Election Season Heats Up

Closed: Only voters registered in a party can vote in that primary. The deadline for affiliating with a party varies by state.

Partially closed: Political parties can decide before each election whether voters not registered with any party can vote in their nominating contest. Under this system, Democrats could allow independents to vote while still excluding Republicans.

Open: Voters can cast a ballot in either party’s primary without registering with that party or publicly declaring which ballot they want. Some states allow unaffiliated voters to vote in either primary but don’t let members of one party cross over and vote in the opposing party’s contest.

Partially open: Citizens can vote in whatever party primary they want, but they then have to register with that party (or in some states, just publicly declare their ballot choice).
A few states have set up more unusual primary systems. In California, Washington and Louisiana, there’s one primary ballot, and the top two winners—regardless of party—move on to the general election. In California, that often leads to two Democrats facing off against each other in the general election. Nebraska also uses this system—but only for its state elections.

To find out the rules in your state, contact your local or state election office. You can find contact information at usa.gov/election-office.

How do I vote?  

The most common way remains to go to your local polling place on election day. But most states provide a way for you to cast a ballot if you’re not going to be in town that day or are unable to get to the polls. The rules for early voting, absentee ballots and all-mail voting differ from state to state.

The availability of early voting has been the subject of a number of court cases around the country. For example, before the 2016 general election, a federal court struck down a North Carolina law that reduced the number of hours of early voting. You can find the most up-to-date information on voting rules in your state on the “Can I Vote” page at the National Association of Secretaries of State website at nass.org.

Here are the ways you can vote without going to the polls.

Absentee voting: All states will mail you an absentee ballot if you apply for one. Applications are often available online. Some states require you to say why you can’t vote in person, while others offer a “no excuse” absentee ballot. Accepted excuses usually include disability or travel.

Early voting: Thirty-seven states and the District of Columbia offer early voting. Some states begin early voting 45 days before the polls open, while others provide only a few extra days. Some states offer voting on weekends.

All-mail voting: In all-mail elections, ballots are mailed to all registered voters, who can return them by mail or bring their ballot to a voting center. Oregon, Washington and Colorado have all-mail systems. In 2016, California passed the Voter’s Choice Act that allows counties to conduct all-mail elections. This year, five California counties have chosen to move to this system.

What do I bring to the polls?

First you have to register. Registration deadlines and rules vary by state. In 37 states and the District of Columbia, you can register online. The Motor Voter Law requires states to let people register at motor vehicle offices. Find out the deadlines in your state by going to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission’s website at eac.gov.

On election day, 34 states require voters to show some form of identification at the polls. The other 16 tend to verify a voter’s identity by, for example, asking them to sign a card and checking the signature against their voter registration card.

Voter ID laws vary from state to state. Some states require a photo ID, such as a driver’s license or passport. Other states accept non-photo IDs, such as a bank statement or utility bill.

Most states have a procedure for people without acceptable identification to vote anyway. Some just ask them to sign an affidavit affirming who they are. Others let a voter cast a provisional ballot, but the voter then must bring an acceptable ID to the elections office within days of the election to have the ballot counted.

You can find out more information about voter ID laws at the National Conference of State Legislatures’ voter identification requirements page at ncsl.org.

When is my state’s primary?

Primary season began March 6 and continues until Sept. 12, except in Louisiana, which has its primary on the day of the general election, Nov. 6. There, candidates from all parties will be on the same ballot, and it takes a majority of the votes to win. If no one receives a majority, a runoff election will be held Dec. 8.

June is the busiest month, with 17 primaries. There are no elections in July.

You can check the date of your state’s primary at ncsl.org. Go to Research, then 2018 State Primary Election Dates.