Election legislation tracking: Early voting
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Early voting policies allow voters to cast ballots in person before an election. In states that permitno-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide a reason for being unable to vote on Election Day.
On this page, you will find:
- Current early voting legislation
- Early voting bills enacted this year
- More information about early voting laws in each state
The legislation on this page is curated throughBallotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker. Aselection laws change, you can use the tracker to keep up with the latest developments in early voting legislation in all 50 states. Use the bill search feature to viewall early voting bills or filter for bills related toearly voting administration,early voting duration, orearly voting eligibility.
Early voting legislation
The table below lists bills related to early voting introduced during (or carried over to) each state's regular legislative session this year. The following information is included for each bill:
- State
- Bill number
- Official bill name or caption
- Most recent action date
- Legislative status
- Sponsor party
- Topics dealt with by the bill
Bills are organized by state and then by most recent action. The table displays up to 100 results. To view more bills, use the arrows in the upper-right corner. Clicking on a bill will open its page onBallotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker, which includes bill details and a summary.
Enacted bills
- See also:Enacted election legislation, 2025
States enacted32 early voting bills from 2022 to 2024. The table below lists all bills enacted this year. For more information about election legislation proposed and enacted in 2025, visit ourelection legislation tracker.
- In2022, state lawmakers enacted10 bills.
- The state that approved the most bills in 2022 wasLouisiana, with two bills.
- In2023, state lawmakers enacted22 bills.
- In2024, state lawmakers enacted10 bills.
- The state that approved the most bills in 2024 wasLouisiana, with five bills.
- In2025, state lawmakers have enacted the following bills related to early voting:
Early voting laws by state
- See also:Early voting
As of January 2026, 47 states and the District of Columbia permitted no-excuse early voting in some form. Alabama, Mississippi, and New Hampshire do not offer no-excuse early voting, though Mississippi and New Hampshire do offer excuse-required early voting.
Eight states – California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, and Washington – conduct what are commonly referred to as all-mail elections. In these states, voting is conducted primarily, although not necessarily exclusively, by mail. These states allow for in-person early voting by default (generally by allowing voters to mark and return their mail-in ballots in person at municipal-level offices or vote centers).
As of January 2026, 26 states require early voting on at least some weekend days, and 21 states do not specify whether weekend voting is required in their statutes or give local officials discretion to set the dates of early voting.
Some states require early voting locations to be open after 5 p.m. on weekdays for at least part of the early voting period. As of January 2026, 14 states require evening early voting hours, six states do not require evening hours, seven states give local election officials the discretion to offer evening early voting, and 20 states do not specify. Localities in some states that do not require evening early voting may offer expanded hours.
The table below summarizes early voting statutes in the states.
| State | No-excuse early voting allowed? | Early voting on weekends? | Hours of early voting[1] | Duration of early voting | Location of early voting | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama[2] | No | No early voting | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Alaska | Yes | Not specified | Not specified | Begins fifteen days before the election. Ends on Election Day | Locations designated by the state | Alaska Stat. § 15.20.061 Alaska Stat. § 15.20.064 |
| Arizona | Yes | Not specified | Not specified | Begins twenty-seven days before the election. Ends on the Friday before Election Day | The recorder's office and other locations the recorder deems necessary | Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 16-541 Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 16-542(C) |
| Arkansas | Yes | Required | For preferential primaries or general elections: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday. For other elections: regular business hours | For preferential primaries or general elections, early voting begins fifteen days before the election and ends at 5:00 p.m. on the Monday before Election Day. For all other elections, early voting begins seven days before the election and ends at the close of business on the day before the election. | County clerks' offices and locations designated by the county clerk. Early voting locations are required in every city with more than 15,000 residents | Ark. Stat. Ann. §7-5-418 |
| California | Yes, all-mail voting state | Required | Not specified | Begins twenty-nine days before the election. Ends on Election Day | County registrar of voters offices and additional locations designated by the county | Cal. Election Code § 3000.5 Cal. Election Code § 3016.3 |
| Colorado | Yes, all-mail voting state | Required | For counties with more than 37,500 voters, early voting hours must be at least 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For all other counties, early voting hours are normal business hours, with at least four hours on the last Saturday before the election | Begins 15 days before the election and ends on Election Day | Determined by the county. The number of locations vary based on a county's population | Colorado Revised Statutes § 1-5-102.9 |
| Connecticut | Yes | Not specified | 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily and 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on the last Tuesday and Thursday before the election | Begins 15 days before Election Day for regular elections, eight days before Election Day for primary elections, and five days before Election Day for special elections and presidential primaries. Ends on the second day before Election Day | Locations designated by the registrar of voters | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 9-163aa Conn. Gen. Stat. § 9-174 |
