Key 2026 general election dates

The Secretary of State lists 11:59 p.m. on October 5, 2026 as the last day to register for the November 3, 2026 general election. That calendar does not split the deadline into mail, online, and in-person cutoffs. Vote.gov says online registration closes 29 days before Election Day and that a mail registration must be postmarked 29 days before Election Day.

Sources: Arizona Secretary of State — calendar dates; Vote.gov — register in Arizona

Same-day or Election Day registration

Not listed on the calendar and early-voting pages read for this update. Those pages do not describe same-day registration. The Arizona Secretary of State is the official source.

Early voting begins October 7, 2026, and early ballots are mailed that day. The calendar does not list a separate statewide last day for in-person early voting. County hours vary.

Source: Arizona Secretary of State — calendar dates

To have a ballot mailed for a specific election, the county must receive the request by 5:00 p.m. on the 11th day before the election. The Secretary of State describes that cutoff as two Fridays before Election Day.

Source: Arizona Secretary of State — early voting procedures

A completed ballot-by-mail must be delivered to the county recorder, the officer in charge of elections, an official drop-off site, or any voting location in the county no later than 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.

Source: Arizona Secretary of State — early voting procedures

Georgia.gov lists October 5, 2026 as the voter registration deadline for the general election. That calendar does not split the deadline into mail, online, and in-person cutoffs.

Source: Georgia.gov — election guide

Same-day or Election Day registration

Not listed on the Georgia.gov election guide read for this update. That guide does not describe same-day registration. The Georgia Secretary of State is the official source.

The early voting period for the general election is October 13–30, 2026. County hours vary.

Source: Georgia.gov — election guide

An absentee application must be received by the county office by October 23, 2026 for the general election.

Source: Georgia.gov — election guide

A ballot returned by mail must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day. A ballot delivered to the county board of registrars must also arrive by 7 p.m. on Election Day. Drop boxes inside early voting locations are available during early voting hours only.

Source: Georgia.gov — election guide

October 19, 2026 is the last day to register by mail or online for the November election. The registration page says a mail application must be received by, or postmarked to, the local clerk at least 15 days before Election Day.

Sources: Michigan Secretary of State — elections; Michigan Secretary of State — register to vote

From October 20 through November 3, 2026, the Secretary of State lists in-person registration at the local clerk’s office for this election. The same pages list 8 p.m. on Election Day as the in-line cutoff at the clerk’s office.

Sources: Michigan Secretary of State — elections; Michigan Secretary of State — register to vote; Michigan Secretary of State — absentee voting

The constitutionally required early-voting period is October 24–November 1, 2026. County and city hours vary.

Source: Michigan Secretary of State — elections

Absentee ballots are available beginning September 24, 2026. Online applications may be submitted until 5 p.m. the Friday before Election Day. A mailed application must be received by the local clerk by that same time.

Sources: Michigan Secretary of State — elections; Michigan Secretary of State — absentee voting

The absentee-voting page lists 4 p.m. the day before Election Day as the in-person application deadline.

Source: Michigan Secretary of State — absentee voting

For voters other than military and overseas voters, an absentee ballot must be received by the local clerk by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Military and overseas absentee ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received within six days after the election.

Source: Michigan Secretary of State — absentee voting

The regular voter registration deadline is 5 p.m. on Friday, October 9, 2026. A paper application must be received by the county board of elections or postmarked by October 9. The State Board’s pages also list an online application. Military and overseas deadlines differ.

Sources: North Carolina State Board of Elections — upcoming election; North Carolina State Board of Elections — October 2, 2026 release

Same-day registration is available during early voting, beginning October 15, 2026, per the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

Sources: North Carolina State Board of Elections — upcoming election; North Carolina State Board of Elections — October 2, 2026 release

In-person early voting runs from October 15, 2026 through 3 p.m. on October 31, 2026. Sites and daily hours are set by county boards.

Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections — upcoming election

The absentee ballot request deadline is 5 p.m. on October 20, 2026. Military and overseas deadlines differ.

Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections — upcoming election

The absentee ballot return deadline is 7:30 p.m. on November 3, 2026. Military and overseas deadlines differ.

Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections — upcoming election

The 2026 Elections Procedures Manual lists October 6, 2026 as the general-election date for registration by mail or in person at the clerk or registrar’s office (the fourth Tuesday before the election).

Source: Nevada Secretary of State — 2026 Elections Procedures Manual

The same manual lists October 12, 2026 as the general-election date for registration at a voter-registration agency, five days after the mail deadline.

Source: Nevada Secretary of State — 2026 Elections Procedures Manual

The manual lists November 3, 2026 as the general-election date for registration in NOVA, the state’s online system.

Source: Nevada Secretary of State — 2026 Elections Procedures Manual

Same-day registration is available during early voting (October 17–30, 2026) and on Election Day, per the Nevada Secretary of State’s elections FAQ and the 2026 Elections Procedures Manual.

