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Student voters

College students can choose where to register and vote. This is because college students have dual residency, both back home and on campus. You can register back home using your parents’ address, or you can register at school using your campus address. The choice is yours. At VoteAmerica, we strongly recommend registering to vote with your campus address. This will allow you to vote in-person, either during the early voting period or on Election Day. Otherwise, you will either need to go back home to vote, or you will need to vote by absentee ballot. Neither process is complicated, but both are more complicated than simply registering to vote on campus.

Register to vote.

Same day registration

In some states, you can register to vote on Election Day. This is called “same day registration” and it’s great. All you need to do is show up with ID that proves your identity (your name and date of birth) and your in-state residency. If you have an in-state driver’s license, that’s great! If not, bring whatever photo ID you have, and then some official document that shows your name and address. Official documents including bank statements, utility bills, paychecks, campus tuition bills, or any government document that shows your name and address.

Skip ahead to your state to see if your state offers same day registration.

Absentee ballots

You can vote using an absentee or mail-in ballot. Absentee and mail ballots are the same thing. Both allow you to vote by mail, which is a safe, secure, and convenient way to vote. Every state will let you vote by mail if you have a valid excuse for not voting in person, such as being away at college. But almost all states now offer “no-excuse absentee voting” — which means that any registered citizen can vote by mail. Voting by mail is easier than people think it is:

  1. Request your mail-in ballot
  2. Receive your mail-in ballot
  3. Return your mail-in ballot by the deadline

We’ll guide you through every step of the absentee ballot and vote by mail process. Also if anyone asks you: absentee ballots and vote by mail are the same exact thing!

Request an absentee ballot.

Early voting

You can take advantage of early voting and cast a ballot before Election Day. Early voting takes place in person before Election Day. Early voting is great: you can vote on a weekend, and you’ll be helping to keep lines shorter on Election Day. Check out early voting locations, hours, calendars, and guidelines here.

Election Day voting

Voting on Election Day remains the most popular way to vote. And it’s straightforward.

  1. Find out where to vote. In almost all states you’ll need to go to your designated polling place. It’s not the end of the world if you go to the wrong one, but if you do, you’ll have to vote a provisional ballot.
  2. Bring the right ID with you. There are federal voter ID laws and state voter ID laws. The easiest way to meet both is to bring your in-state driver’s license or state ID card with you. If you don’t have one, it’s best to bring one government issued photo ID, and another official document that shows your name and current residential address. An “official document” includes a recent utility bill, bank statement, pay stub, residential lease, college tuition invoice, or any other government document that shows your name and address. If you don’t have proper ID, you’ll have to vote a provisional ballot.

About this information

Student ID information is courtesy of VoteRiders and used with their permission (2022).

If anything on this page is incorrect, please fill out this form.

State by state information

Alabama
No
No
  • Early voting starts: N/A
  • Early voting ends: N/A

Yes. You can use a student ID when voting as long as the ID was issued by an an accredited Alabama college or university.

Alaska
No
No
  • Early voting starts: 15 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 1 day before Election Day

Yes. Alaska accepts student ID that has a photo and is unexpired. It may be issued from any state.

Arizona
No
No
  • Early voting starts: 27 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 4 days before Election Day

No. Arizona will not accept a student ID as a valid form of voter ID.

Arkansas
No
No
  • Early voting starts: 14 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 1 day before Election Day

Yes. Must be issued by an accredited postsecondary education institution in the State of Arkansas

California
Yes
Yes
  • Early voting starts: Some counties offer early voting at a few locations before Election Day. Contact your county elections office to see if they offer early voting.
  • Early voting ends: Some counties offer early voting at a few locations before Election Day. Contact your county elections office to see if they offer early voting.

Yes. California accepts 1) any student ID with photo or 2) student ID that is issued by a governmental agency having your name and address that is dated since Nov 3, 2020.

Colorado
Yes
Yes
  • Early voting starts: 15 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 1 day before Election Day

Yes. Must have a photo and be issued by an institute of higher education in Colorado

Connecticut
No
Yes
  • Early voting starts: N/A
  • Early voting ends: N/A

Yes. Connecticut allows student ID when it shows your name and one of the following: address, signature, or photo. However, if it your first time voting, you may be required to present a current and valid photo identification that shows your name and address. It may be issued from any state.