| Delaware | Yes | Required | At least eight hours each day. Early voting locations must also open by 7:00 a.m. on five days and remain open until at least 7:00 p.m. on five days | Begins 10 days before the election. Ends the Sunday before Election Day | Locations are determined by the state election commissioner, with at least one location in each county and the City of Wilmington | Del. Code § 5402 Del. Code § 5403 Del. Code § 5404 |
| Florida | Yes | Required | Between eight and 12 hours each day | Begins 10 days before the election. Ends on the third day before Election Day. Officials may also hold early voting 15 through 11 days before Election Day and on the second day before Election Day | County election offices or sites determined by county election supervisors | Fla Stat. § 101.657 |
| Georgia | Yes | Required | 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m but can be extended no longer than 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. | Begins on the fourth Monday before the election. Ends the Friday before Election Day | Board of registrars offices and additional locations if approved by the county | O.C.G.A. § 21-2-385 |
| Hawaii | Yes, all-mail voting state | Not specified | Regular business hours | Ten days before the election through Election Day | Voter service center locations established by local clerks | Hawaii Rev. Stat. § 11-109 Hawaii Rev. Stat. § 11-131 Haw. Code R §3-177-500 |
| Idaho | Yes[3] | Not specified | Not specified | Begins the fourth Monday before the election. Ends at 5:00 p.m. on the Friday before Election Day | Not specified | Idaho Code § 34-1006 Idaho Code § 34-1012 |
| Illinois | Yes | Required | For permanent polling locations: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays between the 15th and ninth days before the election and 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. or 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., starting on the eighth day before the election. Locations must also be open during the last eight days before the election from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturdays and holidays and 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sundays | For temporary polling locations, early voting begins the 40th day before the election and ends the day before Election Day. For permanent polling locations, early voting begins the 15th day before the election and ends the day before Election Day | The county may decide the location of temporary and permanent early voting locations, with the number of locations varying based on the size of the municipalities within the county. For counties with a population of 3 million or more residents, a temporary early voting location must be set up in the county jail | Il. Rev. Stat. ch. 10 § 5/19A-15 Il. Rev. Stat. ch. 10 § 5/19A-20 |
| Indiana | Yes | Required | The only hour requirements specified are that counties must hold early voting for at least seven hours on the two Saturdays preceding the election or, for counties with fewer than 20,000 people, at least four hours on the two Saturdays preceding the election | Begins twenty-eight days before the election. Ends at noon on the day before Election Day | Offices of the circuit court. Counties can also choose to authorize satellite offices | Ind. Code § 3-11-4-1 Ind. Code § 3-11-10-26 |
| Iowa | Yes | Not specified | Not specified. Satellite stations must be open for at least one day, for a minimum of six hours | Begins 20 days before the election. For satellite stations, early voting ends at 5 p.m. on the day before Election Day. State law does not mandate an end time for early voting at commissioners' offices | Commissioners' offices and satellite stations. Satellite stations must be established if at least 100 eligible voters sign a petition | Iowa Code § 53.10 Iowa Code § 53.11 |
| Kansas | Yes | At the discretion of local election officials | Not specified | Begins the Tuesday preceding the election. Ends at 12:00 p.m. on the day before Election Day | County election offices. Counties may also establish satellite locations | Kan. Stat. Ann. § 25-1122 |
| Kentucky | Yes | Required | Exact hours are determined by the county board of elections but must be at least eight hours between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. local time | The Thursday, Friday, and Saturday before the election[4] | County clerk's offices and other locations designated by the county board of elections and approved by the state | Ky. Rev. Stat. § 117.076 |
| Louisiana | Yes | Required | 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, excluding holidays | Begins fourteen days before the election and ends seven days before Election Day. For presidential elections, early voting begins eighteen days before the election | Registrars' offices and alternate locations in a public building, if designated by the registrar | La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 18:1303 La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 18:1309 |
| Maine | Yes | Not specified | The hours when the clerk's office is open | Thirty days preceding an election through the third day before Election Day, unless a person is engaging in special circumstances absentee voting | Municipal clerks' offices | Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 21-A §753-B |
| Maryland | Yes | Required | 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily | Begins the second Thursday before the election. Ends the Thursday before the election | County officials select the site of early voting centers, with the approval of the State Board of Elections. The number of sites is determined by the county's population | Md. Election Code Ann. § 10-301.1 |
| Massachusetts | Yes | Required[5] | Hours vary depending on the size of a municipality | Begins 17 days before the election through four days before Election Day for statewide or local elections. Early voting starts 10 days before a presidential or state primary or a special election | Local election offices, with additional sites allowed at the discretion of the city or town registrars | Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch 54 § 25B |
