Who Can Vote In US Midterm Elections? Eligibility, Registration And Voting Process Explained

Americans vote on Tuesday in the midterm elections to decide who controls Congress. Any US citizen aged 18 or over who meets their state's residency rules and is registered can vote. All 435 House seats, 35 Senate seats and 36 governorships are on the ballot.

What Is Being Decided

Midterms are held two years after a presidential election in all 50 states, and the President and Vice President are not on the ballot. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives, 35 Senate seats and 36 state governorships are up for election. Many state and local posts are also on the ballot.

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Who Can Vote

You must be a US citizen, meet your state's residency requirements and be 18 on or before Election Day. Dual citizens can vote, and so can people experiencing homelessness if they meet residency requirements.

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In almost every state you can register before turning 18, as long as you will be 18 by Election Day.

Who Cannot Vote

Non-citizens cannot vote, including permanent legal residents (green card holders). Whether someone can vote after a criminal conviction differs from state to state.

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How To Register

In every state except North Dakota, you must be registered to vote. You can register in person, by mail and, in many states, online. Vote.gov lets you pick your state and shows how to register there. Most registration deadlines have passed for this election.

Some states allow same-day registration, but in Utah, for example, voters who register on Election Day must use a provisional ballot. Anyone unsure should call their state election office today.

How To Vote

There are three main ways to vote. Most states offer early voting, which carries the same legal weight as an Election Day vote. Many states allow mail-in voting without needing an excuse. A few states mail a ballot to every registered voter. The third way is to vote in person on Election Day at your assigned polling place, which can differ from your early voting site.

Bring photo ID if your state requires it, as rules differ. Voting hours also vary by state. Anyone already in line when polls close must be allowed to vote.

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If Your Name Is Not On The List

First check that you are at the correct polling place and that your registration is active. If officials cannot confirm that you meet the requirements, you can cast a provisional ballot, which is counted only if you are later shown to be eligible. The same applies if you arrive without ID, and the provisional ballot must be certified to count.

The National Election Protection Hotline, 866-687-8683, can help ensure a provisional ballot is counted.

Voters can find their local election office and polling place through Vote.gov.

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