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Early voting is voting before Election Day, generally in person at election offices and in some states, other public locations. It differs from absentee balloting, which is almost always a mail-in ballot. Early voting is a helpful tool for increasing voter participation, especially for busy working people.
Thirty-two states and the District of Columbia now offer "no excuse" early voting - voters in these states do not need to provide a reason for voting before Election Day. A handful of states offer early voting only to voters who have a valid reason why they will be unable to vote in person on Election Day.
Early voting is sometimes called early in-person voting, in-person absentee voting, one-stop voting or advance voting. Below are the details for early voting in the states where UE members live. For all further details visit vote411.org or longdistancevoter.org. For Spanish-language information, go to veyvota.yaeshora.info.
CALIFORNIA
You may vote early in person, no excuse required. Early voting starts 29 days before the election and ends Election Day.
CONNECTICUT
In-person early voting is not allowed.
ILLINOIS
You may vote early in person, no excuse required. There are two ways to vote early in Illinois: (1) You may vote "absentee in-person" at your county clerk's office starting 40 days before the election, up until the day before the election, or (2) If you are unable to get to the county clerk's office, you may vote early at other designated locations around your county. The early voting period is from 22 days before the election to 4 days before Election Day.
INDIANA
You may vote absentee in person at your county elections office, no excuse required. Early voting starts 29 days before the election and ends at noon the day before Election Day.
IOWA
You may vote early in person, no excuse required. Early voting starts as soon as ballots are available and ends Election Day.
MARYLAND
You may vote early in person, no excuse required. Early voting starts the second Saturday before the election and ends the Thursday before Election Day. Early voting centers are open from 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. every day of early voting except Sundays. The Sunday hours are 12:00 noon to 6:00 p.m.
MASSACHUSETTS
Early voting requires a valid excuse. Early voting starts as soon as printed absentee ballots are available. You can apply for and vote your absentee ballot in one stop at your local election office.
MINNESOTA
Early voting requires a valid excuse. Minnesota calls early voting "in-person absentee voting". The early voting period if 46 days before the election until Election Day. Early voting is available on weekdays during business hours. In addition, the county auditor's office must be open for absentee balloting from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on the Saturday before the election, and until 5:00 p.m. on the day before Election Day.
NEBRASKA
You may vote early in person, no excuse required. Early voting starts 35 days before the election and ends Election Day.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
No, in-person early voting is not allowed.
NEW JERSEY
There is no formal, state-wide in-person early voting system, but certain counties allow it. Contact your local election official to find out if you can vote early in your area.
NEW YORK
Early voting requires a valid excuse. Valid excuses are the same as for absentee voting by mail. Early voting starts as soon as the ballots are available -at least 32 days before the election -- and ends the day before Election Day.
NORTH CAROLINA
You may vote early in person, no excuse required. Early voting starts the third Thursday before the election and ends the Saturday before Election Day.
OHIO
You may vote early in person, no excuse required. Early voting starts 35 days before an election and ends at 6:00 p.m. the Friday before Election Day. (The state's Republican secretary of state has cut back evening and weekend hours for early voting in all counties, after being heavily criticized for tightening voting hours in Democratic counties but allowing more voting opportunities in Republican counties.)
PENNSYLVANIA
No. In-person early voting is not allowed.
SOUTH DAKOTA
You may vote early in person using your absentee ballot, no excuse required. Early voting starts as soon as ballots are available and ends Election Day.
VERMONT
You may vote early in person, no excuse required. Early voting starts 45 days before a primary or general election (20 days before a municipal election) and ends Election Day.
VIRGINIA
Early voting requires a valid excuse. Valid excuses are the same as those for absentee voting by mail. Early voting starts as soon as ballots are available - usually between 45 and 30 days before the election - and ends at 5:00 p.m. the Saturday before Election Day.
WEST VIRGINIA
You may vote early in person, no excuse required. Early voting starts 13 days before the election and ends three days before Election Day.
WISCONSIN
You may vote early in person using an absentee ballot, no excuse required. Although they do not officially call it early voting, if you apply in-person at your municipal clerk's office for an absentee ballot, you must vote the ballot immediately at the clerk's office, seal it, and return it to an authorized clerk. The process starts as soon as ballots are available, usually three weeks before the election, and ends at 5:00 p.m. or the close of business, whichever is later, on the Friday before Election Day.