| Michigan | Yes | Required | At least eight hours each day | Begins the second Saturday before the election. Ends on the Sunday before Election Day | Not specified, but must meet the same requirements as an Election Day polling place and may serve voters from multiple precincts | Mich. Const. Art. II § 4 |
| Minnesota | Yes | Required | Not specified. For state general elections, early voting locations must be open until 7:00 p.m. on the Tuesday before the election, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on the two Saturdays and final Sunday before the election, and until 5:00 p.m. on the day before Election Day. For all other elections, early voting locations must be open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday and until 5:00 p.m. on the day immediately preceding the election | Begins 18 days before the election and ends at 5:00 p.m. on the day before Election Day | County auditor offices and any polling places designated by the auditor | Minn. Stat. § 203B.081 Minn. Stat. § 203B.085 |
| Mississippi | No[6] | No no-excuse early voting | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Missouri | Yes | Not specified | Not specified | Early voting begins the second Tuesday before the election. State statute does not list a mandated end time[7] | At a location designated by the election authority | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 115.277 |
| Montana | Yes | Not specified | Not specified | Begins thirty days before the election. Ends on the day before Election Day | Election offices | Mont. Code Ann. § 13-13-205 Mont. Code Ann. § 13-13-222 |
| Nebraska | Yes | Not specified | Not specified | Begins thirty days before statewide primaries or general elections and 15 days before all other elections. Ends on Election Day | Election commissioner or county clerk offices | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 32-942 Neb. Rev. Stat. § 32-942 |
| Nevada | Yes, all-mail voting state | Required | At least eight hours Monday through Friday and at least four hours on Saturday. County clerks may also choose to conduct early voting on Sunday | Begins the third Saturday before the election. Ends the Friday before Election Day | Each county must have at least one permanent early voting site. The county clerk may also establish temporary branch locations. In some cases, a branch location is required if a county includes a tribal reservation | Nev. Rev. Stat. § 293.3564 Nev. Rev. Stat. § 293.3568 Nev. Rev. Stat. § 293.3572 |
| New Hampshire[8] | No | No early voting | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| New Jersey | Yes | Required | Monday through Saturday from at least 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Sunday from at least 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. | Early voting begins on the 10th day before a general election and the seventh day before a primary election. Early voting always ends on the second day before the election | Each county must designate at least three early voting locations, with larger counties having to designate more locations. Early voting sites must be public facilities | N.J. Rev. Stat. § 19:15A-1 |
| New Mexico | Yes | Required | Regular hours and days of business at the county clerk's office, plus the Saturday before the election. Additional times and weekend dates can be added at the discretion of county clerks | Begins the 28th day before the election. Ends the Saturday before the election | The clerk's office and between one and 15 alternate locations, depending on the size of the county | N.M. Stat. Ann. § 1-6-5.6 |
| New York | Yes | Required | Early voting sites must be open for at least eight hours between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on weekdays and 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. At least one early voting site must remain open until 8:00 p.m. on at least two weekdays each week | Begins the tenth day before the election. Ends the second day before Election Day | Counties with more than 500,000 registered voters must have at least one early voting site per 40,000 voters. Counties with fewer than 500,000 registered voters must have between one and 10 early voting sites, depending on their size | N.Y. Election Law § 8-600 |
| North Carolina | Yes | Required | Between 8:00 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. on weekdays and between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on the last Saturday before the election. Counties may also offer early voting on other weekend dates, provided the hours are uniform | Begins the third Thursday before the election. Ends at 3:00 p.m. on the last Saturday before Election Day | County board of elections offices. Other sites may be used instead if approved by the State Board of Elections | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 163-166.35 N.C. Gen. Stat. § 163‑166.40 |
| North Dakota | Yes, at the discretion of counties | Not specified | Not specified | The fifteen days immediately before the day of the election | Sites chosen by the county auditor | N.D. Cent. Code §16.1-07-15 |
| Ohio | Yes | Required | Not specified | Begins the day after the close of voter registration, 29 days before the election. Ends at 5:00 p.m. on the Sunday before Election Day | Board of elections offices | Ohio Rev. Code Ann. 3509.51 |
| Oklahoma | Yes | Required | 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on the Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday before the election, and 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on the Saturday before the election. Early voting on the Wednesday before the election occurs only for general elections | The Wednesday before the election through 2:00 p.m. on the Saturday before Election Day | A location designated by the secretary of the county election board. Counties with more than 25,000 voters or that are more than 1,500 square miles may designate additional locations if approved by the State Election Board | Okla. Stat. tit. §26-14-115.4 |
