Identification Requirements to Register and Vote: In most states, you will need to provide either your driver’s license OR your Social Security number when you register to vote, along with the street address of your current residence. In addition, some states require voters to bring specific types of ID with them to the polls on Election Day. The exact requirements differ from state to state. Be sure to check with the state election offices in your state (contact info below) to find out what types of ID may be required when you REGISTER TO VOTE and/or when you GO TO THE POLLS on ELECTION DAY TO VOTE.

In 2011, several state legislatures passed new voter identification and election laws that could potentially disenfranchise many voters in the General Elections. Please read our Voter Suppression Fact Sheet to get more information about passage of voter suppression laws. In addition to general election information, you will find information about all passed, proposed, and pending voter suppression legislation in each state. This is the most current information available, but could possibly change depending on when certain voter and election laws are implemented and if any pending legislation passes and is implemented before the Election Day. However, the requirements that are listed here for each state will most likely be requirements that will apply for the November 6, 2012 General Election.

In addition to voter registration drives, your feminist group can get paid to serve as county poll workers on Election Day. Learn more about being a pollworker in your state by visiting your Secretary of State's elections website or calling your county officials.

For federal resources on state voting, check out the US Election Assistance Commission, which has a national mail voter registration form (PDF) you can use to register in every state.

Remember, students have a right to register and vote where they go to school even if you do not intend to reside there permanently. If you have any problems, call a Campus Organizer at the Feminist Majority Foundation for assistance - (703) 522-2214 (East Coast) or (310) 556-2500 (West Coast).

SOUTH CAROLINA

Voter Registration Deadline: October 6, 2012 mail-in voter registration forms must be post marked.

Voter Registration Drive: Bulk amounts of registration forms may be obtained from your county elections board. Send completed registration forms to your county elections board.

Where to Register: Voters may download (PDF) and mail it in to their County Board of Elections OR register in-person.

Voter Suppression Legislation: House Bill 3003; requires voters to present a government-issued ID when voting; passed and signed by Governor 5/18/2011
Although this bill has been passed and signed in South Carolina, it MUST be precleared by the Department of Justice under the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Voter Identification: Until South Carolina has received preclearance by the Department of Justice the following rules apply as of now voters in South Carolina

Early Voting: With a valid excuse, absentee ballots can be completed in-person at the same time as your absentee ballot applications at your voter registration office until 5 pm the day before the election. Ballots are typically available about one month before election day.

Voting Absentee: Qualified voters may vote in person or by mail. For an absentee ballot, contact your county voter registration office or request online. Go here to find your polling location.

State Election Office:
South Carolina State Election Commission
Website: http://www.scvotes.org/
Email: elections@elections.sc.gov
Phone: 803-734-9060

SOUTH DAKOTA

Voter Registration Deadline: Voters must register 15 days before the election; Monday, October 22, 2012.

Voter Registration Drive: Multiple forms may be printed and copied. Please visit the South Dakota Secretary of State's website for step-by-step instructions on conducting a voter registration drive.

Where to Register: Click here (PDF) to download a voter registration application and mail in the completed form to your county Auditor's Office.

Voter Identification Requirements: Voters must present a valid form of ID before casting a ballot. The following are permissible forms of ID:

Early Voting: A voter may cast a ballot prior to Election Day (no-excuse required).

Voting Absentee: Any registered voter may vote by absentee ballot (no-excuse required). Absentee ballots are available for the general election six weeks prior to the election. A person can vote absentee in-person 46 days prior to the primary and general election until 3:00 pm on Election Day. See the South Dakota Secretary of State website for more information. Click here (PDF) to download a absentee ballot application.

Polling Hours: The county clerk's office is open from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm on Election Day. Click here to find your polling location.

State Elections Officials:
Secretary of State
500 East Capitol Ave. Ste 204
Pierre, SD 57501-5070
Phone: 605-773-3537
Fax: 605-773-6580
Email: elections@state.sd.us
Web: http://www.sdsos.gov/index.shtm

TENNESSEE

Voter Registration Deadline: For State and County Primaries July 3, 2012; for the General Election October 8, 2012

Voter Registration Drive: Bulk amount of voter registration forms may be obtained from your county elections commission. Return forms to the county commission. For more information, see this Tennessee County Guide (PDF).

