Early voting
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| Select a state from the menu below to learn more about its voting policies. |
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. Some states allow voters to cast absentee ballots in person. States that allow in-person absentee voting without an excuse are counted below among no-excuse early voting states.
To see the arguments for and against early voting , click here.
The most important step in voting is knowing where and when to vote. Ballotpedia is committed to making sure everyone who wants to vote, can vote. Check the list of states below to find the contact information for your state Election Commission or Secretary of State's office. This information can be used to find more information about signing up for early voting or finding your local polling place.
Click here to see a comprehensive list of states that allow early voting.
Click here to find the contact information for your state election commission or secretary of state.
Click here for a list of upcoming election dates.
Early voting by state
As of February 2024, 47 states and the District of Columbia permitted no-excuse early voting in some form:[1]
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- District of Columbia
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota[2]
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
States with all-mail voting
- See also: All-mail voting
Eight states – California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, and Washington – conduct what are commonly referred to as all-mail elections. In these states, voting is conducted primarily, although not necessarily exclusively, by mail. These states allow for in-person early voting by default (generally by allowing voters to return their mail-in ballots in person at municipal-level offices or vote centers).
Frequently asked questions
Support and opposition
The following quotes briefly summarize arguments for and against early voting. See our page, Arguments for and against early voting, for detailed support and opposition arguments from a variety of sources.
| Arguments for and against early voting | |||||||
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| Support | Opposition | ||||||
| "Early voting eases Election Day congestion, leading to shorter lines and improved poll-worker performance. It allows election officials to correct registration errors and fix voting system glitches earlier. And polling has shown that early voting enjoys popular support. ... [S]tarting in 2011, lawmakers in some states have sought to cut back on early voting. In many cases, these reductions have targeted voting days used heavily in African-American communities, such as the last Sunday before the election, when churches organize 'souls to the polls' drives. States that cut back on early voting have faced lawsuits and some rulings that the changes were discriminatory." - The Brennan Center for Justice (2018)[3] |
"Although voters may find early voting convenient, turnout data show that early voting may actually decrease turnout, not increase it. Early voting raises the costs of political campaigns, since expensive get-out-the-vote efforts must be spread out over a longer period of time. There is also no question that when voters cast their ballots weeks before Election Day, they do so without the same access to knowledge about the candidates and the issues as those who vote on Election Day. When there are late-breaking developments in campaigns that could be important to the choices made by voters, those who have voted early cannot change their votes." - Hans von Spakovsky of The Heritage Foundation (2017)[4]
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Upcoming election dates
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| State | District | Description | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| What's on your ballot? Enter your address into Ballotpedia's Sample Ballot Lookup tool to find out! | |||
| California | California State Assembly District 32 | Special primary election for California State Assembly District 32 | February 25, 2025 |
| California | California State Senate District 36 | Special primary election for California State Senate District 36 | February 25, 2025 |
| Connecticut | Connecticut House of Representatives District 40 | Special general for Connecticut House District 40 | February 25, 2025 |
| Connecticut | Connecticut State Senate District 21 | Special general for Connecticut State Senate District 21 | February 25, 2025 |
| Iowa | Iowa | Iowa local special elections | February 25, 2025 |
| Illinois | Illinois statewide municipal primary | Illinois statewide municipal primary | February 25, 2025 |
| Kansas | Wichita Public Schools | Wichita Public Schools, Nebraska, special ballot measure election | February 25, 2025 |
| Maine | Maine House of Representatives District 24 | Special general for Maine House District 24 | February 25, 2025 |
| Minnesota | Minnesota House of Representatives District 40B | Special primary election for Minnesota State House 40B | February 25, 2025 |
| Delaware | Middletown | Middletown, D.E., general municipal election | March 3, 2025 |
| Alabama | Tuscaloosa City Schools | Tuscaloose City Schools general election | March 4, 2025 |
| California | Cerritos | Cerritos, Califoria, general election | March 4, 2025 |
