Raw Data: State-By-State Voter Registration Requirements

WASHINGTON – When it comes to voting, America’s student population has the power to significantly effect the process and outcome.

Students represent the future of America, and their participation in choosing the path of a nation that will eventually become theirs is vital, say supporters of youth voter registration efforts. Unfortunately, voting-age students appear apathetic toward voting.

In response, various interest groups are encouraging students to become some of America’s most active and knowledgeable voters. These groups have made accessible the tools necessary for students to get involved and mobilize as voters.

Click here to visit Foxnews.com's special section on college life, College 101.

Much of those efforts rely on knowing state registration requirements. Everyone who votes must be a U.S. citizen, but each state has different guidelines with which many American citizens, including students, may not currently be familiar.

The following is a list of the major voting requirements as well as details on how to gain further information about voting in each state:

Alabama
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of Alabama and your county at the time of registration
· Must be 18 years old before any election
· Must not have been convicted of a felony punishable by imprisonment in a penitentiary, or must have had civil and political rights restored
· Must not be currently declared mentally incompetent through a competency hearing
· Must swear or affirm to "support and defend the Constitution of the U.S. and the state of Alabama and further disavow any belief or affiliation with any group which advocates the overthrow of the governments of the U.S. or the state of Alabama by unlawful means."

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 28
Additional residency requirement: No minimum time required to establish residency; in-person registration by 5 p.m., local time, eleven days before Election Day
For more information: http://www.sos.state.al.us/election/

Alaska
Registration requirements:
· Must be at least 18 years old within 90 days of this registration
· Must not be a convicted felon (unless unconditionally discharged)
· Must not be judicially determined to be of unsound mind, unless the disability has been removed
· Must not be registered to vote in another state

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 8
Additional residency requirement: 30-day registration requirement
For more information: http://ltgov.state.ak.us/elections/

Arizona
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of Arizona and county at least 29 days preceding the next election
· Must be 18 years old on or before the next general election
· Must not have been convicted of treason or a felony, or have had civil rights restored
· Must not currently be declared an incapacitated person by a court of law

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 9
Additional residency requirement: 29-day registration requirement
For more information: http://www.azsos.gov/election/

Arkansas
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident at the address in the voter application form
· Must be at least 18 years old on or before the next election
· Must not be a convicted felon, or must have been completely discharged of sentence or pardoned
· Must not claim the right to vote in any other jurisdiction

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 8
Additional residency requirement: No minimum time required to establish residency; 30-day registration requirement
For more information: http://www.sos.arkansas.gov/elections.html

California
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of California
· Must be at least 18 years of age at the time of the next election
· Must not be imprisoned or on parole for the conviction or a felony
· Must not be currently judged mentally incompetent by a court of law.

Voter registration deadline: Oct. 23
Additional residency requirement: 15-day registration requirement
For more information: http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/

Colorado
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of Colorado 30 days prior to election
· Must be 18 years old on or before Election Day
· Must not be confined as a prisoner or serving any part of a sentence under mandate

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 9
Additional residency requirement: 29-day registration requirement
For more information: http://www.elections.colorado.gov/DDefault.aspx?

Connecticut
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of Connecticut and of the town in which you wish to vote
· Must be 18 years old on or before the next election
· Must not be convicted of a felony, except a conviction for the crime of non-support, or must have had civil rights restored

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 24
Additional residency requirement: No minimum time is required to establish residency; registration deadline 14th day before election; registration and party enrollment deadline by 12 noon the day before primary
For more information: http://www.sots.ct.gov/

Delaware
Registration requirements:
· Must be a permanent resident of Delaware
· Must be at least 18 years old on the date of the next general election
· Must not be a convicted felon
· Must not be mentally incompetent

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 18
Additional residency requirement: No minimum time required to establish residency; 20-day registration requirement
For more information: http://www.state.de.us/election/

District of Columbia
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of the District of Columbia at least 30 days before the next election
· Must be at least 18 years old on Election Day
· Must not be in jail for a felony conviction
· Must not have been judged mentally incompetent by a court of law
· Must not claim the right to vote anywhere outside Washington, D.C.