| Oregon | Yes, all-mail voting state | Not specified | Not specified | Ballots are mailed between the 20th and 18th day before the election. Voters must be able to mark their ballot in person through 8:00 p.m. on Election Day | County clerks may determine the location of in-person voting booths | Or. Rev. Stat. § 254.470 Or. Rev. Stat. § 254.474 |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | Not specified | Not specified | Voters may early vote once ballots are finalized and available. The last day for early voting is 5 p.m. on the Tuesday before the election. | County elections offices | Pa. Stat. tit. 25 § 3146.2a |
| Rhode Island | Yes | Not specified | Not specified | Begins the 20th day before the election. Ends at 4:00 p.m. on the day before Election Day | Local board of canvassers offices | R.I. Gen. Laws §17-20-2.2 |
| South Carolina | Yes | Required | For statewide general elections, early voting hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. For runoff elections, early voting hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on the Wednesday through Friday before the election. For all other elections, early voting hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday | Begins two weeks before the election. Ends on the day before Election Day | Each county must establish between one and seven early voting centers | S.C. Code Ann. § 7-13-25 |
| South Dakota | Yes | Not specified | Regular business hours | Begins forty-six days before the election. Ends at 5:00 p.m. or the end of regular business hours on the day before Election Day, whichever is later | Local election offices | S.D. Codified Laws Ann. § 12-19-1.2 S.D. Codified Laws Ann. § 12-19-2.1 |
| Tennessee | Yes | Required | At least three hours on weekdays and Saturdays between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. local time. For municipalities of less than 5,000 people, local officials may determine Saturday hours. On at least three days, the office must remain open until between 4:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. | Begins twenty days before the election. Ends five days before Election Day. Early voting ends seven days before the election for presidential preference primaries | County election commission offices or another polling place designated by county election officials | Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-6-102 Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-6-103 |
| Texas | Yes | Required | For at least nine hours. For municipalities with fewer than 1,000 registered voters, early voting must occur for at least four hours each day. Early voting for primary elections, general elections for state and county officers, and special elections ordered by the governor must occur for at least 12 hours on the last four days of the early voting period, except for Sunday, where there must be at least nine hours of early voting | Begins the 12th day before the election and ends the day before Election Day. For special runoff elections for the state legislature or runoff primary elections, early voting begins 10 days before Election Day | In the main business office of the county clerk or city secretary, unless a local governing body selects another location | Tex. Election Code Ann. § 85.001 Tex. Election Code Ann. § 85.002 Tex. Election Code Ann. § 85.005 |
| Utah | Yes, all-mail voting state | At the discretion of local election officials | Not specified | Begins the 14th day before the election and ends the Friday before the election. Election officials can extend early voting through Election Day and can also reduce the early voting period if certain conditions are met. For local special elections, municipal primary elections, and municipal general elections, early voting must occur on at least four days each week and must take place on the last day of the early voting period. For all other elections, early voting must take place on each weekday | At least one polling place, as designated by local election officials | Utah Code § 20A-3a-601 Utah Code § 20A-3a-603 |
| Vermont | Yes, all-mail voting state[9] | Not specified | Not specified | Early voting ends at 5 p.m. on the day before the election or the last day the town clerk's office is open before the election. A start date for early voting is not specified in statute | Town clerk offices or mobile polling places | Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 17 V.S.A. § 2531 Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 17 V.S.A. § 2532a Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 17 V.S.A. § 2537 |
| Virginia | Yes | Required | Regular business hours, with offices also open for at least eight hours between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on the first and second Saturday before the election. Election officials may choose to have early voting on Sundays | Begins on the 45th day before the election. Ends the Saturday before Election Day | General registrar offices or statellite offices | Va. Code § 24.2-701.1 |
| Washington | Yes, all-mail voting state | Not specified | Regular business hours | Begins 18 days before the election through 8:00 p.m. on Election Day | The county auditor's office and a public building in any city in the county with a population of 100,000 or more that wouldn't otherwise have a voting center | Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.40.160 |
| West Virginia | Yes | Required | Not specified for weekdays. Early voting must be available from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays during the early voting period | Begins the 13th day before the election. Ends the third day before Election Day | Not specified | W. Va. Code §3-3-3 |
| Wisconsin | Yes | Not specified | Not specified | Begins 14 days before the election and ends the Sunday before Election Day | At the office of the municipal clerk or an alternate site, if designated by local election officials | Wis. Stat. § 6.86 |
| Wyoming | Yes | Not specified | Not specified | Begins 28 days before the election. Ends the day before Election Day | County clerks' offices | Wyo. Stat. § 22-9-107 |
Voter identification requirements for early voting
States that require identification for voting on Election Day also require ID for early voting. Early voting refers to any in-person voting conducted before Election Day.
As of January 2026, 21 states required voters to present photo identification when voting in person before Election Day, while 12 states required voters to present non-photo identification. Alabama, Mississippi, and New Hampshire have voter ID laws but do not have no-excuse early voting.