| California | Coachella Valley Unified School District | Coachella Valley USD, California, special partial remedial election (Imperial County voters only) | March 4, 2025 |
| California | Dos Palos | Dos Palos, California, special ballot measure election | March 4, 2025 |
| California | Marin County | Marin County, California, special ballot measure elections | March 4, 2025 |
| California | Redondo Beach | Redondo Beach, California, general election | March 4, 2025 |
| California | Redondo Beach Unified School District | Redondo Beach USD, California, general election | March 4, 2025 |
| California | San Mateo County | San Mateo County, California, special ballot measure election | March 4, 2025 |
| Colorado | Dillon | Recall election | March 4, 2025 |
| Colorado | Loveland | Recall election | March 4, 2025 |
| Florida | Florida | Florida township elections | March 4, 2025 |
| Iowa | Decorah | Decorah, Iowa, special ballot measure election | March 4, 2025 |
| Iowa | Iowa | Iowa, municipal special general election | March 4, 2025 |
| Missouri | St. Louis | St. Louis primary election | March 4, 2025 |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma State Senate District 8 | Special primary for Oklahoma State Senate District 8 | March 4, 2025 |
| South Carolina | South Carolina | South Carolina municipal general election | March 4, 2025 |
| Vermont | Brattleboro | Brattleboro general election | March 4, 2025 |
| Vermont | Montpelier | Montpelier general election | March 4, 2025 |
| Vermont | Newfane | Newfane general election | March 4, 2025 |
| Vermont | Vergennes | Vergennes general election | March 4, 2025 |
| Vermont | Winooski | Winooski general election | March 4, 2025 |
| Maine | Harpswell (Cumberland County) | This is a regular municipal election in Harpswell, ME. | March 8, 2025 |
| Alabama | Alabama State Senate District 5 | Special primary for Alabama State Senate District 5 | March 11, 2025 |
| Arizona | Phoenix | General runoff election in Phoenix, Arizona | March 11, 2025 |
| Arizona | Phoenix City Council District 7 | Special runoff election for Phoenix City Council District 7 | March 11, 2025 |
| Arizona | Tucson | Special election | March 11, 2025 |
| Florida | Florida | Florida municipal elections | March 11, 2025 |
| Georgia | Cobb County | Cobb County, Ga., special primary runoff | March 11, 2025 |
| Iowa | Iowa House of Representatives District 100 | Special election for Iowa House of Representatives District 100 | March 11, 2025 |
| Minnesota | Minnesota | Minnesota township elections | March 11, 2025 |
| Minnesota | Minnesota House of Representatives District 40B | Special general election for Minnesota State House 40B | March 11, 2025 |
| North Dakota | Dickinson | Recall election | March 11, 2025 |
| South Carolina | Hemingway | Hemingway, S.C. special local election | March 11, 2025 |
| California | Fresno City Council District 5 | Special general election for Fresno City Council District 5 | March 18, 2025 |
| Georgia | Georgia | Georgia local special elections | March 18, 2025 |
| South Carolina | Cheraw | This is a special election for town council in Cheraw, S.C. | March 18, 2025 |
| Wyoming | Washakie County | Washakie Rural Improvement and Service District general election | March 18, 2025 |
| Oregon | Beaverton School District | Beaverton School District general election | March 20, 2025 |
| Oregon | Centennial School District | Centennial School District general election | March 20, 2025 |
| Oregon | David Douglas School District | David Douglas School District general election | March 20, 2025 |
| Oregon | David Douglas School District | David Douglas School District position 7 special election | March 20, 2025 |
| Oregon | Parkrose School District | Parkrose School District general election | March 20, 2025 |
| Oregon | Parkrose School District | Parkrose School District Position 3 special election | March 20, 2025 |
| Oregon | Portland Public Schools | Portland Public Schools general election | March 20, 2025 |
| Oregon | Portland Public Schools | Portland Public Schools Zone 1 special election | March 20, 2025 |
| Oregon | Reynolds School District | Reynolds School District general election | March 20, 2025 |
| Oregon | Salem-Keizer Public Schools | Salem-Keizer Public Schools general election | March 20, 2025 |
| Oregon | Scappoose School District | Scappoose School District general election | March 20, 2025 |
Note: An election date on the above list may have been scheduled initially but later canceled due to a lack of candidates or a lack of races advancing to a runoff, if applicable.
Early voting legislation
The table below lists bills related to early voting introduced during (or carried over to) each state's regular legislative session this year. The following information is included for each bill:
- State
- Bill number
- Official bill name or caption
- Most recent action date
- Legislative status
- Sponsor party
- Topics dealt with by the bill
Bills are organized by state and then by most recent action. The table displays up to 100 results. To view more bills, use the arrows in the upper-right corner. Clicking on a bill will open its page on Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker, which includes bill details and a summary.
Noteworthy events
This section summarizes noteworthy events related to early voting.