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 8
Additional residency requirement: 20-day registration requirement

For more information: http://www.dcboee.org/

Florida
Registration requirements:
· Must be a legal resident of both the Florida and of the county in which registration is sought
· Must be 18 years old; pre-registering is permitted at age 17
· Must not be currently adjudicated mentally incapacitated with respect to voting in Florida or any other state

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 9
Additional residency requirement: No minimum time required to establish residency; 29-day registration requirement before national election; first and second state primary.
For more information: http://election.dos.state.fl.us/regtovote/regform.shtml

Georgia
Registration requirements:
· Must be a legal resident of Georgia and of the county in which you want to vote
· Must be 18 years old within six months after the day of registration, and 18 years old to vote
· Must not be serving a sentence for having been convicted of a felony
· Must not have been judicially determined to be mentally incompetent, unless the disability has been removed

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 10
Additional residency requirements: No minimum time required to establish residency; 30-day registration requirement.
For more information: http://www.sos.state.ga.us/elections/

Hawaii
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of Hawaii
· Must be at least 16 years old, but must be 18 years old to vote on Election Day
· Must not be in jail for a felony conviction
· Must not be declared "non compos mentis"

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 8
Additional residency requirement: No minimum time required to establish residency; 30-day registration requirement.
For more information: http://www.hawaii.gov/elections/

Idaho
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of and in the county for 30 days prior to the day of election
· Must be at least 18 years old
· Must not have been convicted of a felony, or must have been restored rights of citizenship or must not be confined in prison on conviction of a criminal offense

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 13
Additional residency requirement: registration permitted 25 days prior to any election with county clerk. Individuals may also register on Election Day at polling place.
For more information: www.idsos.state.id.us/elect/eleindex.htm

Illinois
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of Illinois and election precinct at least 30 days before the election
· Must be at least 18 years old on of before Election Day
· Must not be in prison for a felony conviction
· Must not claim the right to vote anywhere else

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 10
Additional residency requirement: 29-day registration requirement.
For more information: http://www.elections.il.gov/VotingInformation/welcome.aspx

Indiana
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident in the precinct at least 30 days before the election
· Must be at least 18 years old on the day of the general election
· Must not be in prison for a criminal conviction

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 9
Additional residency requirement: 29-day registration requirement.
For more information: http://www.in.gov/sos/elections/voters/index.html

Iowa
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of Iowa
· Must be at least 17 1/2 years old (must be 18 years old on Election Day)
· Must not have been convicted of a felony (or have had rights restored)
· Must not be currently judged "mentally incompetent" by a court
· Must not claim the right to vote in more than one place
· Must give up the right to vote in any other place

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 28
Additional residency requirement: No minimum time required to establish residency; 10-day registration requirement. In-person registration by 5 p.m., 11 days before Election Day.
For more information: http://www.sos.state.ia.us/elections/index.html

Kansas
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of Kansas
· Must be 18 years old by the next statewide general election
· Must not be imprisoned for conviction in any state or federal court of a crime punishable by death or imprisonment for one year or longer (or have had civil rights restored)
· Must not claim the right to vote in any other location or under any other name
· May be excluded from voting for mental incompetence by a court

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 23
Additional residency requirement: 15-day registration requirement.
For more information: http://www.kssos.org/elections/elections_registration.html

Kentucky
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of Kentucky
· Must be a resident of the county for at least 28 days prior to Election Day
· Must be 18 years old on or before Election Day
· Must not be a convicted felon or if so, civil rights must have been restored by executive pardon
· Must not have been judged "mentally incompetent" in a court of law
· Must not claim the right to vote anywhere outside of Kentucky

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 9
For more information: http://elect.ky.gov/registrationinfo/

Louisiana
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of Louisiana
· Must be at least 17 years old, and 18 years old by Election Day
· Must not be currently under an order of imprisonment for conviction of a felony
· Must not be currently under a judgment of interdiction for mental incompetence

Maine
Registration Requirements:
· Must be a resident of Maine and the municipality in which vote will take place
· Must be at least 17 years old, and 18 years old by Election Day
· Must not be under guardianship because of mental illness