Sources: Nevada Secretary of State — elections FAQ; Nevada Secretary of State — 2026 Elections Procedures Manual

The elections FAQ lists early voting for the 2026 general election as October 17–30, 2026. County hours vary.

Source: Nevada Secretary of State — elections FAQ

Unless a voter has opted out, the clerk or registrar must send a mail ballot to each active registered voter in the county. In-state ballots must be sent on or after the fifth Monday before the election and no later than the fourth Monday before it. The manual does not list a separate application deadline for that automatic mailing.

Source: Nevada Secretary of State — 2026 Elections Procedures Manual

A mail ballot returned in person must arrive before the polls close on Election Day. A ballot returned by mail must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by the county elections office no later than 5 p.m. on the fourth day after the election.

Source: Nevada Secretary of State — 2026 Elections Procedures Manual

Ohio Revised Code § 3503.19 requires a registration to be received, or a mailed form to be postmarked, no later than the 30th day before the election. Vote.gov also lists 30 days before Election Day for online, mail, and in-person registration in Ohio. The 30th day before November 3, 2026 is Sunday, October 4. The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections lists the deadline for this election as Monday, October 5, 2026, with a mailed form postmarked by October 5. That board’s note that its office stayed open until 9 p.m. that day applies to Cuyahoga County only.

Sources: Ohio Revised Code § 3503.19 — registration deadline; Vote.gov — register in Ohio; Cuyahoga County Board of Elections — November 3, 2026 FAQs (county source)

Same-day or Election Day registration

Not listed in the Ohio Revised Code sections and county FAQ read for this update. Those sources do not describe Election Day registration. The Secretary of State website blocked automated reads for this update. The Ohio Secretary of State is the official source.

Ohio Revised Code § 3509.051 allows in-person absentee voting from the first day after voter registration closes through 5 p.m. on the Sunday before the election, which is November 1, 2026. The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections lists Tuesday, October 6, 2026 as the first day. Daily hours are not set by that statute. The hour-by-hour calendar linked here is Cuyahoga County’s only. Other counties publish their own hours.

Sources: Ohio Revised Code § 3509.051 — in-person absentee voting period; Cuyahoga County Board of Elections — November 3, 2026 FAQs (county source); Cuyahoga County Board of Elections — early in-person voting hours (Cuyahoga County only)

Ohio Revised Code § 3509.03 requires an absentee (vote-by-mail) application to reach the county board of elections by the close of business on the seventh day before the election, which is Tuesday, October 27, 2026. The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections says it accepts applications until 8:30 p.m. that day. That closing time is Cuyahoga County only. Other counties publish their own hours.

Sources: Ohio Revised Code § 3509.03 — absentee application deadline; Cuyahoga County Board of Elections — November 3, 2026 FAQs (county source)

Ohio Revised Code § 3509.05, as amended by Senate Bill 293 (effective March 20, 2026), requires a voted absentee ballot to be delivered to the county board of elections no later than the close of the polls on Election Day. Ballots that arrive later are not counted. Military and overseas voters follow separate rules. Ohio Revised Code § 3501.32 sets Election Day poll hours at 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections lists the same 7:30 p.m. arrival deadline.

Sources: Ohio Revised Code § 3509.05 — absentee ballot return; Ohio Revised Code § 3501.32 — Election Day poll hours; Cuyahoga County Board of Elections — November 3, 2026 FAQs (county source)

October 19, 2026 is the last day to register before the November election. The calendar does not split that deadline into mail, online, and in-person cutoffs.

Source: Pennsylvania Department of State — upcoming elections

Same-day or Election Day registration

Not listed on the upcoming-elections calendar read for this update. That calendar does not describe same-day registration. The Pennsylvania Department of State is the official source.

Early or in-person absentee voting

Not listed on the 2026 upcoming-elections page read for this update. That page does not list a statewide early-voting window. The Pennsylvania Department of State and county election offices are the official sources.

October 27, 2026 is the last day to apply for a mail-in or civilian absentee ballot.

Source: Pennsylvania Department of State — upcoming elections

November 3, 2026 is the last day for a county election office to receive a completed mail-in or civilian absentee ballot, and it must be received by 8:00 p.m. Military and overseas ballots use a later receipt date on that calendar.

Source: Pennsylvania Department of State — upcoming elections

October 14, 2026 is the deadline to register by mail or online for the general election. A mail form must be postmarked no later than the third Wednesday before the election. Online registration closes at 11:59 p.m. After that date, voters register in person at the municipal clerk’s office or at the polling place.

Source: Wisconsin Elections Commission — 2026–2027 election calendar

The deadline to register in the municipal clerk’s office or another designated location is 5 p.m. on October 30, 2026, or the close of business, whichever is later.

Source: Wisconsin Elections Commission — 2026–2027 election calendar

After mail and online registration close, the calendar says electors register in person at the municipal clerk’s office or at the polling place. Election Day is November 3, 2026.

