How do you register to vote?

Voter registration is run by states, not the federal government, so the process and deadlines depend on where you live. Most states offer online registration through the state election office or Secretary of State website, and every state accepts registration by mail using either a state form or the National Mail Voter Registration Form. In-person registration is available at election offices and, under the National Voter Registration Act, at DMVs and various public assistance agencies. You generally need to be a US citizen, meet your state's residency requirement, and be 18 by election day, though many states let 17-year-olds register in advance.

Deadlines are where people get caught. Some states close registration up to 30 days before an election, while about half now offer same-day registration allowing you to register and vote together, including on election day in many of those. Moving, changing your name, or long periods without voting can affect your status, since states periodically remove ineligible or inactive registrations, so checking your registration well before an election is worth the two minutes even if you are confident. Vote.gov links to every state's official system, and your county election office is the authoritative source for your specific deadlines, polling location, ID requirements, and mail ballot rules, which differ substantially state to state and change often enough that last cycle's knowledge is not reliable.