The 2024 presidential race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump has reached its endgame, as Election Day has arrived with over 85 million people already voting early. If you’ve already got your plan to vote sorted, you can do even more to prepare yourself before heading out to the polls today by studying the options on your sample ballot online.
Given their heightened stakes and the nationwide attention they draw, presidential races traditionally drive a much higher voter turnout than midterm elections. While the presidential race has garnered the vast majority of the attention this year, most ballots will also include state and local candidates, and often bewildering ballot initiatives that, if approved, would amend a state’s constitution, change a state law or fund a new initiative through a bond. A sample ballot is a great way to research all the choices you’ll be able to make at the polls this year, and it’s a simple process to find it online.
Read on to find out how you can see what’s on the ballot you’ll be handed on Election Day. For more information about planning your vote this year, here’s how to find out if you’re registered to vote.
When is Election Day in 2024?
Election Day is today, Tuesday, Nov. 5. The general election has traditionally been held on the first Tuesday of November since 1845.
Additionally, many states also held early voting periods for those looking to get a head start on the process or anyone who can’t fit a trip to the polls into their weekday plans. The longest of those periods began back in late September, meaning ballots have been flowing in for well over a month now.
What else is on my ballot this year?
Aside from the headline-grabbing presidential race, many states have other federal-level offices up for grabs. These can include Senators, who have six-year term limits, and Representatives, who have two-year term limits and are therefore up for reelection during every presidential and midterm election year.
You might also find state legislature contests, as well as ballot initiatives that allow voters to decide on changes to state policy. Most will feature one or two ballot propositions, but some states, like California, will boast a handful of them, making the ability to find the referendums listed in one place essential for researching their stakes.
Where can I find my sample ballot online?
Sure, you can dig your your stack of mail to find that sample ballot you were sent weeks ago to prepare for how you’ll vote, but many states share sample ballots online. For many states, this is done by county-level officials, but some state-level offices also offer sample ballot services. Here are some of your options depending on where you live.
Alabama lets you find your sample ballot by county and party affiliation.
Alaska doesn’t release sample ballots until 50 or so days before the election, but you can check out Alaska’s ballot measures now.
Arizona does not have a central, statewide sample ballot information page, though certain counties allow you to view what’s on your ballot on their websites. Otherwise, residents can check their address on Ballotpedia.
Arkansas has a VoterViewpage which promotes the ability to see sample ballots, among other information.
California voters can find sample ballots via the official county website where they are registered to vote.
Colorado lets you view your sample ballot on the official secretary of state website.
Connecticut shares sample ballots for major elections on its secretary of state website, but this year’s general election ballots have not yet been posted.
Delaware provides certain election information via a VoterViewpage.
Florida voters can find sample ballots via the official county website where they are registered to vote.
Georgia lets you view a sample ballot on the official state government website.
Hawaii does not currently have sample ballots listed for the 2024 election, but has provided them in the past. Available information can be found using Ballotpedia.
Idaho voters can find sample ballots via the official county website where they are registered to vote.
Illinois voters can find sample ballots via the official county website where they are registered to vote.
Indiana lets you look up your sample ballot via the official state government website.
Iowa voters can find sample ballots via the official county website where they are registered to vote.
Kansas provides certain election information via a VoterView page.
Kentucky offers a list of sample ballots by county, but it has yet to be updated with general election ballots and still only shows 2024 primary information. This will likely update closer to Election Day.
Louisiana offers the ability to view sample ballots online, but general election ballots will not be available until three weeks prior to Election Day.
Maine has shared a variety of spreadsheets online with information about candidates and ballot measures but not in sample ballot form.
Maryland has sample ballots available online by county but refers to them as “proofing ballots.”
Massachusetts provides lists of candidates by party affiliation which you can view by entering the address you’re registered at. These lists, for now, lack a listing for the presidential race.
Michigan lets you view your ballot on its Michigan Voter Information Center site by entering the election you want to view, your county, jurisdiction and precinct, though the 2024 general election ballots are not yet available.
Minnesota lets you check the candidates on your ballot on the Secretary of State‘s webpage by entering your address.
Mississippi voters can find sample ballots via the official county website where they are registered to vote.
Missouri lets voters check their sample ballots through the Secretary of State’s Voter Information Lookuppage.
Montana voters can find sample ballots via the official county website where they are registered to vote.
Nebraska provides sample ballots on its Secretary of State’s 2024 Elections page, though general election ballots might not be available until closer to Election Day.
Nevada voters can find sample ballots via the official county website where they are registered to vote.
New Hampshire lets you look up sample ballots by party on its Secretary of State website, but general election ballots may not be available until closer to Election Day.
New Jersey voters can find sample ballots via the official county website where they are registered to vote, though they may not be available until later in September.
New Mexico lets you look up your sample ballot on its Secretary of State website’s My Registration Information page.
New York voters can find sample ballots via the official county website where they are registered to vote, though availability may vary.
North Carolina lets you look up sample ballots using Voter Search on its State Board of Elections website.
North Dakota lets you look up sample ballots using the My Voting Information page on its Secretary of State website.
Ohio voters can find sample ballots via the official county website where they are registered to vote, and a county directory is available on its Secretary of State website.
Oklahoma provides sample ballot information, and more, on its Voter Portal page.
Oregon provides sample ballot information, and more, on its My Vote website.
Pennsylvania voters can find sample ballots via the official county website where they are registered to vote.
Rhode Island lets you find your sample ballot via the Voter Information Center page on its Secretary of State website.
South Carolina lets you find your sample ballot by filling out its online MyscVotes form.
South Dakota lets your find your sample ballot via its Secretary of State Voter Information Portalsite.
Tennessee shares voting and sample ballot information through its GoVoteTN app.
Texas provides information about the candidates running in the general election on the Secretary of State’s Current Election Information page.
Utah voters can find sample ballots via the official county website where they are registered to vote.
Vermont lets you find your sample ballot by logging into its My Voter Page.
Virginia offers a list of general election candidates on its Department of Elections website, with sample ballots available on county election sites.
Washington voters can find sample ballots via the official county website where they are registered to vote.
West Virginia voters can find sample ballots via the official county website where they are registered to vote, and a county directory is available on the Secretary of State’s website.
Wisconsin lets you look up your sample ballot using a search tool on its official MyVote site.
Wyoming voters can find sample ballots via the official county website where they are registered to vote.
A few nonpartisan websites also collect links to sample ballots, including Ballotpedia’s Sample Ballot Lookuppage and Vote411’s voter guide. These sites, particularly Ballotpedia, will be able to provide you with up-to-date information wherever you are in the country.
Enter your address and Ballotpedia, for example, will provide you with an up-to-date listing of the races and candidates on your precinct’s ballot. This includes a full list of candidates pursuing each office and their party affiliations, as well as a brief summation of any ballot initiatives.
Clicking any candidate’s name will also provide you with a listing of available information about their background, including their past elected offices, careers prior to entering politics, education and religious affiliations, as well as links to their official campaign sites and social media profiles.
For more information about elections this year, find out how to see if you’ve been impacted by voter roll purges and follow the results tonight in key states.