Source: Wisconsin Elections Commission — 2026–2027 election calendar

Clerks may begin issuing in-person absentee ballots on October 20, 2026, and not earlier than 14 days before the election. The latest day on the calendar for most voters to apply in person is November 1, 2026, and the calendar says the final date is set by the municipality and can end earlier. Hours vary by city, village, and town.

Source: Wisconsin Elections Commission — 2026–2027 election calendar

For regular and overseas voters, the deadline to request an absentee ballot by mail, online, email, or fax is 5 p.m. on October 29, 2026. The calendar lists later request times for some other categories, including indefinitely confined voters and certain military voters.

Source: Wisconsin Elections Commission — 2026–2027 election calendar

All absentee ballots must be delivered to the polling place or central count location by 8 p.m. on November 3, 2026.

Source: Wisconsin Elections Commission — 2026–2027 election calendar

For the Tuesday, November 3, 2026 uniform election date, the last day to register to vote is Monday, October 5, 2026. That calendar does not split the deadline into mail, online, and in-person cutoffs.

Source: Texas Secretary of State — important election dates

Same-day or Election Day registration

Not listed on the important-dates page read for this update. That page does not describe same-day registration. The Texas Secretary of State is the official source.

Early voting by personal appearance runs from Monday, October 19, 2026 through Friday, October 30, 2026. County hours vary.

Source: Texas Secretary of State — important election dates

The last day to apply for a ballot by mail is Friday, October 23, 2026, and the application must be received, not merely postmarked. The first day to apply for this election date is listed as January 1, 2026.

Source: Texas Secretary of State — important election dates

A ballot by mail must be received by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day if the carrier envelope is not postmarked, or by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 4, 2026 if it was postmarked by 7:00 p.m. at the location of the election on Election Day. The Secretary of State notes different deadlines for some military and overseas voters.

Source: Texas Secretary of State — important election dates

The deadline to register to vote for the 2026 general election is October 5, 2026. The election-dates page does not split that deadline into mail, online, and in-person cutoffs.

Source: Florida Division of Elections — election dates

Same-day or Election Day registration

Not listed on the election-dates page read for this update. That page does not describe same-day registration. The Florida Division of Elections is the official source.

The mandatory early-voting period is October 24–31, 2026. Supervisors of elections may offer additional days. County hours vary.

Source: Florida Division of Elections — election dates

The deadline to request that a ballot be mailed is October 22, 2026. The vote-by-mail page says that request is due no later than 5 p.m. on the 12th day before the election. A separate in-person pickup rule is described on that page.

Sources: Florida Division of Elections — election dates; Florida Division of Elections — vote-by-mail

A returned voted ballot must be received by the supervisor of elections no later than 7:00 p.m. local time on Election Day, regardless of postmark. On a general election, overseas voters have a 10-day extension if the ballot is postmarked or dated by Election Day.

Source: Florida Division of Elections — vote-by-mail

October 19, 2026 is the last day to register to vote for the general election. The key-dates page does not split that deadline into mail, online, and in-person cutoffs.

Source: California Secretary of State — key dates and deadlines

Same-day registration is available October 20–November 3, 2026, per the California Secretary of State key-dates page.

Source: California Secretary of State — key dates and deadlines

Early-voting sites open October 5, 2026. Counties under the Voter’s Choice Act open vote centers on October 24, 2026. The key-dates page does not list one statewide closing day for those sites before Election Day. County hours vary. Election Day polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Source: California Secretary of State — key dates and deadlines

No later than October 5, 2026, county elections officials begin mailing each registered voter a vote-by-mail ballot. The key-dates page does not list a separate application deadline for that mailing.

Source: California Secretary of State — key dates and deadlines

A vote-by-mail ballot returned by mail must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by the county elections office by November 10, 2026.

Source: California Secretary of State — key dates and deadlines

A mail registration application must be received by a board of elections no later than October 24, 2026 to vote in the general election. An in-person application must also be received no later than October 24, 2026.

Source: New York State Board of Elections — registration and voting deadlines

Online registration deadline

The registration-deadlines page read for this update states October 24, 2026 for mail and in-person applications and does not print a separate online-portal date. The New York State Board of Elections is the official source.

Same-day or Election Day registration

Not listed on the pages read for this update. Those pages do not describe same-day registration. The New York State Board of Elections is the official source.

Early voting for the November 3, 2026 general election is October 24–November 1. Hours vary by county. Polls on Election Day are open from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Source: New York State Board of Elections

An application to receive an early-mail ballot, or an absentee ballot, by mail must be received by the county board of elections no later than ten days before the election. An application for a ballot to be received in person must arrive no later than the day before the election. The request page states those rules as day counts and does not print a separate calendar date for them.

Source: New York State Board of Elections — request a ballot

For the November 3, 2026 general election, a ballot put in the mail must be postmarked no later than November 3 and received by the county board of elections no later than November 10. It can also be brought to the county board, or to a poll site, by 9 p.m. on November 3, or to an early-voting site in the county from October 24 through November 1.

Source: New York State Board of Elections — request a ballot