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With 2024 being a presidential election year, travel nurses are understandably curious about the logistics of voting while away from home. Fortunately, with some advanced planning, you can usually arrange to vote using mail-in or absentee ballots for upcoming primary elections and the general election on November 5, 2024. Vivian Health has compiled basic information, including deadlines and voter information websites for all 50 states and the District of Columbia, to make voting as a travel nurse easier to understand.
General Info for Voting as a Travel Nurse
How to Vote as a Travel Nurse
- Register to vote in your home state.
- Learn the absentee voting rules and cut-off dates for your registered voting location.
- Request an absentee ballot in advance or have one sent to your temporary travel nursing address.
- Vote! And return your ballot before your state’s deadline.
All states except North Dakota require registration if you wish to vote. Many states allow registering to vote up to and including election day, but typically only when done in person. Therefore, if you aren’t already registered, make note of the registration deadlines for your home state in our chart below for online or mail-in applications.
All U.S. citizens without a felony conviction can typically register and vote as long as they’re 18 years old by the election date. Check with your state’s election information website for rules regarding the identification forms required to register and to vote, as some states have strengthened ID rules in recent years.
You must always vote in the jurisdiction, such as the county and state, where you claim to be a permanent resident. Your ballot will show the candidates for that jurisdiction, not the location of your travel assignment. You can’t register to vote in your temporary travel assignment location unless you permanently move there before election day.
All states let you vote absentee by mail if you will be away from home on election day (see special note for Texas). Of course, you can always travel back home to your polling place on election day to bypass the logistics of voting absentee.
RELATED: What Is a Travel Nursing Tax Home?
Absentee or Early Voting: What Travel Nurses Need to Know
To vote away from home, you typically must request an absentee ballot before election day, which the local election authority will mail to your temporary address. Alternatively, you can pick up the absentee ballot from your home board of elections before you leave. Some, but not all, states require an excuse for needing absentee voting.
Some states have “universal mail-in voting” and send all registered voters a mail-in ballot to their permanent home address instead of absentee voting. In such states, you must alert your state or local election board to your temporary mailing address to have your ballot forwarded or be sent a special absentee ballot.
In addition to absentee/mail-in voting, many states offer some form of early, in-person voting, where you can vote at a designated polling place in the weeks leading up to election day. If your state offers this and you will be in your home location just prior to election day, this could be a good option for voting. It negates the need to request an absentee ballot and meet mailing deadlines while you’re away from home. Check with your state election website for these early voting options, or learn more about absentee and early voting from your local Secretary of State.
Travel Nurse Voting Info for All States and D.C.
Alabama
- Registration deadline: 15 days before any election
- Absentee request deadline: At least 7 days before the election
- Ballot receipt deadline: Noon on election day (mail) or the day before the election (hand delivered)
- Key websites: Alabama voter registration and absentee voting
Alaska
- Registration deadline: Online or postmarked 30 days before the election
- Absentee request deadline: By August 10 (primary) and October 26 (general election)
- Absentee ballot deadline: Postmarked or online receipt by August 20 (primary) or November 5 (general election)
- Key websites: Alaska voter registration and absentee request
Arizona
- Registration deadline: Online, in-person or postmarked 29 days before the election
- Absentee request deadline: Between 93 and 11 days before the election
- Ballot receipt deadline: 7 p.m. July 30 (primary) or November 5 (general election)
- Key websites: Arizona voter registration and early/absentee voting
Arkansas
- Registration deadline: Submitted or postmarked no later than 30 days before the election
- Absentee request deadline: 7 days before the election (mail/online) or Friday before the election (in-person)
- Ballot receipt deadline: 7:30 p.m. on election day (mail) or Friday before the election (in-person)
- Key websites: Arkansas voter registration and absentee voting
California
- Registration deadline: Up to 15 days before election or on election day (in-person same-day registration)
- Mail-in ballot request: Request out-of-state delivery of your mail-in ballot from the county election board at least 30 days before the election
- Mail-in ballot vote deadline: Postmarked on or before election day, received up to 7 days after election
- Key websites: California voter registration and voting by mail
Colorado
- Registration deadline: Up to 8 days before the election or election day (in person)
- Mail-in ballot request: All Colorado voters receive a ballot by mail
- Mail-in ballot vote deadline: Mailed ballot must arrive at the county clerk’s office by 7 p.m. on election day
- Key websites: Colorado voter registration or update mail-in ballot address
Connecticut
- Registration deadline: Registration is open between 31 days and 7 days before a general election or between 21 and 5 days before a primary
- Absentee request deadline: At least 3 weeks before each election
- Ballot receipt deadline: Received via mail by the close of polls on election day
- Key websites: Connecticut voter registration and absentee ballot registration
Delaware
- Registration deadline: August 17 (primary) and October 12 (general election)
- Absentee request deadline: November 1 (by mail) November 4 at noon (in-person)
- Ballot receipt deadline: 8 p.m. election day, November 5
- Key websites: Delaware voter registration and absentee voting
District of Columbia
- Registration deadline: 21 days before election day (online/mail) or on election day (in person)
- Mail-in ballot request: All D.C. voters receive a mail-in ballot. Register 21 days before election day (online/mail).
