While voter registration deadlines have already passed across much of the country, voters in 21 states and Washington, D.C., can still register and cast a ballot on Election Day. The last-minute chance to register to vote comes amid a closely watched midterm election, the results of which will determine which party controls Congress. Republicans are defending narrow House and Senate majorities, while Democrats are optimistic that competitive races could lead to flipping control of both chambers in their favor.
Democrats need a net gain of four seats to win control of the Senate and a net gain of three seats to win control of the House. There are also several competitive gubernatorial races. Early voter turnout has already been high, breaking records in some states.
While most states require voters to register days or weeks before an election, 21 states and Washington, D.C., give eligible residents a last-minute opportunity to participate by allowing Election Day registration. Supporters of last-minute registrations say it can help boost participation by capturing voters who recently moved, missed registration deadlines or became newly interested in an election. Critics have argued it can place additional strain on election administration.
"While same-day registration tends to help certain voter groups more, including young and low-income voters and frequent movers, most studies find that the reform does not generally favor one major party over the other," Northeastern University political science professor Costas Panagopoulos told Newsweek on Tuesday. "Voters in both parties take advantage of it." The states that allow same-day voter registration during a midterm election are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Washington, D.C., also allows same-day voter registration.
Alaska and Rhode Island permit same-day registration only in presidential elections, when late registrants may cast ballots for the president and vice president but not other offices. Several of these states are home to competitive Senate races this election cycle, such as Iowa, Maine and Michigan. Representative Ashley Hinson, a Republican, and Democrat state representative Josh Turek are vying for Iowa’s Senate seat vacated when Republican Joni Ernst chose not to run for reelection.
Iowa has not elected a Democratic senator since 2008, but polls have shown a neck-and-neck race in a state where the economy and access to affordable health care are at the top of many voters' minds. Republican Senator Susan Collins is defending her seat against Democratic former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson in a state Trump has lost three times, making the race a key Democratic pickup opportunity despite Collins' long-standing reputation as a moderate and her ability to win in the left-leaning state. Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican former Representative Mike Rogers are locked in a closely contested race for an open seat in Michigan after Democratic Senator Gary Peters decided not to run for reelection.
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