Early Voting in 5 States: When and How to Vote Early in Your State
Early voting has officially begun in five states, with more set to begin in October. Knowing the details of your own state’s rules is crucial if you hope to participate in the process.
Nearly every state offers residents options to vote before Election Day on November 5, but these options vary widely in start date, duration, and available methods depending on the state. A few states don’t even offer early voting to all residents, only those with an approved excuse. Check out the map below for details on each state’s early voting process, and read on for a more in-depth analysis.
Early voting gained renewed attention during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the 2020 presidential election was in full swing. About 70% of the 154.6 million Americans who voted in that race did so before Election Day — in person or by mail — with almost 50% do that too during the 2022 midterm elections, indicating that the trend of early voting will continue.
For more information about the election, read how to find your voter registration online and what each presidential candidate’s position is on the child tax credit.
What is early voting?
Although it has different names by state, “early voting” refers to the process of casting your ballot before Election Day.
Some states call it personal early votingwhich allows you to go to a specific polling station and cast your vote, in a manner similar to how you would vote in person on Election Day.
Other states call it personal voting by proxywhich allows you to visit a designated office, request a postal ballot for any reason, fill it out, and submit it during the same visit. This may also be called voting by proxy without excusewhich means any registered voter can do so for any reason. Every state, even the few without other early voting options, offers absentee voting for those with valid excuses, such as serving in the military or attending school far from home.
Because the early voting page for the National Conference of State Legislatures According to the researchers’ notes, these two methods ultimately produce virtually the same results for voters.
What about voting by mail?
A handful of states and Washington, DC, hold their elections under a all emails system, meaning that every registered voter will receive a mail-in ballot that they can fill out and return before Election Day. These states also offer other early voting options if their voters want them for whatever reason, so it’s best to contact your local elections office to learn more about those options.
When does early voting start in my state?
Below is more detailed information about the process, broken down by state, based on voting information collected by the NCSL. As a reminder, requesting a mail-in ballot is available everywhere for registered voters with valid excuses. Below is another interactive map of states that have begun their early voting periods.
Early voting began September 26 in South Dakota, Vermont, Illinois, Minnesota and Virginia, the latter two considered key presidential swing states. For each of these states, the early voting window will run until Election Day. In Vermont, a mail-in state, ballots will be mailed to residents no later than October 1. The remaining states and DC will join the fray over the next month.
Alabama: No early voting, only voting by mail with an approved excuse.
Alaska: In-person voting by mail. Begins October 21 in most places and continues through Election Day. Contact your local election supervisor’s office to confirm any discrepancies.
Arizona: In-person proxy voting. Begins everywhere on October 9 and runs through November 1, the Friday before Election Day. This end date can vary under certain circumstances, so check with your local election office.
Arkansas: The opportunity to vote early in person begins on October 21 and lasts until November 4, the day before Election Day.
California: The state has vote by mail, with other options for early voting. The early period begins on October 7 and runs through Election Day.
Colorado: Vote by mail, with personal options for early voting. The early period begins on October 21 and lasts until November 4, the day before Election Day.
Connecticut: The state has in-person early voting, starting October 21 and running through November 3, the Sunday before Election Day.
Delaware: The state has in-person early voting, starting October 25 and running through November 3, the Sunday before Election Day.
District of Columbia: Vote by mail, with options for in-person early voting. The early voting period begins on October 28 and runs through November 3, the Sunday before Election Day.
Florida: In-person early voting. Begins as early as October 26 and can last until November 2, the Sunday before Election Day, but dates vary by county. Contact your local election office for more information.
Georgia: In-person early voting. Begins October 15 and runs through November 1, the Friday before Election Day.
Hawaii: Vote by mail, with early options to vote in person. The early period runs from October 22nd until Election Day.
Idaho: In-person voting by mail, but only in some counties. Begins October 21 and continues through November 1, the Friday before Election Day. Contact your local elections office to confirm early voting options.
Illinois: Early in-person voting begins September 26 and continues through November 4, the day before Election Day.
