States where you can register to vote on Election Day

Per Ballotpedia, these states allow you to register to vote on Election Day:

• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• District of Columbia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Iowa
• Maine
• Maryland
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Montana
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Mexico
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

Each state has different rules on whether this registration can be in-person, via mail, or online, so be sure to check with your state’s Board of Elections website.

What about Rhode Island,  Alaska and North Dakota?

In Rhode Island and Alaska, the people who register on Election Day can only vote for the president and vice president.

North Dakota, however, stands out from the rest of the states because it’s the only one that doesn’t require voter registration. Most other states also require voters to show proof of residency and identification. While many states have two separate dates for the beginning and end of same-day registration, New Hampshire only offers same-day registration on Election Day.

How to check your voter registration status

With many states now providing multiple ways for people to register to vote or track their registration status, more than 78 million people have already submitted their 2024 election ballots, CBS News reported. Voters can visit vote.gov to check their registration status. 

“The good news is that it’s easier to register than ever across the United States,” CBS News election law contributor David Becker told CBS Mornings.

What do I need to register to vote?

As USA Today reports, “proof of residency and identification are generally required to register, but voters should check their local election administrators for more information using Vote.gov.“

Nearly half the states also provide automatic voter registration, allowing people to automatically register when they visit government agencies such as their Department of Motor Vehicles, or when they get official IDs. People who don’t want to automatically get registered to vote can still opt out.

In some states, the deadline to register in person, by mail or online has already passed.

Although voter registration deadlines vary by state, Oct. 6 was the deadline for every eligible citizen to vote using any registration method available, per The Center for Election Innovation & Research.

Every state also offers election offices and other designated locations for in-person voter registration. Almost all the states now accept mail-in registrations as well.