Voter Registration 2012 Deadlines By State

We hope you’re already registered to vote — not only is it important to make your voice heard, but there’s also the promise of the très chic “I voted” button Scarlett Johansson mentioned at the Democratic National Convention. Unfortunately, the voter registration deadline has already come and gone in several states. But there may still be time to fill out that application depending on where you live. So, get moving! You can’t rock the vote if they won’t let you in the booth.

Registering to vote is a lot easier than it sounds – it shouldn’t take much longer than filling out the “billing” part of an online shopping cart. You'll probably be asked to fill in your name, address, and Social Security Number, along with some other basic information. But online registration isn’t available everywhere.

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Arizona, California, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Oregon, and Utah all offer online registration, though most require anyone who registers online to have a driver’s license or state-issued ID. You can even register at the polls if you live in Washington D.C., Iowa, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, or Wyoming, as long as you bring along a photo ID and proof of your address. But in most of the other states, you may have to mail in the form or visit a county building to register.

Find the deadline for your state or territory below, and visit the Election Assistance Commission for more information about how to register. Asterisks mark the states with deadlines of today (October 9). And don't forget that a lot of states require you to mail in a form, so get thee to a printer!

Alabama: Oct. 26
Alaska: Oct. 7
*American Samoa: Oct. 9
*Arizona: Oct. 9
*Arkansas: Oct. 9
California: Oct. 22
*Colorado: Oct. 9
Connecticut: Oct. 23 for mail-in registration, Oct. 30 for in-person registration, Nov. 5 for military voters and some others.
Delaware: Oct. 13 for most, Oct. 22 for uniformed service members and overseas citizens.
District of Columbia: Can register at the polls with a photo ID, a utility bill, a paycheck stub or other documentation of name and address
*Florida: Oct. 9
*Georgia: Oct. 9
Guam: Oct. 26
Hawaii: Oct. 8
Idaho: Oct. 12
*Illinois: Oct. 9
*Indiana: Oct. 9
Iowa: Oct. 27
Kansas: Oct. 16
*Kentucky: Oct. 9
*Louisiana: Oct. 9
Maine: Oct. 16 for mail-in registration, no cut-off date for registering at the town office or city hall.
Maryland: Oct. 16
Massachusetts: Oct. 17
*Michigan: Oct. 9
Minnesota: Oct. 16
Mississippi: Oct. 6
Missouri: Oct. 10
*Montana: Oct. 9
Nebraska: Oct. 19 for mail-in registration, Oct. 26 for in-person registration
Nevada: Oct. 6
New Hampshire: Oct. 27, or register and vote on election day
New Jersey: Oct. 16
*New Mexico: Oct. 9
New York: Oct. 12
North Carolina: Oct. 12
North Dakota: No registration necessary
*Ohio: Oct. 9
Oklahoma: Oct. 12
Oregon: Oct. 16
*Pennsylvania: Oct. 9
Puerto Rico: Sept. 17
Rhode Island: Oct. 7
South Carolina: Oct. 7
South Dakota: Oct. 22
Tennessee: Oct. 8
*Texas: Oct. 9
*Utah: Oct. 9 for mail-in registration, Oct. 22 for in-person or online registration
Vermont: Oct. 31
U.S. Virgin Islands: Oct. 7

Virginia: Oct. 15
Washington: Oct. 6 for mail-in, Oct. 29 for in-person new Washington voters
West Virginia: Oct. 16
Wisconsin: Oct. 17 for mail-in, but can register in-person at a municipal clerk’s office or a special registration deputy until Nov. 2, or at the polls on election day
Wyoming: Oct. 23, or can register in person on election day