Where to Register: Download (PDF) a voter registration application and mail it in to the County Election Official. Voters may also register in-person at their County Board of Elections office.

Voter Suppression Legislation: Senate Bill 16 (PDF); requirement of government-issued ID; passed and signed on5/30/2011; effective 1/1/2012; Senate Bill 352 (PDF); proof of citizenship; passed and signed 5/23/2011; effective 5/23/2011.

Voter Identification: Effective January 1, 2012, Tennessee voters will be required to present a valid and unexpired (or expired within the past 60 days) state or federal photo ID. Voters who do not have acceptable photo ID on Election Day can cast a provisional ballot, which will be counted if they present valid ID to the County Elections Officer within 2 days.

The following are acceptable forms of ID:

Early Voting: Early voting starts 20 days before an election and ends 5 days before Election Day. Contact the local County Election Official for more information on dates and times for Early Voting.

Voting Absentee: If a voter meets the criteria for voting absentee by mail they must submit an absentee ballot application. Go here (PDF) to download an absentee ballot application. Mail it in to the local County Election Official.

Polling Hours: 7:00 am – 8:00 pm CST. Go here to look up your polling location.

TEXAS

Voter Registration Deadline: July 2, 2012 is the deadline for Primary Run-off Election; October 9, 2012 mail-in registration forms must be postmarked for the General Election.

Voter Registration Drive: Contact the Texas Secretary of State's office for information on how to conduct a voter registration drive on your campus.

Where to Register: Voters can fill out a voter registration application here, print it and send it to the local Voter Registrar's office. From the secretary of state's website, you may request that they send you an official, postage-paid application. You may also register to vote when you apply for or renew your driver's license.

Voter Suppression Legislation: Senate Bill 14; requires voters to present government-issued ID; passed and signed 5/27/2011; pending preclearance by the Department of Justice under the Voting Rights Act. DOJ denied preclearance on March 12, 2012.

Voter ID Requirements: In 2011, Texas passed a law which requires a valid and unexpired (or expired within the past 60 days) state or federal photo ID in order to vote. However, as per the Voting Rights Act, these requirements cannot be enacted until the state of Texas received clearance from the Department of Justice.
Voters who do not have acceptable photo ID on Election Day can cast a provisional ballot, which will be counted if they present valid ID to the County Elections Officer within 6 days OR the voter may execute, in the presence of the voter registrar, an affidavit under penalty of perjury stating that the voter has a religious objection to being photographed or that the voter does not have identification as a result of a natural disaster declared by the president or the governor which occurred not earlier than 45 days before the date the ballot was cast.

Early Voting: Early voting starts 17 days before most elections (12 days before May uniform elections) and ends 4 days before election day. For the 2012 general election, early voting begins on September 7, 2010 and ends October 30, 2010.There are two types of early voting in Texas: Vote early in person (you don't need to vote in your precinct, you can cast your ballot at any early voting site convenient to YOU) or vote early by mail. Contact your county's vote office for days and times for Early Voting.

Polling Hours: Polls are open from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. To find the polling place for your precinct, check with your county clerk's office.

UTAH

Voter Registration Deadline: : By Mail Registration Deadline is October 6, 2012. Voter registration forms must be postmarked at least 30 days before an election in order to be eligible to vote in the upcoming election. In-Person & Online Registration Deadline is October 22, 2012 (15 days before the election). You may also choose to register in-person at your County Clerk's Office at least 15 days before the election. You will not be eligible to participate in early voting, but you will be able to vote on Election Day.

Voter Registration Drive: Anyone may conduct a voter registration drive. You may obtain massive amounts of voter registration forms from the Secretary of State's office or the county clerk's office.

Where to Register: Download (PDF) a voter registration form and mail the completed registration form in to your county clerk's office. Utah also has ONLINE voter registration. Go here to register to vote online.

