State Poll Opening and Closing Times (2021)
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The opening and closing times for polling locations vary from state to state and in the District of Columbia. In some states, polling hours vary by city or county. In those states that conduct elections by mail, there are postmark deadlines and deadlines by which voters can drop off their ballots in person. Some states permit voters who are in line at closing time to cast a ballot, but that provision can vary by jurisdiction. The information on this page applies to statewide and national elections.
If you have any questions or comments about the information on this page, please email us.
State-by-state details
The table below shows poll opening and closing times by state. Also included are important notes about polling times and links to polling place locators.
| Polling hours by state | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| State | Polling hours (all times local) |
Notes | Find your polling place |
| Alabama | 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.[1] | Most of Alabama falls within the Central time zone. Portions of eastern Alabama, including Phenix City and some surrounding areas, observe Eastern time as opposed to Central time.[2] | Alabama polling locations |
| Alaska | 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.[3] | Alaska polling locations | |
| Arizona | 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.[4] | Arizona generally observes Mountain Standard Time; however, the Navajo Nation observes daylight saving time. Because of this, Mountain Daylight Time is sometimes observed in Arizona. | Arizona polling locations |
| Arkansas | 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.[5] | Arkansas polling locations | |
| California | 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.[6] | California polling locations | |
| Colorado | 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.[7] | Poll times apply to those who chose to vote in person on Election Day, since Colorado is an all-mail voting state. | Colorado polling locations |
| Connecticut | 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.[8] | Connecticut polling locations | |
| Delaware | 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.[9] | Delaware polling locations | |
| District of Columbia | 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.[10] | District of Columbia polling locations | |
| Florida | 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.[11] | Florida polling locations | |
| Georgia | 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.[12] | In all cities having a population of 300,000 or more, polling places remain open until 8 p.m. for municipal general elections.[13] | Georgia polling locations |
| Hawaii | 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.[14] | Hawaii polling locations | |
| Idaho | 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.[15] | Polling places may open at 7 a.m. at the discretion of the county clerk.[16] | Idaho polling locations |
| Illinois | 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.[17] | Illinois polling locations | |
| Indiana | 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.[18] | Indiana polling locations | |
| Iowa | 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.[19] | Iowa polling locations | |
| Kansas | 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.[20] | Counties are given the discretion to open polls prior to 7 a.m. or close polls after 7 p.m. | Kansas polling locations |
| Kentucky | 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.[21] | Kentucky polling locations | |
| Louisiana | 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Saturday elections)[22] | Louisiana polling locations | |
| Maine | 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.[23] | Polling places in municipalities with a population of less than 500 open between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m.; those in municipalities with a population of 500 or more open between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. All polling places close at 8 p.m.[23] | Maine polling locations |
| Maryland | 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.[24] | Maryland polling locations | |
| Massachusetts | 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.[25] | Municipalities can open polling places as early as 5:45 a.m. All polling places are required to remain open for at least 13 hours.[26] | Massachusetts polling locations |
| Michigan | 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.[27] | Michigan polling locations | |
| Minnesota | 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.[28] | Municipalities with fewer than 500 registered voters can open polling places as late as 10 a.m. | Minnesota polling locations |
| Mississippi | 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.[29] | Mississippi polling locations | |
| Missouri | 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.[30] | Missouri polling locations | |
