Truckers Voting 2020: Some States Offer Same Day Voter Registration and In-Person Voting

It’s not too late to register and vote in-person in many states.

For long-haul truckers, in-person voting can be hard to schedule on Election Day, but even so, FreightWaves recent survey found that truckers are largely planning to vote in person on November 3, 2020.

According to their social media survey, 70% stated they planned to vote in person in this year’s presidential election while 8.3% plan to vote by absentee ballot, and 16.7% already voted by mail-in ballot. 

If you are registered to vote, there are 40 states plus Washington, D.C. that allow in-person voting at your dedicated polling location days before the election.

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Not Registered to Vote?

21 States and D.C. Allow Voter Registration and Voting on Election Day

If you have not registered to vote but still want to vote in-person, twenty-one states and Washington D.C. allow you to both register and cast your ballot on Election Day at your polling place.

Many states require additional documentation in order to register and vote on Election Day, such as state-issued license, ID card, or change of address card, or a paycheck, bank statement, utility bill, or other government document that has your name and current address.

These states include:

• California: If the voter registration deadline has passed, you can still conditionally register to vote and cast a provisional ballot in person at your County Elections Office at any time up to and including Election Day. Your provisional ballot will be counted when your County Elections Official verifies your voter registration.
• Colorado: You can register and cast a ballot up through Election Day by appearing in-person at a Voter Service and Polling Center during the Early Voting period or on Election Day
• Connecticut: If the voter registration deadline has passed, you can still register to vote in person at a designated Election Day Registration office.
• District of Columbia: If you have missed the voter registration deadline, you can still register to vote and a cast a ballot at the same time during early voting or on Election Day.
• Hawaii: If you have missed the voter registration deadline, you can still register to vote and a cast a ballot at the same time during early voting at early walk-in locations and on Election Day at your polling place.
• Idaho: If you have missed the voter registration deadline, you can still register to vote and a cast a ballot at the same time during early voting or on Election Day.
• Illinois: You can also register in person (and vote) at your local elections office during the “grace period.” The grace period starts 27 days before Election Day and ends on Election Day. Grace Period Voting does NOT take place at your regular polling place. Grace Period Voting almost always happens at your Local Election Office.
• Iowa: If you have missed the voter registration deadline, you can still register to vote and a cast a ballot at the same time during early voting or on Election Day.
• Maine: If you register to vote within 21 days of an election, including on election day, you must appear in person to register at the municipal registrar in order to register.
• Maryland: You can register to vote in-person during early voting and on Election Day.
• Michigan: If you have missed the voter registration deadline, you can still register to vote and a cast a ballot at the same time during early voting or on Election Day.
• Minnesota: If you have missed the voter registration deadline, you can still register to vote and a cast a ballot at the same time during the in-person absentee voting period or on Election Day.
• Montana: If you have missed the voter registration deadline, you can still register to vote at your county election office through close of polls on Election Day, except between noon and 5:00 p.m. the day before the election. You’ll have to register at the office of your Local Election Office — not at a polling place.
• Nevada: You may register to vote in-person at the polling place either during early voting or on Election Day.
• New Hampshire: If you have missed the voter registration deadline, you can still register to vote and a cast a ballot at the same time on Election Day.
• North Dakota: North Dakota does not have voter registration. You simply need to bring valid proof of ID and residency to the polls in order to vote.
• Rhode Island: You may register in person on Election Day at your local Board of Canvassers but only for Presidential elections.
• Utah: An individual who is not registered to vote may register to vote, and vote, on election day or during the early voting period — however, individuals must vote by provisional ballot.
• Vermont: You can register to vote on Election Day at your polling place.
• Washington: Individuals may register to vote in a voting center, or other location designated by the county auditor in his or her county of residence no later than 8:00pm on the day of the primary, special election, or general election.
• Wisconsin: Individuals may register to vote in person at your polling place on Election Day.