- Main-in ballot deadline: Postmarked by election day and received within 10 days of an election
- Key websites: D.C. voter registration and mail ballot request
Florida
- Registration deadline: October 7 (2024 general election) or 29 days before any election
- Absentee request deadline: 12 days before the election
- Ballot receipt deadline: Received by 7 p.m. election day
- Key websites: Florida voter registration and vote-by-mail request
Georgia
- Registration deadline: Postmarked or submitted online 29 days before election day
- Absentee request deadline: Between 78 and 11 days before election day
- Ballot receipt deadline: Received online or by mail by election day
- Key websites: Georgia voter registration and absentee voting
Hawaii
- Registration deadline: Postmarked or hand-delivered by October 28 at 4:30 p.m.
- Absentee request deadline: All voters receive a ballot by mail. Deadline to submit alternate mailing address for ballot August 3 (primary) October 29 (general election) at 4:30 p.m.
- Ballot receipt deadline: Received by 7 p.m. November 5
- Key websites: Hawaii voter registration and absentee voting
Idaho
- Registration deadline: Postmarked or submitted online 25 days before election day
- Absentee request deadline: 11 days before an election
- Ballot receipt deadline: Received by 8 p.m. on election day
- Key websites: Idaho voter registration and absentee voting
Illinois
- Registration deadline: Online 16 days before the election or postmarked 28 days before
- Absentee/Mail-in ballot request: Apply up to 5 days before the election
- Ballot receipt deadline: Postmarked by or on election day and may arrive up to 14 days following the election
- Key websites: Illinois voter registration and vote-by-mail request
Indiana
- Registration deadline: Voter registration forms must be received by October 7
- Absentee request deadline: By 11:59 p.m., 12 days before the election
- Ballot receipt deadline: Received by 6 p.m. on election day
- Key websites: Indiana voter information and absentee voting
Iowa
- Registration deadline: 15 days before election day
- Absentee request deadline: Received by 5 p.m. 15 days before election day
- Ballot receipt deadline: By 8 p.m. on election day
- Key websites: Iowa voter information and absentee voting
Kansas
- Registration deadline: July 16 (primary) October 15 (general election)
- Absentee request deadline: Apply by July 30 (primary) or October 29 (general election)
- Ballot receipt deadline: Postmarked by election day, November 5 (August 6 primary), and received by November 8 (August 9 primary)
- Key websites: Kansas voter registration and application for advance ballot by mail
Kentucky
- Registration deadline: October 7
- Absentee request deadline: 14 days before the election
- Ballot receipt deadline: Received by 6 p.m. election day
- Key websites: Kentucky voter registration and absentee request portal
Louisiana
- Registration deadline: Submitted online 20 days before election day or postmarked 30 days before
- Absentee request deadline: By 4:30 p.m. on the 4th day before the election
- Ballot receipt deadline: Received by 4:30 p.m. the day before election day
- Key websites: Louisiana voter registration and absentee voting
Maine
- Registration deadline: 21 days before the election by mail or up to election day if in person
- Absentee request deadline: 5 days before an election
- Ballot receipt deadline: June 11 (primary) or November 5 (general election) by 8 p.m.
