Early Voting Rules
Last updated November 21, 2008
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What is Early Voting?
Early voting takes place in person before Election Day. Most states and the District of Columbia have early voting. Each of these states has its own procedures and laws for early voting. The majority of states offer "no excuse early voting," which means any registered voter can vote early for any reason. Voters in other states must have a valid excuse for voting early. Examples of a valid excuse include absence from the state on Election Day, illness, incapacity or military deployment outside of the jurisdiction.
Contact your County Election Official (offsite link) to learn more about early voting in your state and county.
Additional information: The chart below was provided by the The Early Voting Information Center at Reed College.
Early Voting Summary
| State | No excuse | Excuse required | Not Permitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama |
x
|
||
| Alaska |
x
|
||
| Arizona |
x
|
||
| Arkansas |
x
|
||
| California |
x
|
||
| Colorado |
x
|
||
| Connecticut |
x
|
||
| Delaware |
x
|
||
| District of Columbia |
x
|
||
| Florida |
x
|
||
| Georgia |
x
|
||
| Hawaii |
x
|
||
| Idaho |
x
|
||
| Illinois |
x
|
||
| Indiana |
x
|
||
| Iowa |
x
|
||
| Kansas |
x
|
||
| Kentucky |
x
|
||
| Louisiana |
x
|
||
| Maine |
x
|
||
| Maryland |
x
|
||
| Massachusetts |
x
|
||
| Michigan |
x
|
||
| Minnesota |
x
|
||
| Mississippi |
x
|
||
| Missouri |
x
|
||
| Montana |
x
|
||
| Nebraska |
x
|
||
| Nevada |
x
|
||
| New Hampshire |
x
|
||
| New Jersey |
x
|
||
| New Mexico |
x
|
||
| New York |
x
|
||
| North Carolina |
x
|
||
| North Dakota |
x
|
||
| Ohio |
x
|
||
| Oklahoma |
x
|
||
| Oregon |
x
|
||
| Pennsylvania |
x
|
||
| Rhode Island |
x
|
||
| South Carolina |
x
|
||
| South Dakota |
x
|
||
| Tennessee |
x
|
||
| Texas |
x
|
||
| Utah |
x
|
||
| Vermont |
x
|
||
| Virginia |
x
|
||
| Washington |
x
|
||
| West Virginia |
x
|
||
| Wisconsin |
x
|
||
| Wyoming |
x
|
Early Voting Details
| State | Early Voting Details |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Permitted, but excuse required. |
| Alaska | No excuse required. 15 days prior to an election through election day at regional election office buildings and airports. Alaska Statute 15.20.061 |
| Arizona | No excuse required. For general and primary elections, starts 33 days before election day and ends 5pm the Friday before election day. For the presidential preference election, starts 26 days before the election. AZ Secretary of State and Arizona Revised Statutes 16-541(A) |
| Arkansas | No excuse required. Early voting shall be available to any qualified elector who applies to the county clerk's designated early voting location, beginning fifteen (15) days before a preferential primary, general primary, general election, or general run-off election between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturday and ending at 5:00 p.m. on the Monday before the election. Ark. Code Ann. 7-5-418 and Arkansas Secretary of State website |
| California | No excuse required. This is an alternative method of casting an absentee ballot; only registered absentee voters may vote early. Calif. Election Code 3018 |
| Colorado | No excuse required. Begins 15 days prior to a general election; begins 10 days prior to a primary or special election. Colo. Rev. Stat. 1-8-202 |
| Connecticut | Permitted, but excuse required. |
| Delaware | Permitted, but excuse required. |
| District of Columbia | Permitted, but excuse required.. DC Board of Elections and Ethics website |
| Florida | No excuse required. Begins 15 days prior to election. Fla. Stats. Title 9, ch. 101.657 and Elections Division page |
| Georgia | No excuse required. An elector who casts a ballot in-person during the week preceding an election "shall not be required to provide a reason". Ga. Code 21-2-380(b) |
| Hawaii | No excuse required. Absentee polling places are open no later than 10 working days before Election Day, and all Saturdays falling within that period, or as soon thereafter as ballots are available. Hi. Code 15-7 |
| Idaho | No excuse required. Idaho Statutes 34-1006 |
| Illinois | No excuse required. The period for early voting by personal appearance begins the 22nd day preceding a general primary, consolidated primary, consolidated, or general election and extends through the 5th day before election day. A permanent polling place for early voting must remain open during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., on weekdays and 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. 10 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. 5/19A-15 |
| Indiana | No excuse required. IC 3-11-10-26 |