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 28
Additional residency requirement: No minimum time required to establish residency
For more information: http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/voter_info/index.html

Maryland
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of Maryland and the county in which vote will take place
· Must be at least 18 years old by Election Day
· Must not be under sentence or on probation or parole following conviction for an "infamous crime," that is, any felony, treason, perjury or any crime involving an element of deceit, fraud or corruption
· Must not have been convicted more than once of an infamous crime, or must have been pardoned
· Must not be under guardianship for mental disability

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 17
Additional residency requirement: No minimum time required to establish residency
For more information: http://www.elections.state.md.us/citizens/registration/application.html

Massachusetts
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of Massachusetts
· Must be 18 years old
· Must not have been convicted of corrupt practices in respect to elections
· Must not be under guardianship with respect to voting

Michigan
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of Michigan and resident of city or township for at least 30 days before Election Day
· Must be 18 years old by the next election
· Must not be confined in a jail after being convicted and sentenced

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 8
For more information: https://www.mcgi.state.mi.us/mivote/voterSearch.aspx

Minnesota
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of Minnesota for 20 days before the next election
· Must be 18 years old by Election Day
· Must not be convicted of treason or a felony; or must have had civil rights restored
· Must not be under court-ordered guardianship or found legally incompetent

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 17 by mail-in, same day in person
Additional residency requirement: Registration and voting on Election Day with approved ID; 20-day residency requirement.
For more information: http://www.sos.state.mn.us/docs/elect101.pdf

Mississippi
Registration requirements:
· Must have lived in Mississippi and in county or city in which vote will take place for 30 days
· Must be 18 years old by the time of the general election
· Must not have been convicted of murder, rape, bribery, theft, arson, obtaining money or goods under false pretense, perjury, forgery, embezzlement or bigamy, or must have had your rights restored as required by law
· Must not have been declared mentally incompetent by a court

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 7
Additional residency requirement: 30-day registration requirement
For more information: http://www.sos.state.ms.us/elections/voterinfoguide.asp

Missouri
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of Missouri
· Must be at least 17 1/2 years of age, must be 18 years old to vote
· Must not be on probation or parole after conviction of a felony, until finally discharged from such probation or parole
· Must not be convicted of a felony or misdemeanor connected with the right of suffrage
· Must not be declared incompetent by any court of law
· Must not be confined under a sentence of imprisonment

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 10
Additional residency requirement: No minimum time required to establish residency; must be registered by the fourth Wednesday prior to Election Day.
For more information: http://www.sos.mo.gov/firstvote/voting.asp

Montana
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of Montana and of the county in which vote will take place for at least 30 days before the election
· Must be at least 18 years of age on or before the election
· Must not be in a penal institution for a felony conviction
· Must not currently be determined by a court to be of unsound mind
· Must meet qualifications by the next Election Day

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 8
Additional residency requirement: 30-day registration requirement.
For more information: http://sos.state.mt.us/ELB/Voter_Information.asp

Nebraska
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of Nebraska
· Must be at least 18 years of age on or before the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November
· Must not have been convicted of a felony, or if convicted, must have had civil rights restored
· Must not have been officially found to be mentally incompetent

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 20 (mail in), same day
Additional residency requirement: No minimum time required to establish residency; registration deadline is third Friday prior to election.
For more information: http://www.sos.state.ne.us/elec/

Nevada
Registration requirements:
· Must have attained the age of 18 years on the date of the next election
· Must have continuously resided in Nevada and the county where vote will take place for at least 30 days and in precinct for at least 10 days before the next election
· Must not currently be laboring under any felony conviction or other loss of civil rights that would make it unlawful to vote
· Must not be determined by a court of law to be mentally incompetent
· Must not claim any other place as legal residence

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 17
Additional residency requirement: 30-day registration requirement.
For more information: http://www.sos.state.nv.us/nvelection/faq.htm

New Hampshire
Registration requirements:
· Must be at least 18 years of age
· Must have a permanent established domicile in New Hampshire
· Must not have been denied the right to vote by reason of a felony conviction

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 28 (mail in), same day
Additional residency requirement: No minimum time required to establish residency; 10-day registration requirement. Individual may register on Election Day at polling place.
For more information: http://www.sos.nh.gov/vote.htm

