Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. With early voting closing on different dates in different states this week, and mail ballot deadlines close behind, this is the week to confirm your registration, decide how you'll vote, and act on it rather than wait.
A note on timing: this page was last updated October 27, 2026, and some of the dates below will already have passed by the time you read it. If you're reading this after one of the dates mentioned, that window has closed in that state; check your own state or county election office for what's still open today.
Early voting windows are closing on a rolling basis this week and next, not all at once:
Already closing by October 29: Louisiana's regular early voting period ends October 27. Kentucky, Maine, Maryland and Tennessee close around October 29, though exact dates vary by state.
October 30: Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Massachusetts, Nevada and Texas.
October 31: North Carolina and South Carolina.
November 1: Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey and New York.
Several other states allow early voting through November 2, the day before the election. Check your state or county election office for your exact date; this list isn't exhaustive, and schedules can vary by county within a state.
Source: state early voting schedules as compiled in late October 2026; confirm against your own state's election office.
It depends on your state's deadline and on mail delivery time, which this late in the cycle may not be reliable. If you requested a mail ballot but haven't returned it yet, returning it in person at a drop box or election office is usually faster and safer than mailing it this close to Election Day.
Confirm you're registered. If you're not sure, your state's election website can tell you in a minute. If your state offers it, you can still register in person during early voting or on Election Day itself.
Know what ID you need. Requirements vary by state and by whether you're voting early, by mail, or on Election Day.
Look up your polling place or early voting site, since it may differ from where you voted in a previous election.
Most states let you vote in person instead, even after requesting a mail ballot, as long as you haven't already returned it, by voiding it at your polling place or bringing it with you to be voided. Rules on this vary by state, so check with your local election office if you're in this situation.
No. Registration deadlines, early voting windows, ID requirements and mail ballot rules apply the same way to every eligible voter in a general election, regardless of party.
What's the single most useful thing to do this week if I haven't voted yet?
Confirm your registration status and look up your specific early voting or Election Day site; those two checks resolve most last-minute problems.
Is it too late to request a mail ballot in some states?
In several states, yes, or close to it. Check your state's exact deadline rather than assume.
Will early voting totals this week predict the outcome?
Not reliably. See our explainer on how many people have voted early for what the numbers can and can't tell you.
.svg)