| State | Requirement | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Does not offer no-excuse early voting | N/A |
| Alaska | Non-photo ID required for early voting | AS 15.20.061 |
| Arizona | Non-photo ID required for early voting | Arizona Secretary of State |
| Arkansas | Photo ID required for early voting | A.C.A. § 7-5-418 |
| California | No voter ID law | N/A |
| Colorado | Non-photo ID required for early voting[10][11] | C.R.S. § 1-7-110 |
| Connecticut | Non-photo ID required for early voting | Conn. Gen. Stat. §9-163 |
| Delaware | Non-photo ID required for early voting[12] | 15 Del. C. § 4937 Delaware Secretary of State |
| Florida | Photo ID required for early voting | Fla. Stat. §101.657 |
| Georgia | Photo ID required for early voting | Georgia Secretary of State |
| Hawaii | No voter ID law | N/A |
| Idaho | Photo ID required for early voting | Idaho Code §34-1012 |
| Illinois | No voter ID law | N/A |
| Indiana | Photo ID required for early voting | Ind. Code §3-11-10-26 |
| Iowa | Non-photo ID required for early voting | Iowa Code §53.10 |
| Kansas | Photo ID required for early voting | Kan. Stat. Ann. §25-1122 |
| Kentucky | Photo ID required for early voting | KRS §117.076 |
| Louisiana | Photo ID required for early voting | LSA 18:1309 |
| Maine | No voter ID law | N/A |
| Maryland | No voter ID law | N/A |
| Massachusetts | No voter ID law | N/A |
| Michigan | Photo ID required for early voting[13] | Mich. Comp. Laws §168.720b |
| Minnesota | No voter ID law | N/A |
| Mississippi | Does not offer no-excuse early voting[14] | N/A |
| Missouri | Photo ID required for early voting | RSMo §115.277 |
| Montana | Photo ID required for early voting | §13-13-114 |
| Nebraska | Photo ID required for early voting | Neb. Rev. Stat. §32942 |
| Nevada | No voter ID law | N/A |
| New Hampshire | Does not offer no-excuse early voting | N/A |
| New Jersey | No voter ID law | N/A |
| New Mexico | No voter ID law | N/A |
| New York | No voter ID law | N/A |
| North Carolina | Photo ID required for early voting | N.C. Gen. Stat. §163-166.40 |
| North Dakota | Non-photo ID required for early voting[15] | N.D.C.C. §16.1-01-04.1 |
| Ohio | Photo ID required for early voting | R.C. 3509.051 |
| Oklahoma | Non-photo ID required for early voting | Okla. Stat. §26-14-115.4 |
| Oregon | No voter ID law | N/A |
| Pennsylvania | No voter ID law | N/A |
| Rhode Island | Photo ID required for early voting | Rhode Island Secretary of State |
| South Carolina | Photo ID required for early voting | S.C. Code Ann. §7-13-710 South Carolina Election Commission |
| South Dakota | Photo ID required for early voting | South Dakota Secretary of State |
| Tennessee | Photo ID required for early voting | Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-7-112 Tennessee Secretary of State |
| Texas | Photo ID required for early voting | Tex. Elec. Code Ann. §85.031 |
| Utah | Non-photo ID required for early voting[16] | Utah Code §20A-1-102 |
| Vermont | No voter ID law | N/A |
| Virginia | Non-photo ID required for early voting | Va. Code §24.2-701.1 |
| Washington | Non-photo ID required for early voting[17] | RCW 29A.40.160 |
| West Virginia | Photo ID required for early voting | W. Va. Code §3-1-34 West Virginia Secretary of State |
| Wisconsin | Photo ID required for early voting | Wis. Stat. §6.86(ar) |
| Wyoming | Non-photo ID required for early voting | Wy. Stat. §22-2-119 |
Support and opposition
The following quotes briefly summarize arguments for and against early voting. See our page,Arguments for and against early voting, for detailed support and opposition arguments from a variety of sources.
| Support | Opposition |
|---|---|
| "Early voting eases Election Day congestion, leading to shorter lines and improved poll-worker performance. It allows election officials to correct registration errors and fix voting system glitches earlier. And polling has shown that early voting enjoys popular support. ... [S]tarting in 2011, lawmakers in some states have sought to cut back on early voting. In many cases, these reductions have targeted voting days used heavily in African-American communities, such as the last Sunday before the election, when churches organize 'souls to the polls' drives. States that cut back on early voting have faced lawsuits and some rulings that the changes were discriminatory." - TheBrennan Center for Justice (2018)[18] | "Although voters may find early voting convenient, turnout data show that early voting may actually decrease turnout, not increase it. Early voting raises the costs of political campaigns, since expensive get-out-the-vote efforts must be spread out over a longer period of time. There is also no question that when voters cast their ballots weeks before Election Day, they do so without the same access to knowledge about the candidates and the issues as those who vote on Election Day. When there are late-breaking developments in campaigns that could be important to the choices made by voters, those who have voted early cannot change their votes." - Hans von Spakovsky of TheHeritage Foundation (2017)[19] |
Early voting legislation
The table below lists bills related to early voting introduced during (or carried over to) each state's regular legislative session this year. The following information is included for each bill:
- State
- Bill number
- Official bill name or caption
- Most recent action date
- Legislative status
- Sponsor party
- Topics dealt with by the bill
Bills are organized by state and then by most recent action. The table displays up to 100 results. To view more bills, use the arrows in the upper-right corner. Clicking on a bill will open its page onBallotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker, which includes bill details and a summary.
Method of how ballots were cast by state
- See also:Voting policies in the United States
The following table shows how many ballots were cast by specific methods (by mail,early in-person voting, etc.) according to theElection Assistance Commission's 2024 report onU.S. election administration, which can be foundhere.
