With the Iowa Caucus only a week away, it’s time to start thinking about making your voice heard. Youth voter turnout is historically and disappointingly low in presidential elections and primaries. Maybe it’s because we don’t believe political issues affect us, even though we are perhaps even more deeply affected by this race’s front-line economic and social issues (tuition has increased 234 percent since 1993 while the overall inflation rate is around 63 percent). Maybe it’s because we don’t believe our vote will make a difference, even though the 2012 presidential election only saw a 38.0 percent turnout of voters aged 18-24, suggesting that the silencing of our opinions results from our voluntary non-participation in the electoral process.

Or maybe, just maybe, voting when you’re at school is a little too complicated—after all, the system isn’t making it any easier for us, as at least 22 states passed laws between 2010 and 2014 that make voting more difficult. But honestly, the best way to incite the change you want to see is to enact it yourself. It’s probably a little too late to run for president at this point (and we’re all a little too young), so you may as well participate in the selection process, which is the next best option (and if you don’t, can you really take to Twitter to lament the man or woman who does become or next president?).

Luckily for you, Student Life is here to provide you with explicit instructions on exactly how to vote, regardless of the state you are registered in (and if you aren’t registered to vote, you really should do that now, and some of you can even do it online). If you choose not to exercise a right that millions of people around the world don’t have, that’s your prerogative, but you are not allowed to say that you simply didn’t know how. Here’s some handy details and instructions on how and when to cast your vote depending on the state you’re registered in and details about your state’s primary/caucus (some are during Wash. U.’s spring break, so if you’re planning on going home at all, you may not even have to worry about an absentee ballot).

Keep in mind that, if you haven’t registered yet (again, do that now), you can either register to vote in Missouri or your home state.

Most states need to receive your application for an absentee ballot a certain number of days before election day—you want to allow enough time to meet the application deadline, receive your ballot, and send your ballot by the absentee voting deadline as well—so make sure you look up the specifics for absentee voting for your state. A good place to start is the website for the Brennan Center for Justice’s Student Voting guide. You can also find information for early in-person voting on the site, if your state offers it.

A closed primary is one that is only open to registered members of that party (so if you are not registered as a Democrat or a Republican, you cannot participate in those respective primaries). A mixed primary is open to everybody, so independents can choose which primary to participate in, but registered Republicans and Democrats must participate in their own primaries (so a Republican cannot participate in the Democratic primary and vice versa). An open primary is open to everybody regardless of registered political affiliation.

We’ve compiled the necessary steps to register for an absentee ballot for all fifty states. States with primaries that take place during Wash. U.’s spring break are marked with an asterisk.

Alabama

March 1, open

Can apply for your ballot by mail. Ballot must be received by noon on election day, along with a photocopy of approved ID and an affidavit signed by two witnesses over age 18.

Alaska

Republican, March 1, closed; Democrat, March 26, closed

Can apply for your ballot online and submit your ballot online. Mailed ballot must be postmarked on or before election day and received within 10 days after the election. Also offers early voting.

Arizona

March 22, closed

Can apply for your ballot in person, by phone, by fax, by email or online. Mailed ballot must be received by 7 p.m. on election day, along with a photocopy of approved ID and a certificate signed by you and a witness over age 18. Also offers early voting by absentee ballot.

Arkansas

March 1, open

Can apply for your ballot by mail, email or fax. Mailed ballot must be received by 7:30 p.m. on election day. Also offers early in-person voting 15 days before election day. Also offers early voting.

California

June 7, mixed

Can apply for your ballot by mail or phone. Mailed ballot must be received by the end of polling on election day, so mail in at least one business day before. Some counties also offer early voting.

Colorado

March 1, closed

Mail ballots are sent to all active registered voters, but, if this is your first time voting, it may be a good idea to call your county clerk. Mailed ballot must be received by 7 p.m. on election day.

Connecticut, Delaware

April 26, closed

Can apply for your ballot by mail. If you are voting for the first time, you have to send in a photocopy of an approved ID with your ballot by the close of polls on election day.

Florida*

March 15, closed

Can apply for your ballot by mail, phone or online in some counties. Mailed ballot must be received by 7 p.m. on election day. Also offers early voting.

Georgia

March 1, open

Can request your ballot by email. If you are voting for the first time, you may have to send in a photocopy of an approved ID with your ballot by the close of polls on election day. Also offers early voting.

