Community Voting Guide

You must:

• Be a U.S. citizen and DC resident for at least 30 days before the election 
• Be 16 years old*
• Not be registered to vote in another state
• Not be found by a court to be legally incompetent to vote

*In DC, you may pre-register to vote if you are 16 years old. You may vote in a primary election if you are 17 years old and will be 18 years old by the next general election.

You must:

• Be a U.S. citizen & MD resident
• Be 16 years old*
• Not be convicted of buying or selling votes
• Not be under guardianship for a mental disability and found by a court to be unable to communicate a desire to vote
• Not be convicted of a felony

* In MD, you may register to vote if you are 16 years old but cannot vote unless you will be 18 years old by the next general election.

You must:

• Be a U.S. citizen & VA resident
• Be 18 years old*
• Not be registered to vote in another state
• Not be currently declared mentally incompetent by a court of law
• Have your right to vote restored, if convicted of a felony

• In DC and MD, the deadline for online voter registration was October 18, 2022.
• In VA, the deadline for online voter registration was October 17, 2022.

• In DC: During early voting (October 31, 2022 – November 6, 2022) or on Election Day (November 8, 2022).
• In MD: During early voting (October 27, 2022- November 3, 2022) or on Election Day (November 8, 2022).
• In VA: During early voting (September 23, 2022 – November 5, 2022) or on Election Day (November 8, 2022).

DC, MD and VA allow residents to register online, in-person or by mail. You may pre-register to vote if you will be 18 years old by the general election. Visit your state board of elections website to learn more!

Select candidates that are running for political office based on your own research. Do not rely solely on social media or media coverage of the candidate or party affiliation. It is important that you learn the issues that are important to each candidate.

Most voting stations are open 12 hours on election day. According to federal law, first-time voters must bring a valid photo ID or a bill, pay stub or government document showing their name and current address.

State election offices determine your polling place by your voter registration address. It is important that your voter registration address is current.

You can vote in-person or by mailing in an absentee ballot. If you are unable to vote on the day of the election, there may be opportunities to cast your ballot early.

• Yes - You may be able to pre-register to vote. You may not vote in a primary election until you are at least 17 years old and will be at least 18 years old by the next general election.
• No - You are unable to pre-register to vote until you are 16 or 17 years old. Please visit your state's board of elections website to confirm requirements.

• Yes - Be sure to bring an acceptable form of identification the first time you vote.
• No - Please visit your state’s board of elections website to find out what form of identification is accepted and okay to use.

• Current and valid DMV-issued ID
• Government check or paycheck*
• Bank statement*
• Current utility bill*
• Student housing statement/tuition bill
• Homeless shelter occupancy statement
• Current lease
• Other government-issued document showing your name and address

*The issue, bill or statement date must be within 90 days of Election Day

In-State Students: Will you be living at home or on campus? Remember, when you register to vote, use the address you consider your home address; this is called your registered address. This will determine your district and who you are eligible to vote for.

Out-of-State Students: Are you leaving your home state to attend school? You will need to decide if you will remain a resident of your home state or become a resident of the new state. Remember that you may only be registered to vote in one state and need proof of residency in that state.

• Online: Please visit your state’s board of elections website.
• By Mail: Please visit your local registration office to receive a hard copy application to mail in or print application.

We have developed frequently asked questions to help guide voters during the COVID-19 pandemic.