| State | Mail ballots counted | In-person Election Day votes | In-person early votes | Provisional voters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 126,018 | N/A[20] | N/A[20] | N/A[20] |
| Alaska | 48,744 | 175,541 | 92,281 | 14,786 |
| Arizona | 2,816,885 | 496,753 | 349,129 | 15,699 |
| Arkansas | 24,552 | 294,235 | 810,714 | 1,389 |
| California | 13,062,318 | 1,836,518 | 878,489 | 289,935 |
| Colorado | 2,957,550 | 141,556 | 109,209 | 205 |
| Connecticut | 127,354 | N/A | 715,275 | 36 |
| Delaware | 33,659 | 268,718 | 210,295 | 14 |
| D.C. | 168,111 | 82,396 | 72,914 | 93 |
| Florida | 2,947,371 | 2,596,761 | 5,364,821 | 6,168 |
| Georgia | 268,751 | 1,239,125 | 3,768,395 | 3,718 |
| Hawaii | 483,078 | 0 | 39,158 | 0 |
| Idaho | 179,777 | 508,734 | 225,973 | N/A[20] |
| Illinois | 1,022,256 | 2,666,185 | 2,001,203 | 8,316 |
| Indiana | 1,603,815 | 1,372,508 | 1,397,345 | 1,939 |
| Iowa | 220,041 | N/A[20] | N/A[20] | 749 |
| Kansas | 149,350 | 604,319 | 557,906 | 27,441 |
| Kentucky | 116,324 | 1,267,653 | 687,057 | 194 |
| Louisiana | 119,706 | 1,047,445 | 849,784 | 535 |
| Maine | 215,242 | 463,500 | 157,116 | N/A |
| Maryland | 744,244 | 1,145,134 | 974,945 | 145,763 |
| Massachusetts | 1,173,112 | 1,713,191 | 600,225 | 1,797 |
| Michigan | 2,017,704 | 2,453,252 | 1,214,409 | 10 |
| Minnesota | 446,576 | 1,960,360 | 850,705 | N/A[20] |
| Mississippi | N/A | 1,010,752 | N/A[20] | 14,685 |
| Missouri | 178,526 | 2,067,247 | 867,936 | 5,534 |
| Montana | 430,159 | N/A[20] | N/A[20] | N/A[20] |
| Nebraska | 307,135 | 564,660 | 80,304 | 10,651 |
| Nevada | 656,140 | 247,291 | 543,461 | 28,242 |
| New Hampshire | 92,945 | 730,273 | 0 | 0 |
| New Jersey | 828,200 | N/A[20] | N/A[20] | 116,528 |
| New Mexico | 111,527 | 252,629 | 556,395 | 1,597 |
| New York | 836,987 | 4,320,467 | 2,986,704 | 194,588 |
| North Carolina | 298,269 | 1,175,905 | 4,224,909 | 24,989 |
| North Dakota | 89,429 | 181,998 | 99,007 | N/A[20] |
| Ohio | 1,058,400 | 3,130,240 | 1,536,604 | 104,848 |
| Oklahoma | 98,548 | 1,174,876 | 294,037 | 1,598 |
| Oregon | 2,253,114 | N/A[20] | N/A[20] | 52 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,933,102 | 5,043,808 | N/A[20] | 69,506 |
| Rhode Island | 51,995 | 290,699 | 173,547 | 2,514 |
| South Carolina | 98,782 | 977,341 | 1,476,843 | 4,517 |
| South Dakota | 151,762 | 273,648 | 0 | 201 |
| Tennessee | 86,904 | 856,491 | 2,132,535 | 3,139 |
| Texas | 384,221 | 2,329,171 | 8,703,181 | 20,511 |
| Utah | 1,239,070 | 104,350 | 36,381 | 41,114 |
| Vermont | 240,375 | 122,386 | 2,631 | 0 |
| Virginia | 474,332 | 2,053,905 | 1,840,239 | 111,390 |
| Washington | 3,890,945 | N/A[20] | 171 | 12 |
| West Virginia | 22,377 | 431,925 | 310,305 | 2,905 |
| Wisconsin | 572,434 | 1,870,285 | 977,648 | 57 |
| Wyoming | 38,217 | 154,579 | 76,943 | 63 |
| Total | 47,496,433 | 51,698,810 | 48,847,129 | 1,278,028 |
Noteworthy events
This section summarizes noteworthy events related to early voting.
Delaware (2024)
On June 28, 2024, theDelaware Supreme Court struck down a ruling from theDelaware Superior Court and reinstated early voting in the state. In a 5-0 decision, the court ruled that plaintiffs failed to prove that they would be harmed by laws permitting early voting, and therefore had no standing to sue. Consequently, the decision did not rule on the lower court's determination that early voting was prohibited by theDelaware Constitution.[21] The court agreed to hear the case on an expedited basis to provide clarity to voters and election administrators before the November election.[22]
In a statement, Delaware Attorney GeneralKathy Jennings (D) said, "I’m grateful to the Court for its ruling and for agreeing to hear this case on an expedited basis so that Delawareans know their rights going into the September and November elections."[22] In response to the ruling,Delaware House of Representatives Minority WhipLyndon Yearick (R) said, "This is frustrating because the constitutionality issue was our sole concern. We support early voting."[23] The plaintiffs attorney,M. Jane Brady, a former Superior Court judge and former chair of the Delaware Republican Party, said that plaintiffs would continue to challenge the constitutionality of early voting in the state.[22]
Earlier in the year, on February 23, Superior Court Judge Mark Conner ruled that early voting was unconstitutional in the state, saying that the laws were "inconsistent with our constitution and therefore cannot stand."[24][25]Article V, Section 1 of the Delaware Constitution says, "The general election shall be held biennially on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in the month of November." Judge Conner wrote, "Any enactment of the General Assembly that provides for casting ballots on other days than that day enumerated by Article V, Section 1, unless permitted elsewhere Article V, runs afoul of and is inconsistent with the Constitution."[26]
On February 27, Attorney General Jennings announced that she would appeal the decision to theDelaware Supreme Court and said, "We will file our appeal quickly and intend to request a decision from the Delaware Supreme Court so that voters have final clarity in time for the September primaries."[27] On February 29, lawmakers introduced legislation,SB3, to amend the state's constitution and restore in-person early voting.