| Montana | 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.[31] | Polling places having fewer than 400 registered voters are open from at least noon to 8 p.m., or until all registered voters in any precinct have voted, at which time that precinct's polling place has to be closed immediately. | Montana polling locations |
| Nebraska | 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Central time zone); 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Mountain time zone)[32] | Nebraska polling locations | |
| Nevada | 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.[33] | Nevada polling locations | |
| New Hampshire | Varies by municipality[34] | Polls must open at 11 a.m. or earlier and cannot close before 7:00 p.m.[35] | New Hampshire polling locations |
| New Jersey | 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.[36] | New Jersey polling locations | |
| New Mexico | 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.[37] | New Mexico polling locations | |
| New York | 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. (general elections); primary times vary by county[38] | For primary elections, polling places open at 6 a.m. and close at 9 p.m. Eastern time in New York City and the counties of Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam, and Erie. Polling places open at noon and close at 9 p.m. in all other counties. For general elections, polling places open at 6 a.m. and close at 9 p.m. in the entire state.[39] | New York polling locations |
| North Carolina | 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.[40] | The hours can be extended if polling times are delayed or interrupted by more than 15 minutes.[41] | North Carolina polling locations |
| North Dakota | Open between 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.; close between 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.[42] | North Dakota polling locations | |
| Ohio | 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.[43] | Ohio polling locations | |
| Oklahoma | 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.[44] | Oklahoma polling locations | |
| Oregon | No polling hours (vote-by-mail) | Oregon is an all-mail voting state. A voter is able to vote on Election Day at a local municipal clerk's office. All ballots must be received by 8 p.m. Pacific time.[45] | Oregon polling locations |
| Pennsylvania | 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.[46] | Pennsylvania polling locations | |
| Rhode Island | 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.[47] | Opening times for the presidential preference primary and the statewide primary elections are allowed to be later than 7 a.m.[47] | Rhode Island polling locations |
| South Carolina | 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.[48] | South Carolina polling locations | |
| South Dakota | 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.[49] | South Dakota polling locations | |
| Tennessee | Varies by county[50] | At least 15 days prior to the election, each county determines the opening time for polling places in that county. Polling places in the eastern time zone close at 8 p.m., while polling places in the central time zone close at 7 p.m.[50] | Tennessee polling locations |
| Texas | 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.[51] | Texas polling locations | |
| Utah | 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.[52] | Utah polling locations | |
| Vermont | Open between 5 a.m. to 10 a.m.; close at 7 p.m.[53] | Vermont polling locations | |
| Virginia | 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.[54] | Virginia polling locations | |
| Washington | Poll opening hours vary; close at 8 p.m. (most voting done by mail) | Washington conducts most of its voting by mail. Ballots must be postmarked no later than Election Day. They can also be returned to a designated ballot drop box or returned in person to the county elections department by 8 p.m. on Election Day.[55] | Washington polling locations |
| West Virginia | 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.[56] | West Virginia polling locations | |
| Wisconsin | 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.[57] | Wisconsin polling locations | |
| Wyoming | 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.[58] | Wyoming polling locations | |
If you find any of this information to be incorrect, please let us know.
Time zone note: Arizona and Hawaii do not observe Daylight Saving Time (DST). Thirteen states have multiple time zones. Idaho and Oregon are split between the Mountain and Pacific time zones. Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Texas are divided between Central and Mountain time zones. Florida, Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, and Tennessee are split between Eastern and Central time zones (most of Indiana is in the Eastern time zone). Alaska is divided between the Alaska time zone and the Hawaii-Aleutian time zone.
Voting policies in the states
Click on a state below to read more about voting policies in that state.