Voter Identification: Voters in Utah are required to present one form of identification with a picture and name on it OR two forms of identification that contain proof of the voter's residence.

The following are permissible forms of ID:

ONE of the following:

A currently valid Utah driver license;

A currently valid ID card issued by the state or a branch, department, or agency of the United States;

A currently valid Utah permit to carry a concealed weapon;

A currently valid United States passport; or

A valid tribal ID card, whether or not the card includes a photograph of the voter.

A current utility bill or copy thereof dated within 90 days before the election;

A bank or other financial account statement, or legible copy thereof;

OR TWO forms of the following ID that contains an address within the precinct you're voting in:

A certified birth certificate;

A valid Social Security card;

A check issued by the state or federal government or legible copy thereof;

A paycheck from the voter's employer, or legible copy thereof

A currently valid Utah hunting or fishing license;

A currently valid U.S. military ID card;

Certified naturalization documents (NOT a green card);

A certified copy of court records showing the voter's adoption or name change;

A Bureau of Indian Affairs card;

A tribal treaty card;

A valid Medicaid or Medicare or Electronic Benefits Transfer card;

A currently valid ID card issued by a local government within the state;

A currently valid ID card issued by an employer;

A currently valid ID card issued by a college, university, technical school or professional school within the state; or

A current Utah vehicle registration.

Early Voting: Early Voting begins on October 20, 2012 and goes until 5:00 p.m. on October 30, 2012. The polls will be open for at least 4 hours each day. You must present either one form of photo identification with your name or two forms of non-photo identification with your name and address on each. Go here to view Early Voting locations.

Voting Absentee: Voters can request an absentee ballot either online or by downloading (PDF) a document and mailing it in to the local county clerk's office. Absentee voters casting a ballot for the first time in Utah must include a copy of their identification when returning their absentee ballot. Absentee ballots must be postmarked the Friday before the election or November 2, 2012 for the General Election.

Polling Hours: The county clerk's office is open from 7:00am to 8:00pm on Election Day. Find your polling location!

State Elections Office:
Utah State Capitol
Suite 220
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-2325
Phone: 801-538-1041
Fax: 801-538-1133
Email: elections@utah.gov
Web: http://elections.utah.gov/

VERMONT

Voter Registration Deadline: Deadline to register for the primary election is August 22,2012 by 5:00 pm; For the General Election it's October 31, 2012 at 5:00 pm.

Voter Registration Drive:Bulk amount of voter registration forms may be obtained from your town clerk or )ordered through 1-800-439-VOTE or govote@sec.state.vt.us. Return completed forms to the town clerks where the applicants live. The Secretary of State for Vermont will provide "Your Vote is Your Voice" buttons, stickers, flyers, and videos for your drive if requested. Contact their office at 1-800-439-VOTE or govote@sec.state.vt.us to order.

Where to Register: Go here (PDF) to download a voter registration application.

Voter Identification Requirements: Identification is only required for first-time voters if they did not send in identification with their registration form.

Early Voting: A voter may vote at their Town Clerk's office in person any time thirty days before a primary or general election.

Voting Absentee: Download (PDF) an absentee voting application. If you are mailing in your ballot, it must be received by the clerk before the close of the office on the day before the election November 5, 2012. If you are hand delivering your ballot, you can return in to the clerk's office by closing time on November 5, 2012, or you can bring it to your polling place on Election Day and drop it off any time before 7:00 PM.

VIRGINIA

Voter Registration Drive: Blank applications may be photocopied, but an original signature is required. A faxed copy of the voter registration application is only acceptable when reporting a change for registered voters. Volunteers must give registrants a receipt after they complete the application, and return all completed applications within fifteen (15) days of receipt as required by federal law or before the close of voter registration, whichever is sooner. For more info and to place a bulk request for registration forms, visit the VA elections voter drive website.

Where to Register: For the Voter Registration Application Form click here (PDF).

Voter Suppression Legislation: House Bill 9 and Senate Bill 1 would require voters without proper ID to vote provisional ballot; passed in both Chambers but Governor McDonnell has yet to sign them.