Lawmakers originally established early in-person voting by passingHB38 in 2019. Delaware GovernorJohn Carney (D) signedHB38 on June 30, 2019, which established in-person early voting beginning January 1, 2022. The law allowed voters to vote "in-person during at least 10 days before an election, up to and including the Saturday and Sunday immediately before the election at locations determined by the State Election Commissioner."[28][29] According toSenate Bill 149, which was signed into law on July 21, 2023, Sundays did not have to be included in the early voting period for presidential preference primaries.[30]
Iowa (2018)
On August 10, 2018, theIowa Supreme Court ruled on several provisions of HF 516, which called for shortening the state's early voting period from 40 to 29 days, along with other provisions related to voting, including voter ID requirements. The court lifted an injunction put in place by a district court blocking the portions of the law pertaining to early voting. The court did not provide its reasoning in the order.[31]
On May 30, 2018, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) of Iowa and Taylor Blair, a student at Iowa State University, filed suit in the Iowa District Court for Polk County against Secretary of StatePaul Pate (R), alleging that HF 516 illegally impaired the ability of Iowans to vote.
On July 24, 2018, the district court granted the plaintiffs' request for temporary injunctions against several parts of HF 516, including the provision shortening the early voting period, saying that the provision would cause irreparable harm to those unable to vote in the 29-day period. The case proceeded to the Iowa Supreme Court, which lifted the injunction.[32]
Florida (2018)
On July 24, 2018, a federal judge barred enforcement of an opinion issued by the Florida secretary of state in 2014, prohibiting the use of college campus sites as early voting locations. JudgeMark E. Walker, appointed by PresidentBarack Obama (D) in 2012 to theUnited States District Court for the Northern District of Florida, wrote: "Simply put, Defendant's Opinion reveals a stark pattern of discrimination. It is unexplainable on grounds other than age because it bears so heavily on younger voters than all other voters. Defendant's stated interests for the Opinion (following state law, avoiding parking issues, and minimizing on-campus disruption) reek of pretext. While the Opinion does not identify college students by name, its target population is unambiguous and its effects are lopsided. The Opinion is intentionally and facially discriminatory." Walker barred the secretary of state from enforcing the 2014 opinion, though he did not order election officials to designate early voting sites on college campuses, leaving such action to the discretion of local officials.[33]
In April 2020, the parties reached a deal allowing local election officials to consider using college campuses as early voting sites.[34]
Ohio (2014-2016)
On August 23, 2016, theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit upheld an Ohio law reducing the state's early voting period from 35 days to 29 days.[35]
On February 21, 2014, GovernorJohn Kasich signed into law two bills that altered the state's early and absentee voting provisions.Senate Bill 238 shortened the early voting period by a week, thereby eliminating "Golden Week," a period during which state residents could register and vote on the same day.Senate Bill 205 established a requirement that thesecretary of state obtain funding approval from thelegislature before mailing absentee ballot applications statewide.[36]
The NAACP and other groups filed a lawsuit seeking to block the enforcement of Senate Bill 238. A federal district court placed an injunction on SB 238's provisions, then theU.S. Supreme Court ruled to stay the injunction, allowing the law to take effect. On April 17, 2015, the parties involved agreed to a settlement. The terms of the settlement included the restoration of one day of voting on Sunday, additional weekday evening voting hours, and the elimination of "Golden Week."[37]
The Ohio Democratic Party, along with two local parties and three individuals, challenged the version of the law that was revised based on the 2015 settlement. A district court issued an injunction barring implementation of the law on May 24, 2016, ruling that the law created a disparate burden on African-American voters. TheUnited States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit reversed the ruling on August 23, 2016, ruling that the change to 29 days of early voting remained generous and that it did not violate theVoting Rights Act.[35]
North Carolina (2013-2016)
TheUnited States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit struck down several provisions of a North Carolina law, including a provision shortening the state's early voting period, on July 29, 2016.[38]
On July 25, 2013, the North Carolina Legislature passed a law with several provisions related to voting, including voter ID requirements and shortening the early voting period from 17 days to 10 days. GovernorPat McCrory (R) signed the bill into law on August 12, 2013. A number of lawsuits opposing the law were filed, and the cases were consolidated in a case brought before the District Court of the Middle District of North Carolina. The suits alleged that the law discriminated against minority groups. North Carolina was the first state to approve new voting laws after theUnited States Supreme Court struck down portions of the federalVoting Rights Act in June 2013.[39][40]
The district court upheld the provisions of the law, ruling that the provisions did not place a discriminatory burden on African Americans and that the state had other reasons beyond discriminatory intent for imposing the provisions.[41] The plaintiffs in the case appealed.
