Residency Requirements for Voting

Updated June 26, 2019 | Infoplease Staff

The Supreme Court decision of March 21, 1972, declared lengthy requirements for voting in state and local elections unconstitutional and suggested that 30 days was an ample period. Most of the states have changed or eliminated their durational residency requirements to comply with the ruling, as shown. Note, for all states, in order to register to vote, an applicant must be a U.S. citizen, a legal resident of the state, and 18 years old on or before election day. Additionally, most states do not permit an individual to vote if he or she is a convicted felon currently serving time in prison or has been declared mentally incompetent by a court of law.

State	Residency requirement
Alabama	No durational residency requirement. 10-day registration requirement. In-person registration by 5 P.M., eleven days before election date.
Alaska	30-day registration requirement.
Arizona	29-day registration requirement.
Arkansas	No durational residency requirement. 30-day registration requirement.
California	15-day registration requirement.
Colorado	30-day residency requirement. 29-day registration requirement.
Connecticut	No durational residency requirement. Registration deadline 14th day before election by mail, 7 days in person; registration and party enrollment deadline by 12 noon the day before primary in person, 5 days by mail.
Delaware	No durational residency requirement. 20-day registration requirement.
District of Columbia	No durational residency requirement. 30-day registration requirement.
Florida	No durational residency requirement. 29-day registration requirement before national election; 29-day registration requirement before first and second state primary.
Georgia	No durational residency requirement. 30-day registration requirement.
Hawaii	No durational residency requirement. 30-day registration requirement.
Idaho	30-day residency requirement. May register 25 days prior to any election with County Clerk. Individual may also register on election day at polling place.
Illinois	30-day residency requirement. 27-day registration requirement.
Indiana	30-day residency requirement. 29-day registration requirement.
Iowa	No durational residency requirement.10-day registration requirement. In-person registration by 5 P.M., 11 days before election date, 10 days for statewide primary and general elections.
Kansas	15-day registration requirement.
Kentucky	28-day residency requirement.
Louisiana	No durational residency requirement. 30-day registration requirement.
Maine	No durational residency requirement.
Maryland	No durational residency requirement.
Massachusetts	No durational residency requirement. 20-day registration requirement.
Michigan	30-day residency requirement.
Minnesota	Permits registration and voting on election day with approved ID; 20-day residency requirement.
Mississippi	30-day residency requirement. 30-day registration requirement.
Missouri	No durational residency requirement. Must be registered by the fourth Wednesday prior to election.
Montana	30-day residency requirement. 30-day registration requirement.
Nebraska	No durational residency requirement. Registration deadline is third Friday prior to election.
Nevada	30-day residency requirement. 30-day registration requirement.
New Hampshire	No durational residency requirement. 10-day registration requirement. Individual may also register on election day at polling place.
New Jersey	30-day residency requirement. 29-day registration requirement.
New Mexico	No durational residency requirement. 28-day registration requirement.
New York	30-day residency requirement.
North Carolina	30-day residency requirement. 25-day registration requirement.
North Dakota	No voter registration. 30-day residency requirement to vote in election.
Ohio	30-day residency requirement. 30-day registration requirement.
Oklahoma	No durational residency requirement. 25-day registration requirement.
Oregon	Must register by close of business day of registering agencies (which varies), 21st day before the election.
Pennsylvania	30-day residency requirement. 30-day registration requirement.
Rhode Island	No durational residency requirement. 30-day registration requirement.
South Carolina	No durational residency requirement. Registration certificate not valid for 30 days, but if you move within the state you can vote in old precinct during the 30 days.
South Dakota	No durational residency requirement. 15-day registration requirement.
Tennessee	No durational residency requirement. 30-day registration requirement.
Texas	No durational residency requirement. 30-day registration requirement.
Utah	30-day residency requirement. 15th and 18th day before election registration in person. Postmarked 30 days before election if registering by mail.
Vermont	Administrative cut-off date for processing registration applications is second Saturday before the election, by 12 noon.
Virginia	No durational residency requirement. 29-day registration requirement.
Washington	30-day residency requirement. 30-day registration requirement. Individual may also register in person no later than 15 days before election.
West Virginia	No durational residency requirement. 21-day registration requirement.
Wisconsin	10-day residency requirement. Individual may also register on election day at polling place.
Wyoming	No durational residency requirement. 30-day registration requirement. Individual may also register on election day at polling place.