Accessibility for Voters with Disabilities
Your Right to an Accessible Ballot If You Have a Disability
Learn what federal law guarantees disabled voters: accessible polling places, voting machines, mail ballots, and help from a chosen assistant.
Voter Participation
Voter participation covers everything that stands between a person and a cast ballot: becoming eligible, registering, showing identity, getting information, and choosing how to vote. Rules come mostly from states, with federal law setting some protections. The subject also includes how turnout is measured and what a single vote can accomplish.
23articles
6topics
October 5last updated
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Latest in Voter Participation
Voter Education Resources
How to Research Judicial Candidates on Your Ballot
A guide to researching judicial candidates on your ballot using voter guides, performance evaluations, bar ratings, and Ballotpedia.
Voter Education Resources
How to Find Out What’s on Your Ballot Before Election Day
See your ballot early using official state and county election sites, plus nonpartisan tools like Ballotpedia and Vote411 for candidates and measures.
Voter ID and Identification Requirements
What Happens If You Show Up Without ID?
What really happens if you show up to vote without ID, from provisional ballots to state rules and the cure deadlines some voters must meet for…
Topics in Voter Participation
Getting on the rolls
A person must first qualify and be listed, which is covered in Voter Registration and Eligibility and Voter ID and Identification Requirements.
Casting a ballot
Voters choose among methods in Ways to Vote, and citizens serving or living abroad have their own needs in Military and Overseas Voting.
Help and information
Voters who need extra support can turn to Accessibility for Voters with Disabilities and Language Access and Assistance, and Voter Education Resources helps everyone learn what is on the ballot.
All Articles on Voter Participation
What Counts as Valid Voter ID?
Learn how voter ID rules differ by state, what documents count as valid ID, and what to do if you show up without one, based on federal law and NCSL data.
Voter ID Requirements by State
Voter ID rules differ by state, from strict photo-ID laws to none at all. See what your state requires and what to do if your ID does not match.
How to Track Your Mail Ballot After You Send It
Learn how to track your mailed ballot through postal and election systems, decode status messages, and fix problems before deadlines pass.
Absentee vs. Mail-In Ballots: What’s the Difference?
Absentee and mail-in ballots differ by state: some require an excuse, others send ballots automatically. Learn the rules on deadlines and signatures.
How to Vote by Mail: The Full Process
Learn the five steps to vote by mail: check eligibility, request your ballot, fill out the envelope correctly, return it early, and track it to catch rejections.
How to Check If You’re Registered to Vote
Learn how to check your voter registration status online, what labels like inactive or pending mean, and what to do if your name is missing.
Voter Registration Deadlines by State
See how voter registration deadlines vary by state, from 30-day cutoffs to same-day registration, plus how North Dakota and military voters differ.
How to Register to Vote: A Step-by-Step Guide
A step-by-step guide to registering to vote online, by mail, or in person, covering required ID, proof of address, and state rules on age and eligibility.
How a Blocked Voter-ID Order Still Shapes New Federal Lawsuits
The order's provisions—specifically those requiring documented proof of citizenship for voter registration and prohibiting the counting of ballots that arrive after Election Day—exceeded presidential…
Primary Elections: Who Can Vote and Why
Primary elections select party nominees for the November ballot. Unlike general elections, participation rules vary dramatically by state. Some states allow any registered voter…