Delaware (2024)
On June 28, 2024, the Delaware Supreme Court struck down a ruling from the Delaware Superior Court and reinstated early voting in the state. In a 5-0 decision, the court ruled that plaintiffs failed to prove that they would be harmed by laws permitting early voting, and therefore had no standing to sue. Consequently, the decision did not rule on the lower court's determination that early voting was prohibited by the Delaware Constitution.[5] The court agreed to hear the case on an expedited basis to provide clarity to voters and election administrators before the November election.[6]
In a statement, Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings (D) said, "I’m grateful to the Court for its ruling and for agreeing to hear this case on an expedited basis so that Delawareans know their rights going into the September and November elections."[6] In response to the ruling, Delaware House of Representatives Minority Whip Lyndon Yearick (R) said, "This is frustrating because the constitutionality issue was our sole concern. We support early voting."[7] The plaintiffs attorney, M. Jane Brady, a former Superior Court judge and former chair of the Delaware Republican Party, said that plaintiffs would continue to challenge the constitutionality of early voting in the state.[6]
Earlier in the year, on February 23, Superior Court Judge Mark Conner ruled that early voting was unconstitutional in the state, saying that the laws were "inconsistent with our constitution and therefore cannot stand."[8][9] Article V, Section 1 of the Delaware Constitution says, "The general election shall be held biennially on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in the month of November." Judge Conner wrote, "Any enactment of the General Assembly that provides for casting ballots on other days than that day enumerated by Article V, Section 1, unless permitted elsewhere Article V, runs afoul of and is inconsistent with the Constitution."[10]
On February 27, Attorney General Jennings announced that she would appeal the decision to the Delaware Supreme Court and said, "We will file our appeal quickly and intend to request a decision from the Delaware Supreme Court so that voters have final clarity in time for the September primaries."[11] On February 29, lawmakers introduced legislation, SB3, to amend the state's constitution and restore in-person early voting.
Lawmakers originally established early in-person voting by passing HB38 in 2019. Delaware Governor John Carney (D) signed HB38 on June 30, 2019, which established in-person early voting beginning January 1, 2022. The law allowed voters to vote "in-person during at least 10 days before an election, up to and including the Saturday and Sunday immediately before the election at locations determined by the State Election Commissioner."[12][13] According to Senate Bill 149, which was signed into law on July 21, 2023, Sundays did not have to be included in the early voting period for presidential preference primaries.[14]
Iowa (2018)
On August 10, 2018, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled on several provisions of HF 516, which called for shortening the state's early voting period from 40 to 29 days along with other provisions related to voting, including voter ID requirements. Concerning the early voting period, the court lifted an injunction put in place by a district court. The court did not provide their reasoning in the order.[15]
On May 30, 2018, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) of Iowa and Taylor Blair, a student at Iowa State University, filed suit in the Iowa District Court for Polk County against Secretary of State Paul Pate (R) alleging that HF 516 illegally impaired the ability of Iowans to vote.
On July 24, 2018, the district court granted the plaintiffs' request for temporary injunctions against several parts of HF 516, including the provision shortening the early voting period, saying that provision would cause irreparable harm to those unable to vote in the 29-day period. The case proceeded to the Iowa Supreme Court, which lifted the injunction.[16]
Florida (2018)
On July 24, 2018, a federal judge barred enforcement of a Florida rule, established by Secretary of State Ken Detzner in 2014, prohibiting the use of college campus sites as early voting locations. The rule stated that educational facilities did not meet state law definitions for early voting sites.[17]
Judge Mark E. Walker of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida wrote the following in his order: "Simply put, Defendant's Opinion [i.e., Florida's rule barring early voting on college campuses] reveals a stark pattern of discrimination. It is unexplainable on grounds other than age because it bears so heavily on younger voters than all other voters. ... The Opinion is intentionally and facially discriminatory." Walker barred the secretary of state from enforcing the 2014 rule, though he did not order election officials to designate early voting sites on college campuses, leaving such action to the discretion of local officials.[17][18]
Ohio (2014-2016)
On August 23, 2016, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit upheld an Ohio law reducing the state's early voting period from 35 days to 29 days.[19]
On February 21, 2014, Governor John Kasich signed into law two bills that altered the state's early and absentee voting provisions. Senate Bill 238 shortened the early voting period by a week, thereby eliminating "Golden Week," a period during which state residents could register and vote on the same day. Senate Bill 205 established a requirement that the secretary of state obtain funding approval from the legislature before mailing absentee ballot applications statewide.[20]
The NAACP and other groups filed a lawsuit seeking to block enforcement of Senate Bill 238. A federal district court placed an injunction on SB 238's provisions, then the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to stay the injunction, putting the law into effect. On April 17, 2015, the parties involved agreed to a settlement. The terms of the settlement included the restoration of one day of voting on Sunday, additional weekday evening voting hours, and the elimination of "Golden Week."[21]
The Ohio Democratic Party, along with two local parties and three individuals, challenged the version of the law that was revised based on the 2015 settlement. A district court issued an injunction barring implementation of the law on May 24, 2016, ruling that the law created a disparate burden on African-American voters. The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit reversed the ruling on August 23, 2016, ruling that the change to 29 days of early voting remained generous and that it did not violate the Voting Rights Act.[19]
North Carolina (2013-2016)
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit struck down several provisions of a North Carolina law, including a provision shortening the state's early voting period, on July 29, 2016.[22]
On July 25, 2013, the North Carolina Legislature passed a law with several provisions related to voting, including voter ID requirements and shortening the early voting period from 17 days to 10 days. Governor Pat McCrory (R) signed the bill into law on August 12, 2013. A number of lawsuits opposing the law were filed, and the cases were consolidated in a case brought before the District Court of the Middle District of North Carolina. The suits alleged that the law discriminated against minority groups. North Carolina was the first state to approve new voting laws after the United States Supreme Court struck down portions of the federal Voting Rights Act in June 2013.[23][24]
The district court upheld the provisions of the law, ruling that the provisions did not place a discriminatory burden on African Americans and that the state had other reasons beyond discriminatory intent for imposing the provisions.[25] The plaintiffs in the case appealed.