Delaware
No
No
  • Early voting starts: At least 10 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 2 days before Election Day

Yes. Delaware allows student ID if it has your photo or signature on it. It may be issued from any state.

District of Columbia
Yes
Yes
  • Early voting starts: 8 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 2 days before Election Day

No. District of Columbia will not accept a student ID as a valid form of voter ID.

Florida
No
No
  • Early voting starts: 10 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 3 days before Election Day

Yes. Florida allows student ID when it has your signature. It may be issued from any state.

Georgia
No
No
  • Early voting starts: 21 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 4 days before Election Day

Yes. Must be a student ID from a Georgia public College or University on this list: https://sos.ga.gov/page/georgia-colleges-and-universities

Hawaii
Yes
Yes
  • Early voting starts: 10 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 1 day before Election Day

No. Hawaii will not accept a student ID as a valid form of voter ID.

Idaho
No
Yes
  • Early voting starts: 14 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 4 days before Election Day

No. A student ID card from an Idaho educational institution is no longer considered valid identification to vote after December 31, 2023.

Illinois
Yes
Yes
  • Early voting starts: 40 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 1 day before Election Day

No. Illinois will not accept a student ID as a valid form of voter ID.

Indiana
No
No
  • Early voting starts: 28 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 1 day before Election Day

Indiana will accept any ID as long as it meets the following four requirements. (1) Display your photo. (2) Display your name, and the name must conform to your voter registration record. (3) Display an expiration date and either be current or have expired sometime after Nov 3, 2020. (4) Be issued by the State of Indiana or the U.S. government

Iowa
Yes
Yes
  • Early voting starts: 20 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 1 day before Election Day

Yes. Must be a current student photo ID that contains valid expiration date issued by Iowa high school or college. If it does not show your residence address, you must also provide proof of residency in the form of a document that includes your name and current address that is current within 45 days.

Kansas
No
No
  • Early voting starts: 20 days before the election
  • Early voting ends: 1 day before Election Day

Yes. Must be a student photo ID issued by an accredited postsecondary education institution in Kansas

Kentucky
No
No
  • Early voting starts: 5 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 3 days before Election Day

Yes. Kentucky allows student ID from the United States that shows your photo and name.

Louisiana
No
No
  • Early voting starts: 18 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 7 days before Election Day

Yes. Louisiana allows student ID that includes your name, photo, and signature. It may be issued from any state.

Maine
Yes
Yes
  • Early voting starts: 30 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 6 days before Election Day

Yes. Maine will accept a student ID that is issued by a school in Maine.

Maryland
Yes
Yes
  • Early voting starts: 12 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 5 days before Election Day

Yes. Maryland accepts a current and valid photo student ID. It may be issued from any state.

Massachusetts
No
No
  • Early voting starts: 17 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 4 days before Election Day

Yes. Massachusetts will accept a student ID that has your name and the address at which you are registered to vote.

Michigan
Yes
Yes
  • Early voting starts: 9 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 1 day before Election Day

Yes. Michigan allows an unexpired student ID with photo. It may be issued from any state.

Minnesota
Yes
Yes
  • Early voting starts: 46 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 1 day before Election Day

Yes. Must be a photo ID (can be expired) issued by a Minnesota university, college, technical college, or high school plus an approved document showing your name and address listed here https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/register-to-vote/register-on-election-day/

Mississippi
No
No
  • Early voting starts: N/A
  • Early voting ends: N/A

Yes. Must be issued by a university, college, community or junior college accredited by Mississippi

Missouri
No
No
  • Early voting starts: 14 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 1 day before Election Day

No. Missouri will not accept a student ID as a valid form of voter ID.

Montana
Yes
Yes
  • Early voting starts: 30 days before the election
  • Early voting ends: 1 day before Election Day

Yes, a current and valid student ID is an acceptable form of identification.

Nebraska
No
No
  • Early voting starts: 30 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 1 day before Election Day

Maybe. Your Local Election Official in Nebraska has final say. Find them here: https://www.voteamerica.com/leo. If they accept student ID, it must be current and valid and have your photo.

Nevada
Yes
Yes
  • Early voting starts: 17 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 4 days before Election Day

Yes. Must be a current, valid photo student ID issued by an institution of higher education in Nevada.

