Keeping Track of Voter Registration Dates by State Is Confusing & Exhausting

 If I've ever needed more evidence that voter suppression is going on, researching the voter registration deadlines provided me all the proof I needed. Not only are there tons of different deadlines by state, but also different voter method deadlines. On top of all the confusion, there are some states that will allow you to register to vote at the polls on General Election Day (so why do all these deadlines even matter?!).

As a former poll worker in California, the question I always received when letting voters know that they can register to vote at the polls is, "how do I know my vote will be counted if I'm registering today?" Voters are given a receipt of their ballot that they can track their ballot by calling the Registrar of Voters. When doing so, they use that information on the receipt (more like a stub with a bunch of numbers and QR code) to find out if their vote was already counted, still being processed, or if there was a problem with their ballot due to lack of information. If you don't follow-up, you just have to trust the process and assume that everything worked out the way it should. I know that's not what anyone wants to hear, but it's the truth in the matter. I can only speak for what I've seen/experienced. What I do know is that in Alameda County, the voter process is taken very seriously. Voter machines are regularly recorded, the information that is supposed to be posted hourly is, and the poll watchers are actively recording the information. Tamper seals are monitored on their timely schedule, and recorded. The process of dropping off the ballots at the end of the day is done almost seamlessly, and the upmost care and respect for the institution of voting is done. 

I've comprised my own list of voter registration deadlines by state, and although a couple of dates have already passed, today (October 5th, 2020) is a key day for many states.

General Election 2020 Voter Registration Deadlines by State

KEY *Can register to vote in person on Election Day Bold states: different deadline dates per voting method

October 2^nd: South Carolina (in person)

October 4^th: Alaska, Rhode Island*, South Carolina (online)

October 5^th: Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii*, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana (in person or by mail), Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina (by mail), Tennessee, Texas,

October 6^th: Illinois* (by mail), Nevada* (by mail or in person), New Mexico (online or by mail)

October 7^th: Missouri

October 9^th: Idaho*, New York, North Carolina (in person Oct. 15th-31^st), Oklahoma

October 10^th: Delaware

October: 13^th: Kansas, Louisiana (online), Maine*, Maryland*, Minnesota*, New Jersey, Oregon, Virginia, Washington D.C.*, West Virginia

October 14^th: Wisconsin* (online or by mail)

October 16^th: Nebraska (by mail or online)

October 18^th: Illinois* (online)

October 19^th: Alabama, California, Michigan, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Wyoming*

October 21^st: New Hampshire (by mail)*

October 23^rd: Nebraska (in person), Utah*

October 24^th: Iowa*, Massachusetts

October 26^th: Colorado*, Montana (by mail)*, Washington*

October 27^th: Connecticut*

October 29^th: Nevada (online)

October 30^th: Wisconsin* (in person)

October 31^st: New Mexico (in person)

November 3^rd: Vermont*

North Dakota: bring valid proof of ID and residency to the polls in order to vote