Most states allow teenagers to pre-register to vote before turning 18

By

Andrew Bahl

While the minimum voting age in the United States is 18, every state with voter registration allows teenagers to pre-register to vote before they blow out the candles on their 18th birthday. North Dakota is the only state that does not have voter registration.

The age at which individuals can pre-register varies from state to state:

  • Ten states allow at least some 17-year-olds to pre-register.
  • Twenty states allow anyone who will be 18 years old at the time of the next election to pre-register.
  • Eighteen states and the District of Columbia allow 16-year-olds to pre-register.
  • Colorado allows 15-year-olds to pre-register. 

In 2024, states reported to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission that more than 1.1 million individuals pre-registered to vote. California had the most pre-registrants, with 244,996.

Individuals who pre-register to vote are not allowed to cast a ballot until they turn 18, except in the states that allow 17-year-olds to vote in primary elections if they will be 18 before the general election.

Supporters of youth pre-registration say that the laws increase voter engagement among young people and reduce logistical hurdles for voter registration.

In 2023, Michigan state Rep. Betsy Coffia (D), who introduced a bill expanding youth pre-registration to 16-year-olds, said the laws were a way to increase interest in politics among teenagers. She said young people “really are looking for ways to become more involved, and so this feels like just another step to smooth that path for them to be all set to go at 18.” Interim East Lansing City Clerk Marie Wicks said pre-registration would “be a huge time saver for us,” as it could prevent long lines at polling places on college campuses.

Opponents of youth pre-registration laws say the laws create administrative challenges.

Michigan Rep. Jay DeBoyer (R) said that because “youth may move between that registration and their first chance to vote, information may frequently be no longer accurate or valid.” North Carolina Sen. Bob Rucho (R), who supported a bill repealing a youth pre-registration law, said it posed logistical problems for election officials and was “way too confusing and way too difficult to administrate.”

Click here to learn more about youth pre-registration across the United States.