Here are federal voter ID laws and state-specific voter ID laws. The federal law is simple: the Help America Vote Act of 2002 established that first-time voters who register to vote by mail need to prove their identity before voting. If you put your in-state driver’s license number on the voter registration form, you probably met this requirement already. If not, just plan on showing ID when you vote. You can show a photo ID that includes your name and current address, or any official document that shows your name and current address. Official documents include bank statements, pay stubs, rental leases, utility bills, or any document sent to you by any state or federal government agency that shows your name and full address.
State laws are not simple, and they change depending on whether you are voting in person or by mail. States are also picky. Some states won’t accept an ID from another state, some states won’t accept a student ID, and some states won’t accept an expired ID.
The absolute best form of voter ID is a non-expired driver’s license or state ID card that shows your full name and current address. If you have a state-issued ID, please use that when voting.
If you have any questions about voter ID, please contact your local election office. If you need help getting a voter ID, please visit voteriders.org.
If anything on this page is incorrect, please fill out this form.