See also
Past poll opening and closing times
Footnotes
- ↑ Alabama Secretary of State, "2020 Election Information: Voter Guide", accessed November 18, 2019
- ↑ The Decatur Daily, "Parts of Eastern Alabama split between 2 time zones," August 13, 2006
- ↑ Alaska Division of Elections, "Polling Place Information", accessed November 18, 2019
- ↑ Arizona State Legislature, "Title 16, Setion 565", accessed November 18, 2019
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "Voting in Arkansas", accessed November 18, 2019
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Key Dates and Deadlines", accessed November 18, 2019
- ↑ Colorado Legal Resources, "Colorado Revised Statutes, Chapter 1, Article 7, Part 1, Section 101", accessed November 18, 2019
- ↑ Connecticut Secretary of State, "Where and how do I vote?", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ State of Delaware, "Office of the State Election Commissioner - Frequently Asked Questions: When can I vote?", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ District of Columbia Board of Elections, "FAQS - Election Day: When and where do I vote in D.C.?", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ Florida Department of State, "Election Day Voting", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ Georgia.gov, "Voting", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ Official Code of Georgia, "Title 21, Chapter 2, Section 403," accessed January 6, 2016
- ↑ State of Hawaii Office of Elections, "Voting", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ Idaho Legislature, "Idaho Statutes, Chapter 11, TItle 34-1101", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ Idaho Secretary of State - Elections, Campaign Disclosure and Lobbyists, "2016 Idaho Primary and General Election Calendar," accessed January 6, 2016
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Voting on Election Day", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ Indiana Secretary of State, "Election Day HQ Archive of Questions - What are the hours for voting?", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "Find Your Precinct/Polling Place - Disclaimers", accessed November 2, 2021
- ↑ Vote Kansas, "When and where do I vote?", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ Kentucky State Board of Elections, "Election Day Information", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, "Vote on election day", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Maine.gov, "Elections FAQ: What hours are the polls open?", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ Maryland State Board of Elections, "Voting Introduction: When can I vote?", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "The Voting Process - When to vote...", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ Massachusetts General Laws, "Title 8 - Chapter 54 - Section 64," accessed January 6, 2016
- ↑ Michigan Secretary of State, "What hours are the polls open on Election Day?", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "Voting hours," accessed March 4, 2020
- ↑ Mississippi Secretary of State, "Election code: Article 17, Chapter 23-15-541", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ Missouri Secretary of State, "Frequently Asked Questions: When does my polling place open?", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2020 Primary And General Election Calendar", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ Nebraska Secretary of State, "Voter Information Frequently Asked Questions: What time will the polls open?", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ Nevada Legislature, "Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) - Title 24, Chapter 293.273", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ State of New Hampshire Voter Information Look-up, "State List - Clerks & Polling Places", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ New Hampshire Revised Statutes - Title 63, Chapter 659.4"
- ↑ New Jersey Legislature, "New Jersey Statutes - Title 19, Chapter 15-1", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ New Mexico Compilation Commission, "New Mexico Statutes - Chapter 1, Article 12.1", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ New York State Board of Elections, "Frequently Asked Questions: What hours are polling places open?", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ New York Board of Elections, "Frequently Asked Questions," accessed September 7, 2020
- ↑ North Carolina Voter, "How to Vote in North Carolina: Where and when do I vote on Election Day?" , accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ North Carolina General Statutes, "163-166.01," accessed January 6, 2016
- ↑ North Dakota Century Code, 'Title 16,101, General Provisions", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ Ohio Secretary of State, "Election Day Voting: Where do I vote on election day?", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ Oklahoma State Election Board, "Frequently Asked Questions: When and Where to Vote ", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ Oregon Secretary of State, "2020 Elections Calendar," accessed September 7, 2020
- ↑ Pennsylvania.gov, "When are the polls open on Election Day?", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ 47.0 47.1 State of Rhode Island Board of Elections, "General Election Polling Place Hours", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ South Carolina Election Commission, "South Carolina Voting Information Page: When to Vote", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ South Dakota Secretary of State, "General Voting Information", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ 50.0 50.1 Tennessee Code, "Title 2, Chapter 3, Part 2", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ Vote Texas, "When to Vote", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ Utah State Legislature - Utah Code, "Title 20A, Chapter 1, Part 3, Section 302", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ Vermont Secretary of State, "Voting information: What time do polling places open and close?", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ Virginia Department of Elections, "Election and Voter FAQ: What hours are the polls open?", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ Washington Office of the Secretary of State, "Elections & Voting," accessed September 7, 2020
- ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, "Elections Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): When and where do I vote?", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations, "Chapter 6, Subchapter 3, Section 78", accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ Wyoming Secretary of State, "Election Frequently Asked Questions, General Voting information", accessed November 19, 2019
