Do you need an ID to vote? Maybe not, in these states |
Do you need an ID to vote? Maybe not, in these states
(NEXSTAR) – Found yourself at the polls but don’t have your wallet? Depending on where you live, you may still be able to vote.
In most states, you are going to need a form of identification – the most common being a driver’s license or a voter ID card – before you can cast your ballot.
In others, that isn’t the case.
Here’s what to know before you vote on Election Day.
Which states do not require an ID to vote?
The District of Columbia and 12 states do not require voters to show identification before casting their ballot.
As of Oct. 2026, those states include California, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont.
Generally speaking, as long as residents of the above states are registered to vote and have voted at their polling place before, they won’t need to show an ID.
If they are registering to vote, they do have to submit at least one form of identification when registering to vote. First-time voters will likely need to provide identification to a poll worker before they can cast a ballot, even if they registered before Election Day.
What qualifies as identification, and how many forms of identification you need to provide, can vary. In DC, for example, you can use a valid driver’s license, a student tuition bill, or a residential lease. Local election officials do recommend that DC........