Pre-registration rules

Pre-registration lets you submit your voter registration to your state before you’re 18. The state saves your information, and when you turn 18, you’re automatically registered to vote.

The rules vary by state, but in some places you can pre-register as early as 15 years old. Find your state below to learn about the specific requirements and get started with pre-registration.

Alabama pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Alabama if you are 17 years old now and you will be 18 by the next statewide general election.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Alabama
  • not been legally declared "mentally incompetent" by a court
  • if convicted of a disqualifying felony, have your rights restored

Alaska pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Alaska if you are at least 17 years and 9 months old.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Alaska
  • not be a convicted felon involving moral turpitude, unless your voting rights have been restored
  • not be registered to vote in another state unless you are willing to cancel your registration in that state

Arizona pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Arizona if you are 17 years old now and you will be 18 by the next statewide general election.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Arizona for 29 days
  • be able to write your name, unless prevented from doing so by physical disability
  • have not been convicted of treason or a felony, unless their civil rights have been restored
  • have not been found mentally incapacitated by a court

Arkansas pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Arkansas if you are 17 years old now and you will be 18 by the next statewide general election.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Arkansas
  • not be a convicted felon whose sentence has not been discharged or pardoned
  • not be presently adjudged as mentally incompetent as to your ability to vote by a court of competent jurisdiction

California pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in California if you are at least 16 years old.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of California
  • not currently be serving a state or federal prison term for the conviction of a felony
  • not currently be found mentally incompetent to vote by a court

Colorado pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Colorado if you are at least 15 years old.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Colorado for 22 days
  • not currently be incarcerated for a felony sentence

Connecticut pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Connecticut if you are 17 years old now and you will be 18 by the next statewide general election.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Connecticut
  • if convicted of a felony, have completed confinement

Delaware pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Delaware if you are at least 16 years old.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Delaware
  • not be mentally incompetent
  • if you have been convicted of a felony, you are eligible to vote as long as you have served your sentence (including parole) and your convictions were not for disqualifying felonies, including: murder and manslaughter (except vehicular homicide), sexual offenses, or crimes against public administration involving bribery or improper influence or abuse of office

District of Columbia pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in District of Columbia if you are at least 16 years old.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of the District of Columbia for 30 days
  • not have been found by a court to be legally incompetent to vote

Florida pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Florida if you are at least 16 years old.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Florida
  • not have been adjudicated mentally incapacitated with respect to voting in Florida or any other state without having the right to vote restored
  • not have been convicted of a felony without your voting rights having been restored

Georgia pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Georgia if you are at least 17 years and 6 months old.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Georgia and the county where you seek to register
  • not be serving a sentence for conviction of a felony involving moral turpitude
  • have not been found mentally incompetent by a judge

Hawaii pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Hawaii if you are at least 16 years old.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Hawaii

Idaho pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Idaho if you are 17 years old now and you will be 18 by the next statewide general election.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Idaho for 30 days before Election Day
  • if convicted of a felony, have completed your sentence

Illinois pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Illinois if you are at least 16 years old.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a citizen of the United States
  • be a resident of Illinois and of your election precinct for at least 30 days before Election Day
  • not be serving a sentence of confinement in any penal institution as a result of a conviction
  • not claim the right to vote anywhere else

Indiana pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Indiana if you are 17 years old now and you will be 18 by the next statewide general election.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Indiana and the precinct where you seek to register for 30 days before Election Day
  • not currently be imprisoned after being convicted of a crime

Iowa pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Iowa if you are 17 years old now and you will be 18 by the next statewide general election.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Iowa
  • not be a convicted felon unless your voting rights have been restored
  • not be judged mentally incompetent to vote by a court
  • not claim the right to vote in any other place

Kansas pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Kansas if you are 17 years old now and you will be 18 by the next statewide general election.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Kansas
  • if convicred a felony, have received final discharge from imprisonment, parole, or conditional release
  • have abandoned your former residence and/or name

Kentucky pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Kentucky if you are 17 years old now and you will be 18 by the next statewide general election.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Kentucky
  • if a convicted felon, have my right to vote restored
  • not been judged "mentally incompetent" in a court of law
  • not claim the right to vote anywhere outside Kentucky

Louisiana pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Louisiana if you are at least 16 years old.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Louisiana 20 days prior to the election (if registering through the GeauxVote Online Registration System) OR 30 days (if registering by inperson or mail)
  • not currently be under an order of imprisonment for conviction of a felony (if you are under an order but have not been incarcerated within the last five years, you ARE eligible to vote unless your conviction was for election fraud)
  • not be under a judgment of full interdiction for mental incompetence or partial interdiction with suspension of voting rights