On July 29, 2016, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit struck down the shortened early voting period and the state's photo ID requirement along with other provisions, ruling that the state legislature had enacted them with racially discriminatory intent. On May 15, 2017, the Supreme Court of the United States declined to hear the state's appeal, letting the Fourth Circuit's decision stand.[22]
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker
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The Ballot Bulletin
The Ballot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy. The Ballot Bulletin tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from our Election Administration Legislation Tracker. You'll also be able to track relevant legislation, with links to and summaries of the bills themselves.
Recent issues
Click below to view recent issues of The Ballot Bulletin.
- The Ballot Bulletin: February 14, 2025
- The Ballot Bulletin: February 7, 2025
- The Ballot Bulletin: January 31, 2025
- The Ballot Bulletin: January 24, 2025
- The Ballot Bulletin: January 17, 2025
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See also
- Early voting dates, 2025
- Absentee/mail-in voting
- State poll opening and closing times
- Time off work for voting
- Voter registration
External links
- National Conference of State Legislatures, Voting Outside the Polling Place: Absentee, All-Mail and Other Voting at Home Options
- The Washington Times, Eight reasons for halting early voting
- Brennan Center for Justice, Early Voting: What Works
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 National Conference of State Legislatures, "Early In-Person Voting," March 23, 2023 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "ncslabsentee" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ North Dakota only offers early voting in some counties.
- ↑ Brennan Center for Justice, "Democracy: An Election Agenda for Candidates, Activists, and Legislators," May 4, 2018
- ↑ The Heritage Foundation, "The Costs of Early Voting," October 3, 2017
- ↑ WHYY, "Delaware Supreme Court restores access to early voting, permanent absentee voting," February 23, 2024
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Delaware.gov, "In unanimous ruling, Court sides with Jennings on voting rights," June 28, 2024
- ↑ WGMD, "Early Voting/Permanent Absentee Voting Overturned by DE Supreme Court," June 28, 2024
- ↑ Delaware Online, "Delaware lawmakers consider options after court tosses out early voting, mail-in ballots," February 27, 2024
- ↑ ABC News, "Delaware's early voting and permanent absentee laws are unconstitutional, a judge says," February 26, 2024
- ↑ ABC News, "Mennella, et al. v. Albence, et al., C.A. No. S23C-03-014 MHC," February 23, 2024
- ↑ Attorney General, State of Delaware, "Attorney General Jennings’ comments on Superior Court’s voting ruling (as prepared)," February 27, 2024
- ↑ Delaware.gov, "Governor Carney Signs Early Voting Legislation," June 30, 2019
- ↑ Delaware General Assembly, "House Bill 38," accessed April 6, 2023
- ↑ Delaware General Assembly, "Senate Bill 149," accessed July 31, 2023
- ↑ The Gazette, "Iowa voter ID ruling: Early voting period stands at 29 days, high court says," August 10, 2018
- ↑ Iowa District Court for Polk County, "League of United Latin American Citizens of Iowa v. Pate: Ruling on Plaintiffs' Motion for a Temporary Injunction," July 24, 2018
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida, "League of Women Voters of Florida v. Detzner: Order Granting Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction," July 24, 2018
- ↑ Tampa Bay Times, "Judge: Florida’s early voting-on-campus ban shows ‘stark pattern of discrimination,’" July 24, 2018
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Leagle, "Ohio Democratic Party v. Husted," August 23, 2016
- ↑ The Columbus Dispatch, "Kasich signs both elections bills; 'livid' FitzGerald may take action," February 22, 2014
- ↑ MSNBC, "Settlement reverses some cuts to Ohio early voting," April 17, 2015
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Ballot Access News, "U.S. Supreme Court Refuses to Hear All Four Election Law Cases that had Been on Conference Last Week," May 15, 2017
- ↑ CBS News, "N.C. sued soon after voter ID bill signed into law," August 13, 2013
- ↑ Politico, "Justice Department challenges North Carolina voter ID law," September 30, 2013
- ↑ Harvard Law Review, "North Carolina State Conference of the NAACP v. McCrory," April 10, 2017
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