Voter Identification Requirements: Voters are asked to present one of the following forms of ID below. Under current law, if a voter cannot present one of the forms of ID, then that voter may still vote by a regular ballot by signing an affidavit affirming his/her identity and that they are a registered voter in Virginia.

Early Voting: Virginia offers in-person absentee voting. Starting 45 days before the election and ending at 5:00 pm on November 3, 2012, a voter may apply for an absentee ballot in-person at the registrar's office and apply for an absentee ballot if the person meets absentee qualifications, and vote in-person at the office.

Voting Absentee: If you qualify for Absentee voting you can download the Absentee Ballot Application here (PDF).

WASHINGTON

Voter Registration Deadline: In Person: October 29, 2012. By Mail: October 8, 2012

Voter Registration Drive: For tips and guidelines visit the Washington Elections website. Anyone on a college campus interested in receiving bulk registration forms, or has any question regarding student college civics coordinator on campus, should contact Lindsay Pryor at 360-902-4143. If you choose to conduct a drive on your campus be sure to turn in people's voter registration forms to the County Auditor's office or Secretary of State's office no more than 5 days from having them register. The 5-day deadline does not apply if you are handing out voter registration forms for people to fill out and mail/turn in on their own. More information on voter registration drive guidelines can be found here: http://www.sos.wa.gov/_assets/elections/initiatives/VR%20Guidelines%202010%20Web.pdf

Where to Register: Go here (PDF) to download a voter registration form. You can also register to vote in person.

Washington State has ONLINE voter registration available. Click here to vote online. The deadline for online voter registration is October 6, 2012.

Voter ID Requirements: Voters voting at the polls must provide identification before signing the poll book. Acceptable forms of ID include:

Voting Absentee: One-time absentee ballot requests may be made either in person, by phone, fax, electronically or by mail. Contact your County Auditor to request an absentee ballot. Go here for more information.

Polling Hours: Thirty-eight of Washington's 39 counties vote by mail. Pierce County still maintains poll sites. Polling places in Pierce County are open from 7:00 am – 8:00pm.

WEST VIRGINIA

Voter Registration Deadline: October 16, 2012 voter applications must be postmarked.

Voter Registration Drive: You can obtain voter registration applications for a voter registration drive by contacting our office and submitting a Mail-In Voter Registration Request Form. A printable version of the Mail-In Voter Registration Drive Request form (PDF) is also available and can be duplicated and used as many times as needed. Up to 200 Mail-In Voter Registration Forms will be available per organization at one time.

Where to Register: Persons may download the voter registration form here (PDF) or they may visit their county clerk's office in person to register.

Voter Identification Requirements: First-time voters who did not submit a from of ID with the mail-in voter registration application must show valid photo ID and proof of residence address at the polls.

Early Voting: Early voting starts October 24, 2012 days before an election and October 2, 2012.

State Election Office:
West Virginia Secretary of State
Website: http://www.wvsos.com/main.htm
Phone: 304 558 6000

WISCONSIN

Voter Registration Deadline: Your application must be postmarked by October 17, 2012.

Voter Registration Drive: In the state of Wisconsin, you must be deputized by your city/town/village (talk to your county clerk for further information on reaching the city/town/village clerk). Deputization is a quick process to make sure you are clear on how to register others to vote. You do not have to be deputized in order to distribute voter registration forms as long as the applicant returns the form on their own. Collect and return completed voter registration forms to your local county clerk.

Where to Register: Anyone wishing to vote in the state of Wisconsin has three options to register. You can download the application and mail it. You may register in person by 5:00 pm on November 2, 2011 at your County Clerk's Office. Wisconsin also has same-day registration. If you wish to register to vote at your polling place, you must bring proof that you have lived at your present location for at least 10 days preceding the election.

