The 2024 presidential election is almost here, with voters preparing to line up at the polls and election officials gearing up for a hopefully smooth count. But if you have yet to make a voting plan, or don’t know whether you can vote this time, the clock has not run out yet.

Voters who were previously registered to vote in a previous election, and who have not changed their name or address since then, must still be registered to vote and go to the polling booth. However, if you’re concerned that something might have gone wrong – or if you live in an area affected by voter roll purges – it never hurts to check. And all you need is your full name and home address.

Check your registration online

I can vote

ICanVote.com is a nonpartisan federal resource operated by the National Association of Secretaries of State that provides a complete guide to voter registration, polling places and locations, voter ID laws and how to get more involved in your state’s elections.

Stem.gov

Vote.gov, another nonpartisan U.S. government resource, provides extensive resources for American voters, including voter registration status.

Stem.org

Vote.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan voter registration initiative that provides voter registration assistance, including voting guides, election reminders, and notices for voters who may have been affected or displaced by recent weather events.

Vote411

Vote411 is a non-governmental website operated by the League of Women Voters that offers a variety of voter resources. Individuals can use their interactive map to check their registration status by location, automatically directing visitors to their state’s election website.

Check your registration personally

If you cannot access your voter registration status online, call or visit your local elections office.

What does it mean if my status is ‘inactive’?

To keep their voter registration lists as current as possible, states can mark registered voters who have not voted in the last two general elections (including midterm elections and presidential elections) as “inactive.” This can also happen to voters who have repeatedly not responded to emails that election officials have sent them.

If a voter’s status is still marked as “inactive” when he or she goes to a polling place on Election Day, he or she may be asked to cast a county ballot until his or her registration is verified after Election Day. To reactivate their status, voters must update their registration by contacting your state or local elections office. More information can be found on the National Association of Secretaries of State website.

Can I register to vote on Election Day?

Each state has different deadlines for registering to vote – and the deadlines can still vary for online and in-person registration. In some U.S. states and territories, voters have the option to register and cast their ballot online or at their polling place on Election Day.

California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming and the district of Columbia offers some form of registration day. North Dakota does not register voters, meaning every resident is eligible to vote.