US Voter Registration Policy
History of voter registration policy in the United States.
Contents
Voter Registration
Most states and territories in the U.S. require residents to register as a voter. Most notably, North Dakota does not.
Twenty two states offer same day voter registration. (Twenty unconditionally). They are:
- California
- Colorado*
- Connecticut
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Maine
- Maryland**
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- North Carolina**
- Utah
- Vermont
- Washington
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
* not applicable to mail-in voting system
** only applicable to early voting
Registration Limitations
Voting Age
Most states and territories require an individual to be 18 years old before voting. Twenty five allow 17 year olds to vote in primary elections if they will be 18 for the corresponding election day. (Eighteen unconditionally.) They are:
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa**
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Maryland
- Mississippi
- Nebraska
- Nevada**
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- South Carolina
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Alaska* **
- Hawaii* **
- North Dakota* **
- Wyoming* **
* state's Republican Party bars 17 year olds
** state bars 17 year olds from congressional primaries
Many states have provisions for 16 or 17 year olds to 'pre-register'.
Role Purges
Most voter registration databases feature an 'inactive' status. Causes for 'inactive' status include:
- mailed election materials returned as undeliverable
- non-response to mailed election materials (e.g., residency confirmation)
- not voting for 4 consecutive years
- for example, Minnesota enforces this policy
In most states and territories, inactive voters are eligible to vote but must present additional documentation proving active residency.
In two states (Minnesota and Wyoming), 'inactive' voters are not eligible to vote and must re-register. However, both of these states offer same-day registration.