Indiana: Voting in person by mail. Begins October 8 and runs until November 4, the day before Election Day.
Iowa: In-person voting by mail. Begins October 16 and continues until November 4, the day before Election Day.
Kansas: In-person voting by mail. Begins October 16 and continues until November 4, the day before Election Day.
Kentucky: In-person voting by mail. Begins October 31 and continues until November 2, the Saturday before Election Day.
Louisiana: Early in-person voting begins on October 18 and continues through October 29, a week before Election Day.
Maine: In-person proxy voting. Begins October 6 and runs until October 31, the Thursday before election day.
Maryland: Early in-person voting begins on October 24 and continues through October 31, the Thursday before Election Day.
Massachusetts: Early in-person voting begins on October 19 and continues through November 1, the Friday before Election Day.
Michigan: Early in-person voting begins on October 26 and continues through November 3, the Sunday before Election Day.
Minnesota: In-person voting by mail. Begins September 20 and runs until November 4, the day before Election Day.
Mississippi: No early voting; only mail-in voting with an approved excuse. The mail-in period begins September 23 and lasts until November 2, the Saturday before Election Day.
Missouri: Early Proxy Voting. The window begins earlier for those with an approved proxy: September 17. The proxy by proxy by proxy window begins October 22. Both windows end November 4, the Monday before Election Day.
Montana: Early voting by proxy. Begins October 7 and runs until noon on November 4, the day before Election Day.
Nebraska: Early in-person voting begins on October 7 and continues through November 4, the day before Election Day.
Nevada: Vote by mail, with other early voting options. The early voting period begins on October 12 and lasts until November 1, the day before Election Day.
New Hampshire: There are no early voting options, only mail-in voting with an approved excuse.
New Jersey: Early in-person voting begins on October 26 and continues through November 3, the Sunday before Election Day.
New Mexico: Early in-person voting begins October 8 and continues through Election Day.
New York: Early in-person voting begins on October 26 and continues through November 3, the Sunday before Election Day.
North Carolina: Early in-person voting begins on October 17 and continues through November 2, the Saturday before Election Day.
North Dakota: Early in-person voting begins at least 15 days before Election Day, but the time frame varies by state and potential voters should contact their local election office to confirm.
Ohio: In-person proxy voting. Begins October 8 and runs until 5:00 p.m. November 3, the Sunday before Election Day.
Oklahoma: In-person voting by mail. Begins October 30 and runs through November 2, the Saturday before Election Day.
Oregon: Voting by mail, with other early voting options. The early voting period begins on October 31 and lasts through Election Day, with election officials planning to mail ballots to all registered voters between October 16 and 18.
Pennsylvania: In-person proxy voting. Begins four weeks before Election Day and continues until Election Day. The exact time varies by area, so check with your local election office to confirm.
Rhode Island: In-person voting by mail. Begins October 16 and continues until November 4, the day before Election Day.
South Carolina: Early in-person voting begins on October 21 and continues through November 2, the Saturday before Election Day.
South Dakota: In-person voting by mail. Begins September 20 and runs until 5:00 p.m. on November 4, the day before Election Day.
Tennessee: Early in-person voting begins on October 16 and continues through October 31, the Thursday before Election Day.
Texas: Early in-person voting begins on October 21 and continues through November 1, the Friday before Election Day.
Utah: Vote by mail, with other early voting options. The early voting period begins on October 22 and lasts until November 1, the Friday before Election Day.
Vermont: Vote by mail, with other early voting options. Ballots will be mailed by October 1st and you can submit them up until Election Day.
Virginia: In-person voting by mail. Begins September 20 and continues through Election Day.
Washington: Vote by mail, with other early options. The early period begins on October 18 and runs through Election Day.
West Virginia: In-person early voting. Begins October 23 and runs through November 2, the Saturday before Election Day.
Wisconsin: In-person voting by mail. Begins October 22 and runs through November 3, the Sunday before Election Day.
Wyoming: Voting in person by mail. Begins October 8 and runs until November 4, the day before Election Day.
For more information about the elections, you can find out what is on your ballot online here.
