Voting and civic life
Who handles registering to vote or updating my registration?
Who handles it
Your state and local election offices handle voter registration. The federal site vote.gov sends you to your state’s own steps.
- Not Federal
- State
- Local
Facts checked November 5, 2026 · 4 sources
Why state and local government
Each state has a chief election official, but elections are usually run at the county level. In some states, cities or townships run them.
What to do next
- Go to vote.gov and pick your state to register online, by mail or in person, depending on your state’s rules.
- If you change your name or move, update your registration. If you move to another state, register there.
- Check your state’s registration deadline on vote.gov or with your state election office.
In your state
Find your state’s official offices on our state pages.
What varies
Deadlines and ways to register differ by state. No two states run elections in the same way.
Learn the background: How does voter registration work?
Sources
Official recordEAC: Who is in charge of elections in my state?
Official recordUSAGov: How to register to vote
Official recordUSAGov: How to update or change your voter registration
Official recordUSAGov: Voter registration deadlines