Do you have to register to vote every year? See a state-by-state breakdown of the rules

As Americans get closer to Election Day 2024 and will choose between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, anyone who is registered to vote does not need reregister every year, unless there is a change of name, address or political affiliation.

Each state’s voter re-registration or voter registration update deadline can be found on their respective Board of Elections website. 

Here is a state-by-state breakdown of the rules: 

Alabama

Alabama’s Secretary of State Office urges residents who move across county lines to register to vote in their new county of residence. “Voter registration does not automatically follow you from one county to another” the office says. Further, voters should update their voter registration to reflect a legal name change. Update your voter registration here.

Alaska

The Alaska Elections Division requires voters to update their voter registration if their name or address has changed. Alaska voters can update their registration here.

Arizona

The Arizona Secretary of State office recommends voters update their voter information if any of the following apply: they recently moved to a new address, their name has been legally changed, or they would like to change their political party affiliation. Voter registration can be updated here.

Arkansas

The Arkansas Secretary of State office says an Arkansas resident would need to update their voter registration for a name change or an address change. Party registration is optional. See how to update registration here.

California

The office of the California Secretary of State states that voters in California have to re-register to vote in three circumstances: change in voter’s residence address or mailing address, voter changes their name, or voter wants to change their political party choice. Update voter registration here.

Colorado

The Colorado Secretary of State office suggests voters update their registration if they change their name, address or party affiliation. Voter registration information for Colorado can be found here.

Connecticut

Connecticut’s Office of the Secretary of the State says voters have to update their voter registration to reflect a new address or if they want to change party information. “If you moved to Connecticut from another state, moved to a different town within Connecticut, or even moved within the same town, your polling location may have changed. Your voter registration should always reflect your current home address,” the office says. 

Delaware

The Delaware Department of Elections shared that once a voter is registered to vote in Delaware, they remain registered, and they do not need to re-register.  Voter registration records are removed when voters move from Delaware, pass away, request for their record to be removed, or their record is removed due to the NVRA address verification process. Voters can update their registration here.

District of Columbia

D.C.’s Board of Elections recommends voters update their registration if they have changed their name, address, party affiliation or citizenship status. Voters can update their information here.

Florida

Florida’s Division of Elections cites that voters do not need to re-register to vote if they changed addresses, but they do need to update their voter information. “Whether you moved within the same county or moved to another county in Florida, you do not need to re-register to vote. However, you do need to update the address on your voter registration record. Contact your Supervisor of Elections.” Voters should also update their registration information if they have changed party affiliations or names. Floridians can update voter registration here.

Georgia

Georgia’s office of the Secretary of State requires voters to update their registration if they have changed their name or address.

Hawaii

Hawaii’s office of the Secretary of State states that a voter must update their voter registration if they changed their name, residence or mailing address. Voters can update their registration online or by completing a Voter Registration Application and submitting it to their specific County Elections Division.

Idaho

The Idaho Secretary of State office recommends updating voter registration in the circumstances of a change of address, change of name or if a voter hasn’t voted in the last four years. 

Illinois

Illinois’ election division cites that a change of either address or name would necessitate an update of a voter’s registration. Gender is not a required field for voter registration in Illinois, therefore a change in gender would not require an update to voter registration “The only other circumstance would be when an individual is released from incarceration they need to re-register because voter registrations are canceled when an offender begins a sentence of incarceration.” Illinois voters can update their registration here.

Indiana

Indiana recommends voters update their registration under the circumstances of a name change or address change.

Iowa

Iowa’s Secretary of State office states that the only mandatory update to voter registration is a change in address, but recommends updating if name or party affiliation has changed as well. Updates to registration can be made here.

Kansas

Kansas voters need to update their voter information if they have changed their address since the last election, or if they have changed their name. 

Kentucky

Kentucky’s State Board of Elections says that voter re-registration is necessary only if you have moved or legally changed your name. 

Louisiana

The Secretary of State of Louisiana recommends voters update their registration if they have moved or changed their name.

Maine

Maine’s Secretary of State office urges voters to update their registration in the event of a change in name,address or party affiliation. Voters can update their registration here. 

Maryland

Maryland’s Board of Elections say voters should update their registration if their name or address has changed. Additionally, they recommend using Maryland’s Online Voter Registration System to update gender. Voter registration details can be found here.

Massachusetts

Massachussett’s Secretary of State office recommends a voter re-register if they have moved or changed their name. Register to vote here.

Michigan

Michigan’s Secretary of State office says updating voter registration information is necessary when an eligible voter has moved to a new address within Michigan, recently moved to Michigan or changed their legal name. To update their voter registration, voters must re-register using updated information.

Minnesota

The Minnesota Secretary of State recommends a voter update their voter registration in the circumstances of a change of address or name. Registration updates can be made here.

Mississippi

The Secretary of State office in Mississippi states that voters should update their registration when a name or address has been changed. Registration can be updated here.

Missouri

Missouri’s Secretary of State office requires voters to re-register if they have changed their name or address, which can be done here.

Montana

A voter must update their registration if they’ve recently changed their name, address or signature. To do so, complete a voter registration application and return to your county election administrator.

Nebraska

A voter is required to re-register whenever they change their name, address or political party affiliation. Failure to vote in a previous election does not require re-registration. 

Nevada

A voter must submit another voter application form if they’ve moved, changed their name, want to change party affiliation or otherwise have to update their voter registration status. Eligible voters can update their voter registration information online, including change of address and party affiliation. 

