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Early voting dates by state, 2018

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Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that do not permit no-excuse early voting may still permit some citizens to vote early, provided that they prove that they have valid reasons for doing so. This practice is known as in-person absentee voting. This article identifies the states that permit early voting and details the beginning and end dates of their early voting periods in 2018.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • In 2018, seven states began their early voting periods in September: Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming.
  • Another 24 states began their early voting periods in October.
  • One state (Oklahoma) began its early voting period in November.

    • Early voting dates by state

    On the map below, states are shaded according to their early voting start dates (see the legend to the right of the map). Hover over a state for further information.

    The table below details early voting dates by state in 2018. "N/A" indicates that a state does not offer early voting (or that all elections are conducted by mail).

    Early voting dates by state, 2018
    State Start date End date
    Alabama[1] N/A N/A
    Alaska[2] October 22, 2018 November 5, 2018
    Arizona[3] October 10, 2018 November 2, 2018
    Arkansas[4] October 22, 2018 November 5, 2018
    California[5] October 8, 2018 November 5, 2018
    Colorado[1] N/A (all-mail voting) N/A (all-mail voting; ballots become available to voters, and may be returned to election officials, on October 5)
    Connecticut[1] N/A N/A
    Delaware[1] N/A N/A
    District of Columbia[6] October 22, 2018 November 2, 2018
    Florida[7] October 27, 2018 November 3, 2018[8]
    Georgia[9] October 15, 2018 November 2, 2018
    Hawaii[10] October 23, 2018 November 3, 2018
    Idaho[11] October 22, 2018 November 2, 2018
    Illinois[12] September 27, 2018 November 5, 2018
    Indiana[13] October 10, 2018 November 5, 2018
    Iowa[14] October 8, 2018 November 5, 2018
    Kansas[15] October 17, 2018 November 5, 2018
    Kentucky[1] N/A N/A
    Louisiana[16] October 23, 2018 October 30, 2018
    Maine[17] When ballots become available (generally 30 days prior to an election) November 1, 2018
    Maryland[18] October 25, 2018 November 1, 2018
    Massachusetts[19] October 22, 2018 November 2, 2018
    Michigan[1] N/A N/A
    Minnesota[20] September 21, 2018 November 5, 2018
    Mississippi[1] N/A N/A
    Missouri[1] N/A N/A
    Montana[21] October 9, 2018 November 5, 2018
    Nebraska[22] October 9, 2018 November 5, 2018
    Nevada[1] October 20, 2018 November 2, 2018
    New Hampshire[1] N/A N/A
    New Jersey[23] September 22, 2018 November 5, 2018
    New Mexico[24] October 20, 2018 November 3, 2018
    New York[1] N/A N/A
    North Carolina[25] October 17, 2018 November 3, 2018
    North Dakota[26] September 27, 2018 November 5, 2018
    Ohio[27] October 10, 2018 November 5, 2018
    Oklahoma[28] November 1, 2018 November 3, 2018
    Oregon[1] N/A (all-mail voting) N/A (all-mail voting)
    Pennsylvania[1] N/A N/A
    Rhode Island[1] N/A N/A
    South Carolina[1] N/A N/A
    South Dakota[29] September 21, 2018 November 5, 2018
    Tennessee[30] October 17, 2018 November 1, 2018
    Texas[31] October 22, 2018 November 2, 2018
    Utah[32] October 23, 2018 November 2, 2018
    Vermont[33] September 21, 2018 November 5, 2018
    Virginia[1] N/A N/A
    Washington[1] N/A (all-mail voting) N/A (all-mail voting)
    West Virginia[34] October 24, 2018 November 3, 2018
    Wisconsin[35] Varies by locality Varies by locality
    Wyoming[36] September 27, 2018 November 5, 2018

    See also

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 National Conference of State Legislatures, "Absentee and Early Voting," August 17, 2017
    2. ↑ Alaska Division of Elections, "Election Dates and Hours," accessed August 21, 2018
    3. ↑ Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission, "2018 General Election," accessed August 21, 2018
    4. ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "2018 Election Dates," accessed August 21, 2018
    5. ↑ California Secretary of State, "General Election Calendar," accessed August 21, 2018
    6. ↑ District of Columbia Board of Elections, "November 6, 2018 General Election Calendar of Important Dates and Deadlines," accessed September 28, 2018
    7. ↑ Florida Division of Elections, "Election Dates for 2018 Primary and General Elections," accessed August 21, 2018
    8. ↑ Counties can additional early voting days from October 22 through October 26 and/or November 4.
    9. ↑ Georgia Secretary of State, "2018 Elections and Voter Registration Calendar," accessed August 21, 2018
    10. ↑ Hawaii Office of Elections, "Early Voting," accessed August 21, 2018
    11. ↑ Idaho Secretary of State, "Elections - 2018 Primary and General Election Calendar," accessed August 21, 2018
    12. ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Election and Campaign Finance Calendar 2018," accessed August 21, 2018
    13. ↑ Indiana Secretary of State, "Absentee Voting," accessed August 21, 2018
    14. ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "Auditor's Election Calendar," accessed August 21, 2018
    15. ↑ Kansas Secretary of State, "Advance Voting," accessed August 21, 2018
    16. ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, "Early Voting, In Person," accessed August 21, 2018
    17. ↑ Jerrick Adams, "Email communication with the Office of the Maine Secretary of State," August 20, 2018
    18. ↑ Maryland State Board of Elections, "Early Voting," accessed August 21, 2018
    19. ↑ Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "Early Voting in Massachusetts," accessed August 21, 2018
    20. ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "Vote Early in Person," accessed August 21, 2018
    21. ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2018 Primary and General Election Calendar," accessed August 21, 2018
    22. ↑ Nebraska Secretary of State, "Official Election Calendar," accessed August 21, 2018
    23. ↑ New Jersey Department of State, "2018 Election Information," accessed August 21, 2018
    24. ↑ New Mexico Secretary of State, "Absentee and Early Voting," accessed August 21, 2018
    25. ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement, "Agency Calendar," accessed August 21, 2018
    26. ↑ North Dakota Secretary of State, "North Dakota Election Calendar 2018," accessed August 21, 2018
    27. ↑ Ohio Secretary of State, "Voting Schedule," accessed August 21, 2018
    28. ↑ Oklahoma State Election Board, "Oklahoma Elections — 2018," accessed August 21, 2018
    29. ↑ South Dakota Secretary of State, "Primary and General Election Calendar 2018," accessed August 21, 2018
    30. ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "Election Calendar," accessed August 21, 2018
    31. ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Early Voting," accessed August 21, 2018
    32. ↑ Utah Lieutenant Governor, "2018 Election Information," accessed August 21, 2018
    33. ↑ Vermont Secretary of State, "2018 Elections Calendar," accessed August 21, 2018
    34. ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, "Early Voting," accessed August 21, 2018
    35. ↑ Wisconsin Elections Commission, "I want to vote absentee," accessed August 21, 2018
    36. ↑ Wyoming Secretary of State, "Absentee Voting," accessed August 21, 2018
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