Am I registered to vote?

Voter registration is how election officials know you're eligible to vote and where to send your ballot or assign your polling place. Without it, you can't vote — even if you've voted before.

Why check, even if you've voted before?

Registration isn't always permanent. A few common things can affect your status without you realizing it:

• You moved. Your registration is tied to your address — if you've moved since you last voted, even within the same city, you may need to re-register or update your address.
• You haven't voted in a while. Some states mark registrations "inactive" after missing a couple of federal elections, which can require extra steps before you can vote.
• Your name changed. Marriage, divorce, or other legal name changes may need to be reflected on your registration.
• It's your first time. If you've never registered — including if you just turned 18 or recently became a citizen — you'll need to register before any deadline for the upcoming election.

Deadlines matter

Registration deadlines vary by state and are often several weeks before Election Day — sometimes as early as 30 days out. Checking early gives you time to fix any issues before the deadline passes. A few states offer same-day registration, but most don't, so don't wait until the last minute.

Check your status

The fastest way to check is through your state's official election website. Vote.gov, run by the U.S. government, will direct you to the right place for your state.

This opens vote.gov in a new tab, where you can select your state to check your status on your state's official election website.