- Key websites: Maine voter registration and absentee voting
Maryland
- Registration deadline: Postmarked or submitted online 21 days before the election
- Absentee request deadline: By mail or hand delivery by 11:59 p.m. on October 29
- Ballot receipt deadline: Received or postmarked by 8 p.m. election day
- Key websites: Maryland voter registration and mail-in voting
Massachusetts
- Registration deadline: 10 days before any election
- Absentee request deadline: Request received 5 days before the election (7+ days recommended for out-of-state delivery)
- Ballot receipt deadline: Received by the close of polls at the local election office
- Key websites: Massachusetts voter registration and absentee voting
Michigan
- Registration deadline: 15 days before the election (online, mail) or up to election day (in person)
- Absentee request deadline: Requested between 75 days before the election and the Friday before
- Ballot receipt deadline: Received by 8 p.m. election day
- Key websites: Michigan voter registration and absentee voting
Minnesota
- Registration deadline: Advance registration isn’t required to apply for an absentee ballot
- Absentee request deadline: Applications are accepted until the day before the election, but mailed requests must leave enough time for ballot delivery (apply sooner)
- Ballot receipt deadline: Delivered by 8 p.m. election day
- Key websites: Minnesota voter registration and absentee voting
Mississippi
- Registration deadline: October 7
- Absentee request deadline: 5 days before an election
- Ballot receipt deadline: Postmarked by election day ( November 5) and received 5 business days after the election (November 13)
- Key websites: Mississippi voter registration and absentee voting
Missouri
- Registration deadline: By the 4th Wednesday before election day
- Absentee request deadline: By the 2nd Wednesday before election day
- Ballot receipt deadline: Received by 7 p.m. election day
- Key websites: Missouri voter registration and absentee voting
Montana
- Registration deadline: Postmarked 30 days before the election or on election day in person
- Absentee request deadline: Between 75 and 1 day (at noon) before election day
- Ballot receipt deadline: Received by election day
- Key websites: Montana voter registration and absentee voting
Nebraska
- Registration deadline: Postmarked 18 days before the election or 11 days before in person
- Absentee request deadline: By the 2nd Friday before election day
- Ballot receipt deadline: Received by election day
- Key websites: Nebraska voter registration and early voting (absentee)
Nevada
- Registration deadline: Postmarked 28 days before the election, 5 days before online or on election day in person
- Mail-in ballot address: All voters receive a mail-in ballot. Update address by the registration deadline.
- Ballot receipt deadline: Received by 7 p.m. election day
- Key websites: Nevada voter registration and absentee voting
New Hampshire
- Registration deadline: 13 days before the election by mail or on election day in person
- Absentee request deadline: The state doesn’t provide a fixed deadline, but it reviews requests between 13 and 6 days before the election — consider 13 days a minimum
- Ballot receipt deadline: Received by 5 p.m. on election day
- Key websites: New Hampshire voter registration and absentee voting
New Jersey
- Registration deadline: 21 days before an election for all methods
- Absentee request deadline: 7 days before the election
- Ballot receipt deadline: Postmarked by 8 p.m. on election day and received within 6 days of an election
- Key websites: New Jersey voter registration and vote by mail
New Mexico
- Registration deadline: 28 days before the election (mail/online) or up to election day in person
- Absentee request deadline: Up to 14 days before the election
- Ballot receipt deadline: Received by election day
- Key websites: New Mexico voter registration and absentee voting
New York
- Registration deadline: Application received by October 26
- Absentee request deadline: 10 days before the election (mail/fax/online) or 1 day before (in person)
- Ballot receipt deadline: Postmarked by election day
- Key websites: New York voter registration and absentee voting
North Carolina
- Registration deadline: Postmarked or delivered 25 days before election day
- Absentee request deadline: Up to 7 days before the election
- Ballot receipt deadline: Received by 7:30 p.m. on election day
- Key websites: North Carolina voter registration and absentee-by-mail voting
North Dakota
- Registration deadline: The state has no voter registration requirements — simply submit a copy of your ID to get your ballot
- Absentee request deadline: Up to the day before election day.
- Ballot receipt deadline: Postmarked by the day before election day.
- Key websites: North Dakota voter portal and absentee voting
Ohio
- Registration deadline: Submitted online or postmarked at least 30 days before an election
- Absentee request deadline: Up to 7 days before the election
- Ballot receipt deadline: Postmarked by the day before election day and received no more than 4 days after
- Key websites: Ohio voter registration and absentee voting
Oklahoma
- Registration deadline: Postmarked at least 25 days before an election
- Absentee request deadline: By the 3rd Monday before election day (15 days)
- Ballot receipt deadline: Received by 7 p.m. on election day
- Key websites: Oklahoma voter registration and absentee voting
Oregon
- Registration deadline: Up to 21 days before the election
- Absentee request deadline: All voting is done by mail with temporary address request forms available. No specific deadline is given, but they mail ballots 14 to 18 days before the election.
