What Do You Need to Bring to Vote? Essential Voting Requirements Explained

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Election Day is here!

In less than 24 hours, the intense presidential race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will conclude, and the tallies will continue. Here’s everything you need to know to ensure your vote is counted once you’re at your polling place.

What Do You Need to Bring to Vote?

What you need to bring to vote varies by state. For first-time voters, additional identification is required, such as a driver’s license number, non-driver ID number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number. This requirement comes from the “Help America Vote Act” (HAVA), enacted in 2002.

For those who have voted before, most states may ask you to present an ID, which can include a driver’s license, a DMV-issued ID card, a voter registration card with a photo, a federal military ID, or a U.S. passport. These forms of identification help election inspectors verify your identity if your signature is not on file or to confirm a name change.

You can click on the 50 states plus D.C. below to check the individual voting requirements:

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

How to Find Your Polling Place

Voters can typically find their designated polling locations in public buildings such as schools, community centers, churches, or municipal buildings. These locations are determined by their residential address and can be found by visiting their state or county election office website, as well as through Vote.org or the U.S. Election Assistance Commission website.

A vote here sign outside a polling location in Miami Beach, Florida, U.S. Photographer: Scott McIntyre/Bloomberg

How to Make Sure You’re Registered to Vote

Anyone who has already registered to vote in past elections does not need to re-register every year, unless there is a change in name, address, or political affiliation.

You can find each state’s voter registration update or re-registration deadline on the respective Board of Elections website.

When Do the Results Come Out?

After polling officially ends, the tallies across states will come in at different paces, and because the race is so tight, counting could continue well past Election Night.

In 2020, it took until Saturday (November 7) for networks to project a winner in the presidential race, following Election Day on Tuesday (November 3).