Hawaii

Republican, March 8, closed; Democrat, March 26, closed

Can apply for your ballot by mail. Mailed ballot must be received by the close of polls on election day. Also offers early voting.

Idaho

Republican, March 8, closed; Democrat, March 22, closed

Can apply for your ballot by mail or fax. Mailed ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on election day. Also offers early voting.

Illinois*

March 15, open

Can apply for your ballot by mail, though some counties allow you to apply online. Mailed ballots must be postmarked by midnight the day before the election and received within 14 days after the election. Also offers early voting.

Indiana

May 3, open

Can apply for your ballot by mail. If you are a first-time voter, you may have to include proof of address, which must be received with your mailed ballot by the close of polls on election day (or a family member can deliver it for you).
Also offers early voting.

Iowa

Arguably the most important caucus, Feb. 1, closed

If you have the opportunity to vote in Iowa, you really should. You need to apply for your ballot by mail now. As soon as you get your ballot, it needs to be received by the close of polls on election day or be postmarked by the day before election day and received by the Monday morning after the election. Also offers early voting (but do that now).

Kansas

March 5, closed

Can apply for your ballot by mail. Ballot must be received by the close of polls on election day. Must provide your Kansas Driver’s License/ID number or a photocopy of approved ID with your application. Also offers early voting.

Kentucky

Republican, March 5, closed; Democrat, May 17, closed

Can apply for your ballot by email, fax or phone. Ballot must be received by the close of polls on election day. Also offers early voting.

Louisiana

March 5, closed

Can apply for your ballot by mail or online. Ballot must be received before 4:30 p.m. the day before election day. You may have to send additional identification if you initially registered by mail; contact your parish elections office for more information. Also offers early voting.

Maine

Republican, March 5, closed; Democrat, March 6, closed

Can apply for your ballot by mail. Ballot must be received before the close of polls on election day. Also offers early voting, but it’s complicated.

Maryland

April 26, closed

Can apply for your ballot by mail, fax or online (if you have a Maryland ID). The deadlines for application change depending on the method through which you apply for a ballot. Ballot must be received before the close of polls on election day or it must be postmarked on/before election day and received by 10 a.m. on the second Friday after election day. Also offers early voting.

Massachusetts

March 1, mixed

Can apply for your ballot by mail. Ballot must be received before the close of polls on election day.

Michigan

March 8, open

If you are a first-time voter who registered by mail, then you must vote in person (if you applied in person, you’re fine). Can apply for your ballot by mail. Ballot must be received before the close of polls on election day.

Minnesota

March 1, open

Can apply for your ballot online, by email, fax or mail. Ballot must be received by election day, unless you get another person to submit it for you by 3 p.m. on election day. Also offers early voting by absentee ballot.

Mississippi

March 8, open

Can apply for your ballot by mail, but the application must be notarized. Ballot (which also must be notarized) must be received by 5 p.m. the day before the election.

Missouri*

March 15, open

You can, of course, apply in person. If for some reason you aren’t in Missouri/your county on election day, you can apply for your ballot by mail, fax or in-person. Ballot must be received by the close of polls on election day.

Montana

June 7, open

Can apply for your ballot by mail. Ballot must be received before 8 p.m. on election day. If you are a first-time voter, you must include a photocopy of approved ID. Also offers early voting by absentee ballot.

Nebraska

Democrat, March 5, closed; Republican, May 10, closed

Can apply for your ballot by mail or fax. Ballot must be received by the close of polls on election day. Also offers early voting.

Nevada

Democrat, Feb. 20, closed; Republican, Feb. 23, closed

Can apply for your ballot by mail. Ballot must be received by the close of polls on election day. If you’re voting for the first time, you must include a photocopy of approved ID. Also offers early voting.

New Hampshire

Arguably the most important primary, Feb. 9, mixed

You can apply for your ballot by mail or fax right now. You can include a registration application with your absentee ballot application if you haven’t registered yet with a photocopy of approved ID. Once you get your ballot, you need to mail it back in right away so it’s received by 5 p.m. on election day.

New Jersey

June 7, mixed

Can apply for your ballot by mail. Ballot must be received by the close of polls on election day.