New Jersey
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of New Jersey and county where vote will take place at least 30 days before the next election
· Must be at least 18 years of age by the time of the next election
· Must not be serving a sentence or on parole or probation as the result of a conviction of any indictable offense under the laws of this or another state or of the United States

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 17
Additional residency requirement: 29-day registration requirement
For more information: http://www.state.nj.us/lps/elections/vote_doe.html

New Mexico
Registration requirements:
· Must be a citizen of the United States
· Must be a resident of New Mexico
· Must be at least 18 years of age at the time of the next election
· Must not have been denied the right to vote by a court of law by reason of mental incapacity or felony conviction

Voter Registration requirement: Oct. 10
Additional residency requirement: No minimum time required to establish residency; 28-day registration requirement
For more information: http://www.sos.state.nm.us/Main/Elections/ElectionInfo.htm

New York
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of the county, or of the City of New York, at least 30 days before an election
· Must be 18 years old by the general, primary, or other election in which your want to vote
· Must not be in jail or on parole for a felony conviction
· Must not currently be judged incompetent by order of a court of competent judicial authority
· Must not claim the right to vote elsewhere

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 13
For more information: http://vote.nyc.ny.us/

North Carolina
Registration requirements
· Must be a resident of North Carolina and the county in which vote will take place for at least 30 days prior to the election
· Must be 18 years old by the day of the next general election
· Must have rights of citizenship restored if convicted of a felony
· Must not be registered to vote in any other county or state

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 13
Additional residency requirement: 25-day registration requirement.
For more information: http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/

North Dakota
Registration requirements:
North Dakota does not have voter registration

Ohio
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of Ohio for at least 30 days before an election
· Must be 18 years old on or before Election Day. If 18 on or before the day of the general election, voting for candidates in the primary election is permitted
· Must not be convicted of a felony and currently incarcerated
· Must not be found incompetent by a court for purposes of voting

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 8
Additional residency requirement: 30-day registration requirement
For more information: http://www.sos.state.oh.us/sos/PublicAffairs/voterInfoGuide.aspx

Oklahoma
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of Oklahoma
· Must be 18 year old on or before the date of the next election
· Must not have been convicted of a felony for which a period of time equal to the original sentence has not expired, or for which pardon has not been granted
· Must not now be under judgment as an incapacitated person, or a partially incapacitated person prohibited from registering to vote

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 13
Additional residency requirement: No minimum time required to establish residency; 25-day registration requirement.
For more information: http://www.ok.gov/~elections/voterreg.html

Oregon
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of Oregon
· Must be at least 18 years old by Election Day

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 17
Additional residency requirement: 21-day first time registration requirement
For more information: http://www.uhavavote.org/elect_q_a/voter_registration.pdf

Pennsylvania
Registration requirements:
· Must be a citizen of the United States at least one month before the next election
· Must be a resident of Pennsylvania and election district at least 30 days before the election
· Must be at least 18 years of age on the day of the next election
· Must not have been confined in a penal institution for the conviction of a felony within the last 5 years

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 8
Additional residency requirement: 30-day registration requirement
For more information: http://www.dos.state.pa.us/voting/

Rhode Island
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of Rhode Island for 30 days preceding the next election
· Must be 18 years old by Election Day
· Must not be serving a suspended sentence, probation or parole for a felony; rights can be restored after sentence, probation and parole is complete by notifying local board of canvassers in writing or by submitting a new registration form.
· Must not have been lawfully judged to be mentally incompetent

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 8
Additional residency requirement: 30-day registration requirement
For more information: http://www.sec.state.ri.us/elections/rulesandregulations/elections/voting/Voter.html

South Carolina
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of South Carolina
· Must be at least 18 years old on or before the next election
· Must not be confined in any public prison resulting from conviction for a crime
· Must never have been convicted of a felony or offense against election laws, or if previously convicted, have served the entire sentence, including probation or parole, or have received a pardon for the conviction
· Must not be under a court order declaring mentally incompetence
· Must claim the address on the application is the sole legal place of residence