| Iowa | No excuse required. The voter may vote at the county commissioner's office no more than 40 days preceding a primary or general election. Iowa Code, Title 2, Chapter 53.10 |
| Kansas | No excuse required. Kan. Stat. 25-1122a |
| Kentucky | Permitted, but excuse required. Ky. Rev. Stat. 117.085(c) |
| Louisiana | No excuse required, but you have to apply to vote early. The period of early voting shall be from fourteen (14) to seven (7) days prior to any scheduled election. La. Rev. Stat. 18-1309 |
| Maine | No excuse required. Voters may go in-person to the clerk's office as soon as absentee ballots are available (30 - 45 days before election). Maine Rev. Stat. Title 21A 9-753-B(8) |
| Maryland | Not permitted. |
| Massachusetts | Permitted, but excuse required. |
| Michigan | Permitted, but excuse required. Michigan Compiled Laws Act 116 of 1954, Secion 168-759 |
| Minnesota | Permitted, but excuse requried. Minnesota Statues 203B.081 |
| Mississippi | Permitted, but excuse required. |
| Missouri | Permitted, but excuse required. |
| Montana | No excuse required. Begins 30 days prior to general election. Mont. Code Annotated 13-13-222 |
| Nebraska | No excuse required. Ballots can be voted up to 35 days before the election. Neb. Stat. 32-942 |
| Nevada | No excuse required. The period for in-person early voting begins the third Saturday before an election, extending through the Friday before Election Day, excluding Sundays and holidays. Nev. Rev. Stat. 293.356 |
| New Hampshire | Permitted, but excuse required. |
| New Jersey | No excuse required. |
| New Mexico | No excuse required. Commencing on the third Saturday prior to an election, an early voter may vote in person, on an electronic voting machine at an alternate location established by the county clerk. N.M. Stat. 1-6-5.7 |
| New York | Permitted, but excuse required. |
| North Carolina | No excuse required. Beginning on the third Thursday before an election and ending on the last Saturday before that election, voters can vote an absentee ballot in person. The law provides only for in-person absentee voting at the office of the county board of elections, but allows counties to establish alternative sites (as approved by the State Board of Elections). N.C. Gen. Stat. 163-227.2 |
| North Dakota | No excuse required. Counties provide early voting facilities up to fifteen days immediately before the day of the election, at the discretion of county auditors. N.D. Stat. 16.1-07-15 |
| Ohio | No excuse required. Begins 35 days before primary and general elections. OH Secretary of State |
| Oklahoma | No excuse required. A registered voter may apply for an in-person absentee ballot at a location designated by the secretary of the county election board from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Monday immediately preceding any election and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday immediately preceding a state or federal election. Ok. Stat. 26-14-115 |
| Oregon | Oregon is all vote by mail. |
| Pennsylvania | Permitted, but excuse required. |
| Rhode Island | Not permitted. |
| South Carolina | Permitted, but excuse required. |
| South Dakota | Permitted, no excuse required. At anytime prior to an election, a voter may apply in person to the person in charge of the election for an absentee ballot during regular office hours up to 3:00 p.m. of the day of the election. S.D. Code 12-19-2.1 |
| Tennessee | No excuse required. A voter who desires to vote early shall go to the county election commission office within the posted hours not more than twenty (20) days nor less than five (5) days before the day of the election. Tenn. Code 2-6-102 |
| Texas | No excuse required. Early voting in person starts 17 days before each election unless the first day falls on the weekend, then early voting begins on the following Monday and ends 4 days before each election. Tex. Elec. Code 81.001 |
| Utah | No excuse required. Begins fourteen days in advance of election. Utah Elec. Code 20A-3-601 |
| Vermont | No excuse required. Up to 30 days in advance of a general election, in the Town Clerk's office. No excuse required. Vermont Stat. 17¤2537 |
| Virginia | Permitted, but excuse required. Absentee voting in person begins approximately 45 days before a November General Election and approximately 30 days before other elections and ends at 5:00 p.m. on the Saturday before the election. Va. Code 24.2-707 |
| Washington | Not permitted. |
| West Virginia | No excuse required. Available from the twentieth day before the election to the third. W.V. Code 3-3-3 |
| Wisconsin | No excuse required. Ballots available three weeks ahead of each election. Wi. Code 6.29 |
| Wyoming | No excuse required. Begins 40 days before election. |
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