14 days before the election.
Delaware — 20 days prior to the general election and 20 days prior to any primary election.
District of Columbia — 30 days before the election.
Florida — 29 days before the election.
Georgia — The fifth Monday before any general primary, general election, or presidential preference primary, or regularly scheduled special election pursuant to the Georgia Election Code. In the event that a special election is scheduled on a date other that those dates prescribed by the Georgia Election Code, registration would close on the 5th day after the call.
Hawaii — 30 days before the election.
Idaho — 25 days before the election.
Illinois — 28 days prior to each election.
Indiana — 29 days before the election.
Iowa — Must be delivered by 5 p.m. 10 days before the election, if it is a state primary or general election; 11 days before all others. Registration forms which are postmarked 15 or more days before an election are considered on time even if received after the deadline.
Kansas — Delivered 15 days before the election.
Kentucky — 29 days before the election.
Louisiana — 30 days before the election.
Maine — Delivered 10 business days before the election (or a voter may register in-person up to and including election day).
Maryland — 9:00 p.m. 21 days before the election.
Massachusetts — 20 days before the election.
Michigan — 30 days before the election.
Minnesota — Delivered by 5:00 p.m. 21 days before the election (there is also election day registration at polling places).
Mississippi — 30 days before the election.
Missouri — 28 days before the election.
Montana — 30 days before the election.
Nebraska — The third Friday before the election (or delivered by 6 p.m. on the second Friday before the election).
Nevada — 9:00 p.m. on the fifth Saturday before any primary or general election. 9:00 p.m. on the third Saturday before any recall or special election. However, if a recall or special election is held on the same day as a primary or general election, the registration closes at 9:00 p.m. on the fifth Saturday before the day for the elections.
New Hampshire — New Hampshire town and city clerks will accept this application only as a request for their own absentee voter mail-in registration form, which must be received by your city or town clerk by 10 days before the election.
New Jersey — 29 days before the election.
New Mexico — 28 days before the election.
New York — 25 days before the election.
North Carolina — Postmarked 25 days before the election or received in the elections office or designated voter registration agency site by 5:00 p.m. 25 days before the election.
North Dakota — North Dakota does not have voter registration.
Ohio — 30 days before the election.
Oklahoma — 25 days before the election.
Oregon — 21 days before the election.
Pennsylvania — 30 days before an election or primary.
Rhode Island — 30 days before the election.
South Carolina — 30 days before the election.
South Dakota — Received 15 days before the election.
Tennessee — 30 days before the election.
Texas — 30 days before the election.
Utah — 20 days before the election.
Vermont — Delivered to the town clerk before 12:00 noon on the second Saturday before the election.
Virginia — Delivered 29 days before the election.
Washington — 30 days before the election (or delivered in-person to the local voter registration office 15 days before the election).
West Virginia — 20 days before the election.
Wisconsin — For municipalities where voter registration is required, 13 days before the election (or completed in the local voter registration office up to 5:00 pm. 1 day before the election, or completed at the polling place on election day).
Wyoming — Wyoming by law, cannot accept this form unless State law is changed.
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Via the Internet, this information can be viewed at the Federal Elections Commission’s website, www.fec.gov, then selecting “Elections and Voting” from the menu on the left side of the homepage. Then go to “Registering to Vote” to select “State voter registration deadlines.”