Maine pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Maine if you are at least 16 years old.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a citizen of the United States
  • be a resident of Maine and the municipality where you want to vote

Maryland pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Maryland if you are at least 16 years old.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Maryland
  • not have been convicted of buying or selling votes
  • are not under guardianship for mental disability and found by a court to be unable to communicate a desire to vote
  • not currently be serving a sentence of imprisonment for a felony conviction

Massachusetts pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Massachusetts if you are at least 16 years old.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Massachusetts
  • not be currently incarcerated by reason of a felony conviction

Michigan pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Michigan if you are at least 16 years old.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be United States citizen
  • be a resident of Michigan and of the city or township where you seek to register for 30 days before Election Day
  • not be currently incarcerated after being convicted and sentenced

Warning: Michigan law requires that the same address be used for voter registration and driver's license purposes. Therefore, if the residence address you provide on this form differs from the address shown on a driver's license or personal identification card issued by the State of Michigan, the Secretary of State will automatically change your driver's license or personal identification card address to match the residence address entered on this form. If an address change is made, the Secretary of State will mail you an address update sticker for your driver's license or personal identification card.

Minnesota pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Minnesota if you are at least 16 years old.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Minnesota for 20 days
  • not currently incarcerated for a felony conviction
  • not under a court order that revokes your right to vote

Mississippi pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Mississippi if you are 17 years old now and you will be 18 by the next statewide general election.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Mississippi and the county, city, or town where you seek to register for 30 days before Election Day
  • not be declared mentally incompetent by a court
  • if convicted of a disenfranchising crime, be pardoned, or have rights restores by the Governor or the Legislature

Missouri pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Missouri if you are 17 years and 6 months old now and you will be 18 by the next statewide general election.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Missouri and the domicile where you seek to register
  • not currently be imprisoned, on parole, or on probation
  • never have been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor connected to voting
  • not currenty declared incapacitated

Montana pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Montana if you are 17 years old now and you will be 18 by the next statewide general election.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Montana for 30 days before Election Day
  • not be a convicted felon serving a sentence in a penal institution
  • not have been judged in a court of law to be of unsound mind

Nebraska pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Nebraska if you are 17 years old now and you will be 18 by the next statewide general election.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Nebraska and the county where you seek to register
  • if you have been convicted of a felony, have completed your sentence including probation or parole term
  • not have been found by a court to be mentally incompetent

Nevada pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Nevada if you are at least 17 years old.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Nevada for 30 days before Election Day
  • not currently serving a term of imprisonment for a felony
  • not have been declared mentally incompetent by a court of law

New Hampshire pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in New Hampshire if you are 17 years old now and you will be 18 by the next statewide general election.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of New Hampshire and the town or ward where you seek to register

New Jersey pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in New Jersey if you are at least 17 years old.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of New Jersey and the county where you seek to register or 30 days before Election Day
  • not be serving a sentence of incarceration as the result of a conviction of any indictable offense

New Mexico pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in New Mexico if you are 17 years old now and you will be 18 by the next statewide general election.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of New Mexico
  • not have been denied the right to vote by a court of law due to reason of mental incapacity
  • not be actively incarcerated for a felony offense. However, you can register to vote and vote while on probation or parole

New York pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in New York if you are at least 16 years old.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of New York and the county, city or village where you seek to register for 30 days before Election Day
  • not be in prison for a felony conviction
  • not be adjudged mentally incompetent by a court
  • not claim the right to vote elsewhere

North Carolina pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in North Carolina if you are at least 16 years old.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of North Carolina and the county where you seek to register for 30 days before Election Day
  • not be serving a felony sentence, including any period of probation, postrelease supervision, or parole

North Dakota pre-registration rules

North Dakota does not have voter registration, but to be eligible to vote you must:

  • meet the minimum age requirement
  • be a citizen of the United States
  • be a resident of North Dakota for 30 days before Election Day
  • not be currently incarcerated for a felony conviction
  • be able to provide a North Dakota driver's license, non-driver ID card, tribal ID, or a long term care certificate that shows your current North Dakota residential address and your date of birth

Ohio pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Ohio if you are 17 years old now and you will be 18 by the next statewide general election.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • been a resident of Ohio for 30 days before Election Day
  • not be currently incarcerated for a felony conviction under state or federal law
  • not be permanently disqualified from voting for election law violations
  • not be declared incompetent to vote by a probate court

Oklahoma pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Oklahoma if you are 17 years and 6 months old now and you will be 18 by the next statewide general election.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Oklahoma
  • if convicted of a felony, have no outstanding sentence under any felony convictions
  • not be judged incapacitated by a court

Oregon pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Oregon if you are at least 16 years old.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a citizen of the United States
  • be a resident of Oregon
  • not be incarcerated for a felony conviction.

