How to Vote in the 2026 Elections in Your State

Find your state’s voting resources

Valerie Bauman,

Updated December 31, 2025

AARP

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En español

Published December 05, 2025

/ Updated December 31, 2025

You can find detailed information about how to vote in your state, what new laws (if any) affect voting in the 2026 election, and when key deadlines are by using the map above. The map will direct you to your state government’s source of election information.

Using information compiled by the National Conference of State Legislatures and individual state governments, this page and its maps provide the key information you’ll need, whether it’s learning when the date of the primary is in your state, voter registration timelines, or eligibility requirements for absentee ballots.

Many state governments have not updated their election resources for the upcoming 2026 elections. Check back for updated information or changes in voting procedures.

Voting regulations vary from state to state, and many have changed since the presidential election cycle in 2024. Some states have tightened voting laws, while others have expanded options to include mail voting, same-day registration or other alternatives.

Primaries are how voters and political parties decide which candidates will run for their state’s partisan offices in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.

Some 46 states have legislative and statewide offices on the ballot in 2026.

All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 seats in the U.S. Senate will be contested to decide the makeup of the 120th United States Congress.

The earliest state primaries for 2026 will be held March 3, and the latest will be in mid-September. June is the busiest month for state primaries, with a total of 16.

The election process has many deadlines that voters need to be aware of, including those for registering, requesting absentee ballots and returning absentee ballots. States often have different deadlines for each voting action, depending on how the voter engages in the process.

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What’s the deadline for registering to vote in my state?

The deadlines for registering to vote vary by state. For example, some states mandate voters to be registered 30 days before an election, while others allow voters to register on election day. Deadlines can also vary by method of application, with different timelines for applications submitted online, by mail or in person.

The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 requires that states schedule voter registration deadlines no more than 30 days prior to a federal election.

Every state except North Dakota requires people to register if they want to become voters.

How does absentee voting work?

Each state has its own rules for submitting absentee ballot applications. All states allow voters to apply by mail — usually by using an official application form, which typically can be obtained in person at a county election office, though in many states they’re also available online.

Many states also allow applications by email, and most require the request in writing. Some states have other options, including online portals or requests by phone.

Election officials need enough time to receive the absentee mail ballot application and verify all the information on it before a ballot can be sent out. Given this, officials usually need to receive absentee ballot applications at least a week before the election.

Deadlines for requesting an absentee ballot also vary by state, ranging from the day prior to the election to 45 days prior to the election (something required only in Puerto Rico).

Join Our Fight to Improve Aging in America

Here’s what you can do to help:

Sign up to become an AARP activist for health care, financial security and other issues.
Find out more about how we’re fighting for you every day in Congress and across the country.
AARP is your fierce defender on the issues that matter to people 50-plus. Become a member or renew your membership today.
Say that you pledge to elect candidates who will support family caregivers.
Say that you pledge to vote for candidates in 2026 who will protect and strengthen Social Security.

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Valerie Bauman is a journalist and author with two decades of experience working for publications, including Newsweek, Bloomberg and The Associated Press. Throughout her career, she’s covered politics and the law, including pharmaceutical litigation, mass torts and election law.