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 8
Additional residency requirement: No minimum time required to establish residency; students must demonstrate "present intention" to remain in community to register at college; New registration certificate not valid for 30 days, but if moving within the state voting in old precinct is permitted during that time
For more information: http://www.state.sc.us/scsec/vr.html

South Dakota
Registration requirements:
· Must reside in South Dakota
· Must be 18 years old by the next election
· Must not be under a sentence of imprisonment for a felony conviction
· Must not have been adjudged mentally incompetent by a court

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 23
Additional residency requirement: No minimum time required to establish residency; 15-day registration requirement
For more information: http://www.sdsos.gov/electionsvoteregistration/registrationvoting.shtm

Tennessee
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of Tennessee
· Must be at least 18 years old on or before the next election
· Must not have been convicted of a felony, or if convicted, must have had full rights of citizenship restored or have had pardon granted
· Must not be adjudicated incompetent by a court of competent jurisdiction, or must have been restored to legal capacity

Texas
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of the county in which the application for registration is made
· Must be at least 17 years and 10 months old to register, must be 18 years old to vote
· Must not be finally convicted of a felony; felons regain the right to register when pardoned, two years after receiving a certificate of discharge from the appropriate correction institution or two years after completing a period of probation
· Must not have been declared mentally incompetent by final judgment of a court of law

Utah
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident in Utah for 30 days immediately before the next election
· Must be at least 18 years old on or before the next election
· Must not have been convicted of treason or a crime against the elective franchise, or must have had civil rights restored
· Must not be found to be mentally incompetent by a court of law

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 18
Additional residency requirement: Eight-day registration requirement if registering in person, 20-day registration requirement if registering by mail
For more information: http://elections.utah.gov/voterregistrationinformation.html

Vermont
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of Vermont
· Must be 18 years of age on or before Election Day

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 30
Additional residency requirement: Administrative cut-off date for processing registration applications is second Saturday before the election by 12 p.m. local time
For more information: http://vermont-elections.org/elections1/voters.html

Virginia
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of Virginia and of the precinct in which vote will take place
· Must be 18 years old by the next election
· Must not have been convicted of a felony or must have had civil rights restored
· Must not currently be declared mentally incompetent by a court of law

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 9
Additional residency requirement: No minimum time required to establish residency; 29-day registration requirement
For more information: http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/cms/

Washington
Registration requirements:
· Must be a legal resident of Washington, county and precinct for 30 days immediately preceding the election in which vote will take place
· Must be at least 18 years old by Election Day
· Must not be convicted of infamous crime, or civil rights must have been restored
· Not be judicially declared mentally incompetent

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 8
Additional residency requirement: 30-day registration requirement. Individual may also register in person no later than 15 days before election.
For more information: http://www.secstate.wa.gov/elections/

West Virginia
Registration requirements:
· Must live in West Virginia
· Must be 18 years old; to vote in the primary, must be 17 years old and turning 18 before the general election
· Must not be under conviction, probation or parole for a felony, treason or election bribery
· Must not have been judged mentally incompetent in a court of competent jurisdiction

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 17
Additional residency requirement: No minimum time required to establish residency; 30-day registration requirement.
For more information: http://www.wvsos.com/elections/voters/registernow.htm

Wisconsin
Registration requirements:
· Must be a resident of Wisconsin for at least 10 days
· Must be 18 years old
· Must not have been convicted of treason, felony or bribery, or must have had civil rights restored
· Must not have been found by a court to be incapable of understanding the objective of the electoral process
· Must not make or benefit from a bet or wage depending on the result of an election

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 25
Additional residency requirement: Individual may register on Election Day at a polling place
For more information: http://elections.state.wi.us/faq_detail.asp?faqid=119&fid=27

Wyoming
Registration requirements:
· Must be an actual and physically bona fide resident of Wyoming
· Must be 18 years of age on the day of the next election
· Must not be convicted of a felony or if so, must have had rights restored by a competent authority
· Must not be currently adjudicated as mentally incompetent

2006 voter registration deadline: Oct. 9 (mail in), same day
Additional residency requirement: No minimum time required to establish residency; 30-day registration requirement.
For more information: http://soswy.state.wy.us/election/vote.htm