Pennsylvania pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Pennsylvania if you are 17 years old now and you will be 18 by the next statewide general election.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a citizen of the United States at 30 days before Election Day
  • be a resident of Pennsylvania and your election district at least 30 days before Election Day
  • be not currently confined in a correctional facility for conviction of a felony

Rhode Island pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Rhode Island if you are at least 16 years old.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Rhode Island and the city or town where you seek to register for 30 days before Election Day
  • am not presently judged "mentally incompetent" to vote by a court of law
  • not be incarcerated in a correctional facility upon a felony conviction

South Carolina pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in South Carolina if you are 17 years old now and you will be 18 by the next statewide general election.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of South Carolina and the county and/or precinct where you seek to register
  • not be under a court order declaring you mentally incompetent
  • not be confined in any public prison resulting from a conviction of a crime
  • if previously convicted, have served the entire sentence, including probation or parole, or have received a pardon for the conviction

South Dakota pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in South Dakota if you are 17 years old now and you will be 18 by the next statewide general election.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of South Dakota
  • not be currently serving a sentence for a felony conviction which included imprisonment, served or suspended, in an adult penitentiary system
  • not have been adjudged mentally incompetent by a court
  • authorize the cancellation of a previous registration, if applicable

Tennessee pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Tennessee if you are 17 years old now and you will be 18 by the next statewide general election.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Tennessee
  • not be convicted of a permanently disqualifying felony (learn more)

Texas pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Texas if you are 17 years and 10 months old now and you will be 18 by the next statewide general election.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a citizen of the United States
  • be a resident of Texas and the county where you seek to register
  • if you have been convicted of a felony, have fully discharged your punishment, including any incarceration, parole, supervision, period of probation, or be pardoned
  • not be declared by a court to be totally or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote

Utah pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Utah if you are at least 16 years old.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Utah for 30 days before Election Day
  • not be currently incarcerated for a felony conviction
  • not be found to be mentally incompetent by a court of law

Vermont pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Vermont if you are 17 years old now and you will be 18 by the next statewide general election.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Vermont and the town where you seek to register
  • take or have previously taken, the Voter’s Oath

Virginia pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Virginia if you are at least 16 years old.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

-be a United States citizen -be a resident of Virginia -if convicted of a felony, have your civil rights restored -not currently adjudicated to lack the capacity to understand the act of voting by a court of law

Washington pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Washington if you are at least 16 years old.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Washington
  • not be disqualified from voting due to a court order
  • not be currently serving a sentence of total confinement in prison under the jurisdiction of the department of corrections for a Washington felony conviction
  • not currently be incarcerated for a federal or outofstate felony conviction

West Virginia pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in West Virginia if you are 17 years old now and you will be 18 by the next statewide general election.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of West Virginia
  • not be declared mentally incompetent by a court of competent jurisdiction
  • if convicted of a felony, treason, or bribery in an election, have finished your sentence, including any period of incarceration, probation, or parole

Wisconsin pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Wisconsin if you are 17 years old now and you will be 18 by the next statewide general election.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Wisconsin and your current address for 28 days
  • if convicted of a felony, have completed your sentence, including probation, parole, or extended supervision
  • not have placed a bet or wager on the outcome of the election
  • not be adjudicated incompetent to vote by a judge
  • If you register to vote by mail, you must send a proof‐of‐residence document with your complete first and last name and residential address, such as a copy of your current and valid Wisconsin driver license or state ID card, real estate tax bill, utility bill no older than 90 days, bank statement, paycheck or paystub, or a check or document issued by any government agency. A full list of acceptable documents is available at elections.wi.gov. If you forget to send this document, you will likely have to register again at the polls on Election Day and show your proof of residency then.

Wyoming pre-registration rules

You are old enough to pre-register in Wyoming if you are 17 years old now and you will be 18 by the next statewide general election.

You must also meet these registration requirements:

  • be a United States citizen
  • be a resident of Wyoming for 30 days before Election Day
  • if a convicted felon, have civil or voting rights restored
  • not be adjudicated mentally incompetent
  • withdraw your voter registration from any other jurisdiction