There are 11 states with voter registration deadlines in April for the 2018 primaries.
In general, midterm primary elections have less voter turnout than the years where a presidential election is taking place. Midterm participation has regularly dropped in trends that date back to the 1840s, the Pew Research Center reports.
But turnout surged in last month’s Texas primary, with many riding a wave of activism prompted by Donald Trump’s presidential win. Texas Republicans cast a record 1.5 million votes and Democrats showed up in the highest midterm primary turnout the state party has seen since 2002.
More than twice as many women are running for Congress this year than in 2016, NPR reported in February. And teenage activists have pushed for young voters to drive out politicians supported by the National Rifle Association since the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, on Feb. 14.
Websites such as MarchForOurLives.com, and RockTheVote.org are resources that will allow citizens to register to vote and find their polling stations. Other sites such as Headcount.org and Ballotpedia.com give voters more detailed information on state ballots.
And if you live in one of these states, you don’t have much time to get your name on the voting rolls:
Arkansas
Arkansas has 18 state Senate seats up for grabs this year, and voter registration for the primaries will end on Monday, April 23. The voter registration deadline for the November general election is Oct. 9.
The state primaries will be held on May 22, with a statewide runoff election held on June 19 for districts where candidates didn’t obtain a majority. Residents will also vote for their governor and four U.S. House of Representatives seats.
Voter application forms can be found here.
Georgia
The state of Georgia will be cutting off voter registration on April 24 and the primary election will also be held on May 22. Residents have until Oct. 9 to register for the November general election.
There are hundreds of important state offices up for grabs in Georgia this year, including governor, all 56 state Senate seats, and all 180 state House slots. Georgia also has 14 U.S. House of Representative seats up for grabs in this year’s elections.
Georgia allows voters to register online or check their registration here.
Idaho
The last day to pre-register for the state primaries in Idaho is April 20 and voter registration for the general election will reopen on May 16, the day after the state primary. Unlike some of the other states mentioned, however, Idaho allows residents to register on election day as well.
There are two U.S. House of Representative seats on Idaho’s ballot this year, along with the state governor election, 35 state Senate and 70 state House seats.
Idaho allows voters to register online or update their current registration here.
Indiana
Primary voting in Indiana will take place on May 8, so voters must be registered by an April 9 deadline. Registration will reopen for the general election on May 22, two weeks after the primary. If residents wish to participate in the November general, their registration will have to be in by Oct. 9.
Indiana has one U.S Senate seat and nine U.S House of Representative seats, along with hundreds of state legislators, on the ballot this year.
Indiana allows voters to register online or check their registration here.
Kentucky
Kentucky’s voter registration deadline for the state primary is April 23, with the election taking place on May 22. Residents have until Oct. 9 to register for the November general election.
There are six U.S. House of Representative seats on the ballot in Kentucky this year, as well as 19 state Senate seats and all 100 of the state House seats.
Kentucky allows voters to register online and update their current registration here.
Nebraska
The deadline for voter registration in Nebraska is April 30, which is fairly generous since the primary election will be held on May 15. General election voters will have until Oct. 19 to fill out voter registration forms.
There is one U.S. Senate seat up for grabs in Nebraska, as well as three U.S. House of Representatives seats on the ballot. Residents will also vote for their governor and 24 state legislature seats.
Nebraska allows voters to register online and update their current registration here.
North Carolina
Voter registration in North Carolina will end on April 13 in preparation for the May 8 primary election. General election voters will have until October 12 to ensure that their registration is filed.
Residents will vote on 13 U.S. House of Representative seats, as well as their entire state legislature.
North Carolina voter registration forms can be printed out here.
Ohio
Ohio’s deadline for voter registration is April 9, a month before the May 8 primary election.
Residents will vote one U.S. senator into office as well as 16 representatives for the U.S. House. Voters will also have to decide on their state governor, 17 state Senate seats and all 99 of their state House representatives.
Ohio allows voters to register and update their current registration here.
Oregon
Voters in Oregon are required to register by April 24 in order to participate in the state’s primaries, which are held on May 15. Residents have until Oct. 16 to register for the state’s general election in November.
There are five open U.S. House of Representative seats to be decided on. The governor’s office, 16 state Senate positions and 60 state House seats are also open.
Oregon allows voters to register and update their current registration here.
Pennsylvania
State primaries will take place in Pennsylvania on May 15, so all residents who want to take part in the election have to register to vote by April 16.
This year’s primaries are especially vital for Pennslyvania since the state Supreme court forced officials to redraw the state’s congressional map. Judges agreed in a 5-2 decision this January that the previous map, drawn by state Republicans, “clearly, plainly and palpably” violated the state’s constitution to give the GOP an electoral advantage.
Pennslyvania voters will have to decide on one U.S. Senate seat and all 18 of the state’s U.S. House of Representative seats. Democrat Conor Lamb, who inched out a win in the state’s 18th congressional district in March’s special election, will be running for the House again in the newly drawn 17th district.
In addition to electing their federal representatives, residents will elect a governor, 25 of their state Senate seats and all 203 of their state House seats.
Pennslyvania allows voters to register and update their current registration here.
West Virginia
The deadline to register to vote in West Virginia’s state primaries is April 17, though residents have until Oct. 16 to sign up for the general election.
Voters will decide on one U.S. Senate seat and three U.S. House of Representative spots. There are also 17 state Senate seats up for grabs, and all 67 districts will have state House of Delegates seats on the ballot this year.
Another important note for West Virginia voters is that the state’s new voter identification law went into effect at the beginning of the year. While all voters should have been mailed a voter ID card, there are several forms of identification that will suffice.
Voters who fail to bring an acceptable ID will still be able to cast a provisional ballot, a spokesperson for the West Virginia Secretary of State office told HuffPost.
West Virginia allows voters to register and update their current registration here.
Before You Go
