If the current state of politics has you fired up, there’s one thing you can do about it: Vote.
The midterm elections are right around the corner, which means you will soon be able to vote for the candidate of your choice to represent your interests in government. But, there’s one more thing you must do before your voice is heard. And that is to ensure you’re actually registered to vote in the first place.
As we reported in this guide to voting, the majority of states—along with the District of Columbia—require voters to register before casting ballots in local, state, and federal elections. North Dakota is the only state that allows voters to cast a ballot without registering.
Each state also has its own deadline for registering to vote, however, most of those deadlines fall in the month of October. Seventeen of the states even share the deadline of Tuesday, October 9.
Here are the deadlines for registering to vote in each state:
Tuesday, Oct. 9: Registration deadline for Texas, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Nevada, Michigan, Ohio, Florida, Mississippi, Kentucky, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, and Indiana. Oct. 9 is also the deadline for in-person registration in Louisiana (the deadline to register online for Louisiana residents is October 16).
Wednesday, Oct. 10: Registration deadline for Missouri.
Friday, Oct. 12: Registration deadline for Oklahoma, New York, and North Carolina.
Saturday, Oct. 13: Registration deadline for Delaware.
Monday, Oct. 15: Registration deadline for Virginia.
Tuesday, Oct. 16: Registration deadline for Kansas, Maryland, New Jersey, Oregon, and West Virginia.
Wednesday, Oct. 17: Registration deadline for South Carolina and Massachusetts.
Friday, Oct. 19: Registration deadline for Nebraska.
Monday, Oct. 22: Registration deadline for Alabama, California, and South Dakota.
Monday, Oct. 29: Registration deadline for Colorado and Washington.
States that allow election day in-person registration include: Connecticut, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Before you register to vote make sure to check out your state’s voting requirements, here. And, if you’re looking to skip the voting lines, you can in most states by requesting a mail-in ballot through early voting.
And when it comes down to November 6, you should also know your rights just in case you run into trouble at the polls.
As Glamour’s senior political reporter Celeste Katz writes: Knowing the rules, and even bringing them along, can help: VoteRiders makes wallet-size info cards for every state. If polling hours end while you’re on line, don’t assume that automatically means you can’t vote—and given how close elections can be, don’t quit even if pundits (or candidates) call a winner before you cast your ballot. If you think you’re being cheated out of your vote or pressured to vote a certain way because of how you look, get out your phone. You have many options: The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law takes voter questions and complaints in multiple languages. The ACLU fields reports of intimidation and discrimination, as does the Justice Department.
Know where to go. Know about getting time off from work to vote—and plan ahead to avoid a wait. If you need help or information at the polls, ask.
And above all, make sure your vote counts.
In a pivotal election year, Glamour is keeping track of the historic number of women running (and voting) in the midterm elections. For more on our latest midterm coverage, visit www.glamour.com/midterms.
Related Content:
For Female Political Candidates, Sometimes the Biggest Threat Isn’t Losing an Election
In a Record-Breaking Election Year for Women, Here Are the Races to Watch
Another Midterm First: Women and Minorities Outnumber White Men as Democratic House Nominees