New Hampshire
No
Yes
  • Early voting starts: N/A
  • Early voting ends: N/A
New Jersey
No
No
  • Early voting starts: 10 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 2 days before Election Day

Yes. New Jersey allows student photo ID from any state. It must be valid and current.

New Mexico
Yes
Yes
  • Early voting starts: 28 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 3 days before Election Day

Maybe. Your Local Election Official in New Mexico has final say. Find them here: https://www.voteamerica.com/leo. If they accept student ID, it must show your name and address of person (the address is not required to match the address on your voter registration).

New York
No
No
  • Early voting starts: 10 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 2 days before Election Day

Yes. New York accepts student photo ID with your name and address. If your student photo ID does not have address, whether it is acceptable will be decided by your county's Local Election Official. Find them here: https://www.voteamerica.com/leo

North Carolina
Yes
No
  • Early voting starts: 20 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 3 days before Election Day

Maybe. In Nov 2022, no ID is required to vote in North Carolina due to court injuction, but this may change after this election.

North Dakota
No
No
  • Early voting starts: Varies by county
  • Early voting ends: Varies by county

No. North Dakota will not accept a student ID as a valid form of voter ID.

Ohio
No
No
  • Early voting starts: 28 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 2 days before Election Day

No. Ohio will not accept a student ID as a valid form of voter ID.

Oklahoma
No
No
  • Early voting starts: 6 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 3 days before Election Day

No. Oklahoma will not accept a student ID as a valid form of ID for voting.

Oregon
No
No
  • Early voting starts: N/A
  • Early voting ends: N/A

No. Oregon will not accept a student ID as a valid form of voter ID.

Pennsylvania
No
No
  • Early voting starts: Varies by county
  • Early voting ends: 7 days before Election Day

Yes. Pennsylvania accepts student ID with photo. It may be issued from any state.

Rhode Island
No
No
  • Early voting starts: 20 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 1 day before Election Day

Yes. Rhode Island accepts student ID issued by any accredited college or university, including student IDs issued by other states.

South Carolina
No
No
  • Early voting starts: 15 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 3 days before Election Day

No. South Carolina will not accept a student ID as a valid form of voter ID.

South Dakota
No
No
  • Early voting starts: 46 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 1 day before Election Day

Yes. Must be a current student photo ID card an accredited South Dakota high school, college, or university.

Tennessee
No
No
  • Early voting starts: 20 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 5 days before Election Day

No. Tennessee will not accept a student ID as a valid form of voter ID.

Texas
No
No
  • Early voting starts: 17 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 4 days before Election Day

No. Texas will not accept a student ID as a valid form of ID, even if that ID was issued by the University of Texas. Don't worry: VoteAmerica plans on suing Texas over this nonsense.

Utah
Yes
Yes
  • Early voting starts: 14 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 4 days before Election Day

Kind of. You can use a student ID as long as it was issued by an accredited Utah high school, college, or university, but you'll also need to show another valid ID when voting.

Vermont
Yes
Yes
  • Early voting starts: 45 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 1 day before Election Day

Yes. Vermont accepts student photo ID when it is issued by a college or high school in Vermont.

Virginia
Yes
Yes
  • Early voting starts: 45 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 3 days before Election Day

Yes. Must be issued by a high school in Virginia or a school of higher education in the United States

Washington
Yes
Yes
  • Early voting starts: 18 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 1 day before Election Day

Yes. Washington accepts valid student ID with photo. It may be issued from any state.

West Virginia
No
No
  • Early voting starts: 13 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 3 days before Election Day

Yes. West Virginia requires your student ID be unexpired and show your photo. It may be issued from any state.

Wisconsin
No
Yes
  • Early voting starts: Varies by municipality
  • Early voting ends: Varies by municipality

Yes. You can show a student ID when voting as long as it meets these four requirements. (1) Must be from a university, college, technical college accredited by Wisconsin. (2) Must show your signature. (3) Must show issue and expiration dates, and expiry must be within 2 years of issue date. (4) If expired you must show proof of enrollment.

Wyoming
Yes
Yes
  • Early voting starts: 45 days before Election Day
  • Early voting ends: 1 day before Election Day

Yes. Wyoming accepts student ID as long as the ID was issued by the University of Wyoming, a Wyoming community college, or a Wyoming public school.