On July 29, 2016, theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit struck down the shortened early voting period and the state's photo ID requirement, along with other provisions, ruling that the state legislature had enacted them with racially discriminatory intent. On May 15, 2017, the Supreme Court of the United States declined to hear the state's appeal, letting the Fourth Circuit's decision stand.[38]
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See also
- Early voting dates, 2026
- Absentee/mail-in voting
- State poll opening and closing times
- Time off work for voting
- Voter registration
Footnotes
- ↑The hours below are set in state law. In some states, local jurisdictions may have expanded hours. Voters should check with their local election officials to confirm early voting hours.
- ↑Some jurisdictions may offer excuse-required early voting during the absentee voting period
- ↑Idaho allows early voting in "counties that utilize absentee voting facilities that have access to the Idaho statewide voter registration system and count ballots at a central location or utilize a polling location-based tabulation system." Each county also must have at least one absent electors’ polling place for absentee voters.
- ↑Kentucky also offers excuse-required early voting for individuals in 11 categories for the six days before no-excuse early voting begins.
- ↑Exact hours vary depending on a municipality's size
- ↑Mississippi offers excuse-required early voting for individuals in eight categories
- ↑Missouri also offers excuse-required early voting for individuals in six categories before the second Tuesday before the election
- ↑New Hampshire offers excuse-required early voting on at least some days during the absentee voting period
- ↑Vermont uses all-mail voting for general elections only
- ↑While Colorado conducts all-mail elections, it does offer in-person voting prior to and on Election Day.
- ↑Andrew Bahl, "Email interview with Jack Todd, Colorado Secretary of State's Office," September 4, 2025
- ↑If a voter does not have ID but is present in their correct polling place or at an early voting site and appears on the poll list, the voter is allowed to cast a ballot after filling out an affirmation form.
- ↑If a voter does not have ID, they can be allowed to vote by signing an affidavit.
- ↑Mississippi has excuse-required, in-person absentee voting wherevoters are required to present a photo ID
- ↑Andrew Bahl, "Interview with Misty Curn, North Dakota Secretary of State's office," September 5, 2025
- ↑Andrew Bahl, "Email interview with Amy Iversen, Utah Lieutenant Governor's office," September 5, 2025
- ↑While Washington conducts all-mail elections, voters who go to an in-person voting center must present identification or sign a ballot declaration
- ↑Brennan Center for Justice, "Democracy: An Election Agenda for Candidates, Activists, and Legislators," May 4, 2018
- ↑The Heritage Foundation, "The Costs of Early Voting," October 3, 2017
- ↑20.0020.0120.0220.0320.0420.0520.0620.0720.0820.0920.1020.1120.1220.1320.1420.1520.1620.17Information not provided in the report.
- ↑WHYY, "Delaware Supreme Court restores access to early voting, permanent absentee voting," February 23, 2024
- ↑22.022.122.2Delaware.gov, "In unanimous ruling, Court sides with Jennings on voting rights," June 28, 2024
- ↑WGMD, "Early Voting/Permanent Absentee Voting Overturned by DE Supreme Court," June 28, 2024
- ↑Delaware Online, "Delaware lawmakers consider options after court tosses out early voting, mail-in ballots," February 27, 2024
- ↑ABC News, "Delaware's early voting and permanent absentee laws are unconstitutional, a judge says," February 26, 2024
- ↑ABC News, "Mennella, et al. v. Albence, et al., C.A. No. S23C-03-014 MHC," February 23, 2024
- ↑Attorney General, State of Delaware, "Attorney General Jennings’ comments on Superior Court’s voting ruling (as prepared)," February 27, 2024
- ↑Delaware.gov, "Governor Carney Signs Early Voting Legislation," June 30, 2019
- ↑Delaware General Assembly, "House Bill 38," accessed January 20, 2026
- ↑Delaware General Assembly, "Senate Bill 149," accessed January 20, 2026
- ↑The Gazette, "Iowa voter ID ruling: Early voting period stands at 29 days, high court says," August 10, 2018
- ↑Iowa District Court for Polk County, "League of United Latin American Citizens of Iowa v. Pate: Ruling on Plaintiffs' Motion for a Temporary Injunction," July 24, 2018
- ↑United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida, "League of Women Voters of Florida v. Detzner: Order Granting Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction," July 24, 2018
- ↑Associated Press, "Settlement reached in Florida dispute over college voting," April 3, 2020
- ↑35.035.1Leagle, "Ohio Democratic Party v. Husted," August 23, 2016
- ↑The Columbus Dispatch, "Kasich signs both elections bills; 'livid' FitzGerald may take action," February 22, 2014
- ↑MSNBC, "Settlement reverses some cuts to Ohio early voting," April 17, 2015
- ↑38.038.1Ballot Access News, "U.S. Supreme Court Refuses to Hear All Four Election Law Cases that had Been on Conference Last Week," May 15, 2017
- ↑CBS News, "N.C. sued soon after voter ID bill signed into law," August 13, 2013
- ↑Politico, "Justice Department challenges North Carolina voter ID law," September 30, 2013
- ↑Harvard Law Review, "North Carolina State Conference of the NAACP v. McCrory," April 10, 2017
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