New Hampshire

Voters are required to re-register if they change their name or move, or if they were removed during the 10-year checklist verification. 

New Jersey

A voter who moves within the county at least 21 days prior to an election must file a Change of Address notice with the Bergen County Superintendent of Elections office or by mail. If the voter has moved within the County within the 21 days preceding the election, he or she may vote at his newly designated polling place by means of Provisional Ballot. When a voter changes his or her name due to marriage, divorce or judgment of the court, the voter may vote by signing both names at the time of voting.

A registered voter currently affiliated with a political party who wishes to change their party affiliation must file a Political Party Affiliation Declaration Form 50 days before a Primary Election. A registered voter currently not affiliated with a political party may declare their party affiliation up to and including on primary Election Day.

New Mexico

A voter should update their registration if their name or address has changed. Voters can also update their registration if they want to change political party.

New York

Voters should update their registration if they’ve changed their name, address and/or party affiliation. The online registration portal or the voter registration form can be used to change a name or address. Notices of change of address from registered voters received at least 15 days before a special, primary or general election by a county board of elections must be processed and entered in the records in time for that election.

In addition, voters should update their registration if they change political affiliations. The online registration portal or the voter registration form can be used to change their party enrollment from one party to another or to enroll for the first time in a party. An application to change one’s party enrollment for the primary election in any year must be received by the board of elections no later than February 14th of that year.

North Carolina

Voters must update their voter registration if they move. If they need to make other changes to their voter record (name change, party affiliation change, etc.), voters may use a voter registration application. For changes other than party affiliation, voters may use same-day registration at an early voting site. They can change party affiliation during early voting for a general election, but the change would not take place until after canvass.

Update your voter registration form here. 

North Dakota

North Dakota is the only state without voter registration as its Voter ID Law requires a valid form of ID to vote. Valid forms of ID that can be used for voting are r a North Dakota Driver’s License, a North Dakota Non-Driver’s License, a Tribal ID or Tribal Letter, or a Long-Term Care Certificate.

Ohio

A voter who has moved within Ohio and/or changed their name must update their voter registration by submitting a new voter registration form.

Oklahoma

Voters must re-register to vote by filling out a new Voter Registration Application if they have moved to a new county or need to change their name. If a voter still resides in the same county, they can change their political affiliation and address online using the OK Voter Portal. Voters who voluntarily cancel their registration must wait 60 days to re-register in the same county. 

Oregon

A voter would need to update their voter registration if their name changes, anything about their residential or mailing address changes or they want to register with a political party, or if their registration becomes inactive for the reasons listed below and they want to become active to receive a ballot.

Pennsylvania

Voters must update their voter registration if they move or change their address, name or party. 

Rhode Island

Voters need to update their voter registration record if they change their name, change their address within their city or town, move to another city or town or want to change their party affiliation.

South Carolina

Generally, voters only need to update their registration if there has been a change to their information (they moved, changed their name, etc.). If a voter’s registration information has changed but they still live within the same county, they can update their voter registration information using this form. 

If voters move counties, they need to re-register.

An exception to this would be voters who are convicted of a felony or offense against election laws lose their voter registration status and would be required to re-register when they become eligible. They are eligible to re-register after serving the entire sentence, including probation and parole, or have received a pardon for the conviction. 

South Dakota

Voters are required to re-register to vote if they’ve had an address change by completing a new voter registration form. Make sure to fill out the “Previous Voter Registration Information Required” section with your old address.

Voters must update their voter registration if they change party affiliations by completing a voter registration form.

Voters are encouraged to update their voter registration if they’ve had a recent name change. Download a voter registration form by visiting the Voter Registration Page and fill out the bottom portion of the registration form “Previous Voter Registration Information Required.” Once completed, please mail the form to the correct County Auditor.

Tennessee

A voter needs to re-register to vote if they move to a different county, as a registration does not transfer to other counties in Tennessee. A voter must register in their new county by using the online voter registration system, or by submitting a voter registration application to their local county election commission office in person or by mail.

Voters must update their registration if they’ve moved within their county or changed their name. They can change their address or name using the online voter registration system.

For more, the Secretary of State’s office has a guide on updating voter registration. 

Texas

Voters are required to re-register to vote if they move counties or cancel their registration but want to vote again. 

Voters are encouraged to update their registration if they change their name, though not doing so would not prevent someone from voting. 

Utah

Voters need to update your voter registration in the case of a party affiliation change, address change and/or name change.

Vermont

A voter must update their registration if there is a change in personal information, such as name or address. Voters must submit a new registration if they move to a different town. 

Virginia

Voters will need to update their registration information if they have moved or if there is a change to their name or if they are re-registering after having their rights restored following a felony conviction. 

Washington

Voters need to update their voter registration if they move to a new address inside the state or change their name.

They would need to re-register if they’ve recently regained their voting rights after being released from prison due to a felony conviction.

West Virginia

Voters should update their registration if they wish to change their political party. However, voters who missed the October 15 deadline to update a registration should not worry because there is only one ballot style in general elections unlike in the primaries. 

Voters who change physical addresses or have had their name changed should also update their registration to ensure they are voting in the right precinct and that their name is correct in the pollbook when they go to vote. Otherwise, they risk having to vote a provisional ballot.

Wisconsin

Voters will need to submit a new voter registration if they have legally changed their name or moved to a new address.

Wyoming

Voters are required to re-register if they change their name, move or their registration is canceled for one of the following reasons: failure to vote in any general election, death, removal of residence from the county or state more than 30 days prior to an election, disqualification to vote or move to another jurisdiction.