Voter Suppression Legislation: Assembly Bill 7 (PDF); requires voter ID in order to vote or request an absentee ballot; passed and signed by governor on 5/25/11

Voter Identification Requirements: University and college students may use their student photo ID in conjunction with a fee payment receipt that contains the student's residential address dated no earlier than nine months before the election. University and college students may also use their student photo ID if the university or college has provided a certified list to the municipal clerk of students, containing the students' residential addresses and indicating which students are U.S. citizens. Click here for the status of voter identification requirements.

A first time voter who registers by mail but does not provide proof of residence with his registration form and does not bring proof of residence to the polling place may be entitled to vote by provisional ballot upon execution of an affirmation that the individual is a qualified elector of the district and is eligible to vote in that election. The provisional ballot will not be counted unless the voter provides proof of residence no later than 4:00 pm on the day after the election (November 7,2012). Voters who are registering on Election Day and does not present the proper ID will NOT be able to vote by provisional ballot.

Voting Absentee: Any person can vote absentee. The application for absentee voting can be downloaded here. The deadline to submit an absentee ballot is the 5th day before the election. Voters who wish to request an absentee ballot in-person may do so up until 5:00 pm the day before the election.

State Election Office:
(608) 266-8005 for general inquiries.
WI Elections Help Desk at (608) 261-2028 for technical assistance.
Toll-free 1-866-VOTE-WIS
http://gab.wi.gov/

WYOMING

Voter Registration Deadline: For the Primaries August 7, 2012; General Election October 23, 2012. Wyoming has same-day registration, so if a voter misses these deadlines then they can vote on Election Day.

Voter Registration Drive: Not permitted in the State of Wyoming. However you can request that the clerk visit your campus and register people to vote. For county clerk's information, visit: http://soswy.state.wy.us/Elections/Elections.aspx

Where to Register: You can register at the county clerk or town clerk's office. You can register by mail. To download a voter registration form, click here (PDF). Completed voter registration forms are to be sent to the local county clerk's office. Go here to find a list of County Clerk's offices.

Wyoming also has same-day registration. An acceptable form of ID is required in order to vote on Election Day.

Voter Identification Requirements: If a voter is voting for the first time in Wyoming or has not previously met the ID requirements when registering to vote by mail, the voter must meet the proper ID requirements:

Wyoming Driver License.

OR One form of the following:

Different state's driver license

ID card issued by a local, state or federal agency

U.S. passport

School ID

Or military ID

OR two of the following form of ID:

Certification of U.S. Citizenship

Certificate of Naturalization

Draft Record

Voter registration card from another state or county

Original or certified copy of a birth certificate bearing an official seal

Certification of birth abroad issued by the Department of State

Or any other form of identification issued by an official agency

Early Voting: You may vote an in person absentee ballot at your county clerk's office. You may vote absentee in person September 2, 2012 through November 5, 2012.

Voting Absentee: Voters can vote an absentee ballot in person in the office of the county clerk 40 days before an election, or by requesting an absentee ballot be mailed to them by either calling or emailing the county clerk. When requesting an absentee ballot, please provide your name, residence address, mailing address, and birth date or social security number. Once your information is verified, a ballot will be sent to you in the mail.

Polling Hours: 7:00 am – 7:00 pm. Click here for polling locations and times.

State Elections Officials
Secretary of State
State Capitol Building
Cheyenne , WY 82002-0020
Phone: 307-777-7378
Fax: 307-777-7640
Email: elections@state.wy.us
Web: http://soswy.state.wy.us/Elections/Elections.aspx

Remember – your national campus organizers are available and more than willing to help! Feel free to contact us with any questions!

Sponsored by the Feminist Majority Foundation
The Feminist Majority Foundation is a 501(c) 3 organization that does not oppose, support, or otherwise endorse any candidate for public office.

SIGN UP FOR eZINE, JOBS, NEWS, ALERTS

Loading

US States S-Z Voting Information 2012

SOUTH CAROLINA

SOUTH DAKOTA

TENNESSEE

TEXAS

UTAH

VERMONT

VIRGINIA

WASHINGTON

WEST VIRGINIA

WISCONSIN

WYOMING

INTERN WITH FMF

SHOP AND GIVE

VIEW CAMPUS eZINES