Disclaimer

1. Scope of the Site

board-of-elections.org/ publishes editorial guides to U.S. state election authorities — Secretaries of State, State Boards of Elections, Election Commissions, and Department of State Divisions of Elections — plus the federal layer (EAC, FEC, DOJ Voting Section, CISA, FVAP, NASS, NASED, ERIC). It does not provide election services, voter registration services, ballot administration, vote counting, certification, or any other state or local election function.

2. Nonpartisan Position

board-of-elections.org/ is nonpartisan. We do not endorse candidates, parties, or political committees. We do not advocate for or against any specific election rule. We do not characterise election rules as fair or unfair, restrictive or permissive — we describe what state law says. Editorial staff are not permitted to use the site for political advocacy. We do not accept advertising from candidates, parties, political committees, ballot measure committees, lobbying organisations, or dark-money groups.

3. Not Legal Advice (Repeated)

Nothing on the site is legal advice. Information about voter eligibility, voter ID rules, ballot deadlines, voter list maintenance, recount procedures, election contest filings, candidate qualification, and similar topics is general informational background. For any legal question, consult a licensed attorney in the relevant state.

4. Not a Consumer Reporting Agency (FCRA Position)

board-of-elections.org/ is not a Consumer Reporting Agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq.). We do not assemble, evaluate, or sell consumer reports. We do not provide reports for employment, credit, insurance, or tenant-screening purposes. If you need an FCRA-compliant report for any purpose, use a licensed CRA.

5. We Do Not Adjudicate Election Integrity Claims

If you believe an election was conducted improperly, that voter fraud occurred, that voter intimidation took place, that ballots were mishandled, or that any election rule was violated, board-of-elections.org/ is not the place to take that concern. We are an editorial directory and we do not have investigative authority, fact-finding authority, or adjudicative authority over any election matter. We will not characterise specific claims as true or false. The right channels are:

6. Voter ID Rules Vary State-by-State and Change

1. State law governs. Voter ID requirements are set by state law and change. Some states require strict photo ID; some require photo ID with non-photo alternatives; some accept non-photo ID; some require no document at the polls beyond the registration record; some have ID requirements only for first-time voters who registered by mail.
2. Litigation is ongoing. State voter ID rules are routinely challenged in court — federal and state — and rules can change between an election cycle and the next. Where a recent decision has materially changed the rule, we update the state page.
3. Affidavit and exception procedures vary. Many states allow a voter without acceptable ID to cast a provisional ballot or sign an affidavit; cure procedures and deadlines for proving identity post-election vary.
4. The state election authority controls. If you have any doubt about what ID to bring, call your state election authority or county election office. Election Protection at 1-866-OUR-VOTE can also confirm.

7. Mail-In and Absentee Voting — State-by-State Variability

1. “No-excuse” vs. “excuse-required” frameworks. Most states permit any registered voter to request an absentee or mail-in ballot without giving a reason. A smaller and changing group of states require an excuse (illness, absence, age 65+, military, etc.).
2. Deadlines vary. Mail-in ballot request deadlines, postmark vs. receipt deadlines, and ballot-tracking workflows vary widely by state and have been the subject of recent litigation.
3. Drop box rules vary. Drop box availability, locations, and rules are state-specific. Some states use them widely; others restrict or prohibit them.
4. Signature verification and cure. States that verify signatures on mail-in ballots have varying cure procedures — the time you have to fix a rejected signature can be days or weeks, depending on the state.
5. Universal mail-in states. A small number of states conduct elections almost entirely by mail (e.g., Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Utah, Hawaii, Vermont, California has expanded universal mail-in for many elections, and Nevada has implemented all-mail). Rules in those states are different from request-based mail-in states.

8. Voter Registration Deadlines

Voter registration deadlines are state-specific and vary by election type. Many states allow same-day registration at the polls; others close registration 15, 21, 28, or 30 days before an election. Online and mail registration deadlines may differ from in-person. The National Voter Registration Act (52 U.S.C. § 20501 et seq., “Motor Voter”) sets a federal floor of 30 days before federal elections for states that maintain pre-registration. Always confirm with your state election authority.

9. Provisional Ballots

The Help America Vote Act (52 U.S.C. § 20901 et seq.) requires every state to offer provisional ballots in federal elections when a voter’s eligibility is in question at the polls. Whether and how a provisional ballot is ultimately counted depends on state law (with HAVA setting a federal floor). Cure deadlines and notification rules vary. If you cast a provisional ballot, follow your state’s tracking process to confirm it was counted, and contact the county election office or Election Protection if it was not.

10. Recount and Election Contest Procedures

Recount thresholds (automatic vs. requested), petition windows, costs to petitioning candidates, and election contest procedures are all state-specific. Election contests are typically heard in state court under state law. We describe state recount thresholds where the state authority publishes them; we do not advise on whether to seek a recount or contest. Consult an election-law attorney.

11. Military and Overseas Voters — UOCAVA

The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA, 52 U.S.C. § 20301 et seq.) and the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act (MOVE Act, 2009) govern military and overseas voter registration and absentee voting. The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP at fvap.gov) is the DoD program that supports UOCAVA voters. The Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) registers a UOCAVA voter and requests a ballot in one form. The Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) is a backup ballot if the state ballot does not arrive on time. UOCAVA-related questions go to FVAP, not to us.

12. HAVA Complaints — Route to State Authority

The Help America Vote Act of 2002 requires every state to maintain an administrative complaint procedure for HAVA-related complaints (52 U.S.C. § 21112). The first stop for most HAVA complaints is the state election authority’s HAVA complaint process — every state page lists the contact. The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (eac.gov) coordinates federally. The U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division enforces HAVA’s voting-rights provisions.

13. Campaign Finance — Federal vs. State Routing

Federal candidate, party, and PAC campaign finance is regulated by the Federal Election Commission (fec.gov). State-level candidate, party, and ballot-measure campaign finance is regulated by a state campaign finance regulator (Secretary of State, separate Election Commission, Ethics Commission, or Public Disclosure Commission depending on the state). Each state page lists the campaign finance regulator. Lobbyist registration is typically state-level under a separate framework.

14. Third-Party Content and Links

The site links extensively to state and federal agencies and to nonpartisan voter assistance resources. We do not control those sites and are not responsible for their content, availability, accuracy, or privacy practices. A link does not imply endorsement.

15. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, board-of-elections.org/ and its operators, editors, and contributors are not liable for any indirect, consequential, special, incidental, or punitive damages arising from your use of the site or your reliance on any content. Aggregate liability is capped at $100. See Terms of Service for the full liability framework, including the Delaware governing-law and AAA arbitration provisions.