New Mexico

June 7, closed

Can apply for your ballot by mail. Ballot must be received by 7 p.m. on election day. If you registered to vote by mail and this is your first time voting, you must submit a photocopy of approved ID with your ballot. Also offers early voting.

New York

April 19, closed

Can apply for your ballot by mail. Ballot must be postmarked by the day before the election and received within seven days after election day.

North Carolina*

March 15, mixed

Can request your ballot by mail, fax or email. Ballot must be signed by two witnesses over age 18 and received by 5 p.m. on election day.
Also offers early voting.

North Dakota

Republican, March 1, closed; Democrat, June 7, closed

Can apply for your ballot by mail, fax or email. Ballot must be received by 4 p.m. on election day. Also offers early voting.

Ohio*

March 15, mixed

Can apply for your ballot by mail. Ballot must be postmarked on the day before the election and received within 10 days after election day. Also offers early voting.

Oklahoma

March 1, closed

Can apply for your ballot by mail or fax. Notarized ballot, along with accompanying affidavit, must be received by 7 p.m. on election day. Also offers early voting.

Oregon

May 17, closed

All Oregon voters vote by mail, so your ballot is automatically mailed to you. If you are out of state, however, you need to contact your clerk with your out-of-state address, and they can get your ballot to you earlier. Ballot must be received by 8 p.m. on election day.

Pennsylvania

April 26, closed

Must apply for your ballot by mail, and you must include approved ID. Ballot must be received by 5 p.m. on the Friday before election day.

Rhode Island

April 26, mixed

Can apply for your ballot by mail. Ballot must be notarized/signed by two witnesses over age 18, and it must be received by 8 p.m. on election day.

South Carolina

Republican, open, Feb. 20; Democrat, open, Feb. 27

Can apply for your ballot by mail, fax or email (in some counties). Ballot, along with an oath signed by you and a witness, must be received by the close of polls on election day.

South Dakota

June 7, closed

Can apply for your ballot by mail. Must notarize the application or include a photocopy of approved ID. Ballot must be received by the close of polls on election day.

Tennessee

March 1, open

You can only vote absentee if you registered to vote in person, or if you are not a first-time voter. If you are a first-time voter and you registered to vote by mail, you cannot vote absentee. You can apply for your ballot by mail or fax. Your ballot must be received by the close of polls on election day. Also offers early voting.

Texas

March 1, open

Can apply for your ballot by mail or phone. Your ballot must be received by the close of polls on election day. All absentee voting is called “early voting” in Texas, but Texas offers in-person early voting as well.

Utah

March 22, closed

Can apply for your ballot by mail or online. If you are a first-time voter, you may have to provide approved ID with your ballot. Your ballot must be postmarked by the day before election day and received before all the ballots are counted. Also offers early voting.

Vermont

March 1, open

Can apply for your ballot by mail or phone or a family member may request one for you. Ballot must be received to your town clerk’s office by the end of the day before the election or to your polling place by 7 p.m. on election day. If you are voting for the first time, you must include approved ID with your ballot. Also offers early voting.

Virginia

March 1, open

Can apply for your ballot by mail. Your ballot, enclosed in an envelope signed by a witness, must be received by the close of polls on election day.

Washington

Democrat, closed, March 26; Republican, closed, May 24

All Washington voters vote by mail, so your ballot is automatically mailed to you. Make sure your registration form is updated with your address 18 days before election day so you receive your ballot at school. Your ballot must be postmarked by election day.

Washington, D.C.

Republican, March 12, closed; Democrat, June 14, closed

Can apply for your ballot by mail or online. Ballot must be postmarked by election day and received within 10 days after election day. Also offers early voting.

West Virginia

May 10, mixed

Can apply for your ballot by mail. Ballot must be postmarked by election day. If this is your first time voting, you may have to provide approved ID with your ballot. Also offers early voting.

Wisconsin

April 5, open

Can apply for your ballot by mail, email or fax. Ballot must be postmarked by election day and received by 4 p.m. the Friday after the election, if mailed through US mail (other carriers have different deadlines). If you registered by mail, you may have to include proof of residency with your ballot. Also offers early voting.

Wyoming

Republican, March 1, closed; Democrat, April 9, closed

Can request your ballot by mail or phone. Ballot must be received by 7 p.m. on election day. If you registered by mail and are voting for the first time, you must include approved ID. Also offers early voting.