- Ballot receipt deadline: Postmarked by 8 p.m. on election day
- Key websites: Oregon voter registration and absentee ballot request
Pennsylvania
- Registration deadline: 15 days before an election
- Absentee request deadline: 7 days before an election
- Ballot receipt deadline: Arrive by election day
- Key websites: Pennsylvania voter registration and absentee voting
Rhode Island
- Registration deadline: Postmarked, online or in-person, 30 days before the election
- Absentee request deadline: Up to 21 days before the election
- Ballot receipt deadline: Received by 8 p.m. on election day
- Key websites: Rhode Island voter registration and mail ballot application
South Carolina
- Registration deadline: 30 days before an election
- Absentee request deadline: By 5 p.m. on the 11th day before the election
- Ballot receipt deadline: Received by 7 p.m. on election day
- Key websites: South Carolina voter registration and absentee voting
South Dakota
- Registration deadline: 15 days before an election
- Absentee request deadline: 5 p.m. the day before the election
- Ballot receipt deadline: Received by election day
- Key websites: South Dakota voter registration and absentee voting
Tennessee
- Registration deadline: 30 days (online, in-person or postmarked) before an election
- Absentee request deadline: 7 days before election
- Ballot receipt deadline: Received by election day
- Key websites: Tennessee voter registration and absentee voting
Texas
- Registration deadline: 30 days before an election (postmarked or in-person)
- Absentee request deadline: 11 days before an election
- Ballot receipt deadline: Received by 7 p.m. on election day. (If mailed from overseas, up to 5 days after the election.)
- Key websites: Texas voter registration and ballot by mail application
Note: You must be away from home during the entire early voting period and election day to be eligible for absentee voting.
Utah
- Registration deadline: Up to 11 days before election day (online/mail) or on election day (in-person)
- Absentee request deadline: All voters receive a mail ballot. To update your address, send a request by the Thursday before election day.
- Ballot receipt deadline: All ballots (regular or absentee) must be postmarked the day before election day.
- Key websites: Utah voter registration and update ballot mailing address form
Vermont
- Registration deadline: Up to and including election day for all methods
- Absentee request deadline: All voters receive a mail ballot. Send a request for an absentee ballot no later than 5 p.m. the day before the election.
- Ballot receipt deadline: Received by close of polls on election day
- Key websites: Vermont voter registration and absentee voting
Virginia
- Registration deadline: No later than 22 days before the election
- Absentee request deadline: By 5 p.m., 11 days before the election
- Ballot receipt deadline: By 7 p.m. on election day
- Key websites: Virginia voter registration and absentee voting
Washington
- Registration deadline: 8 days before the election (online/mail) or on election day (in person)
- Absentee request deadline: All registered voters receive ballots by mail starting 18 days before the election. Contact your county election board with your temporary address.
- Ballot receipt deadline: Postmarked on or before election day
- Key websites: Washington voter registration and absentee voting
West Virginia
- Registration deadline: 21 days before an election
- Absentee request deadline: 6 days before election
- Ballot receipt deadline: Postmarked by election day and received no more than 5 days after the election
- Key websites: West Virginia voter registration and absentee voting
Wisconsin
- Registration deadline: 20 days before election (mail/online) or election day (in person)
- Absentee request deadline: 5 days before the election
- Ballot receipt deadline: By election day
- Key websites: Wisconsin voter registration and absentee voting
Wyoming
- Registration deadline: 14 days before election (mail) or election day (in person)
- Absentee request deadline: Strictly one day before the election, with 17 days recommended for processing
- Ballot receipt deadline: By 7 p.m. on election day
- Key websites: Wyoming voter registration and absentee voting
The Bottom Line for Voting as a Travel Nurse
Voting as a travel nurse involves a few extra steps and forethought before election day, but it’s possible with adequate planning. If you start the process well in advance, ensuring you’re registered to vote and requesting the necessary absentee ballot, you should be able to make your voice heard and recorded on election day.
Are you planning your upcoming assignments that will take you away from home on election day? Browse all the travel jobs available on Vivian today.
