The deadlines vary from state to state. Your registration deadline may be 30 days before the day of the primary, or you may you may be able to register the day you vote.

Click here for your state’s information.

Traditionally Iowa holds the first caucus, which is then followed by the New Hampshire primary. Some have argued that this gives those two states an unfair advantage in determining which candidates will continue their campaign. Since there are few formal rules regarding the primaries, most of the dates are chosen out of tradition.

Click here for your state’s primary/caucus date.

Constitution Party:www.constitutionparty.com
Democratic Party:www.democrats.org
Green Party:www.gp.org
Independent American Party:www.usiap.org
Libertarian Party:www.lp.org
Reform Party:www.reformparty.org
Republican Party (Grand Old Party):www.gop.com

The 2012 Presidential Election will take place on November 6, 2012.

Your polling place is determined by your address. After you’ve registered to vote, you will receive a notification in the mail from the elections office. In some states, this notification will be a “voter ID card.” This notice will confirm that you are now a registered voter (congratulations!). The notice may also include information about where your polling place will be, so make sure you hold on to it. In some states, you will receive a “sample ballot” as Election Day nears. This booklet or paper may include your specific polling place for your home address, so you should definitely save it. You may want to mark your “sample ballot” with your voting choices and bring it with you on Election Day.

Polling places can change up until the last minute, so make sure to double-check your polling place online or by phone. Check with your local elections official

(click here to find their contact information).

Every state is slightly different in its Election Day ID requirements. In all cases,you should bring a driver’s license with you just to be on the safe side. (Again, if you don’t have a driver’s license, just contact your local election official listed in the phone book or online to check on other acceptable forms of ID.)

Some states require you to bring a “voter ID” with you. Your “voter ID” card will come to you in the mail after you register to vote. In addition to your “voter ID”you will receive information telling you where your polling place is and what you need to bring with you on Election Day. Also, if you marked your “sample ballot” make sure to bring it with you! It will not only help you remember who and what you want to vote for, but it will save you a ton of time in the voting booth.

This is nothing to worry about! Remember, not all states send out voter cards, so if you don’t receive something in the mail you can always call your state’s office and double check you are registered. Click here to find the contact info for your state’s Secretary of State office. Again, because this card includes your polling place address on it, make sure to double check your polling place the night before the election!

In all states, polling places generally open between 6 and 9 a.m., and they close between 6 and 9 p.m. But each state varies slightly in its polling hours.

Click here to check on your state’s Secretary of State Web site for this information.

All eligible Americans have the right to vote, but the rules for people in the armed forces or abroad are different than people living in the United States. For information about voting abroad, contact the Federal Voting Assistance Program (http://www.fvap.gov or 800-438-VOTE). Also visit the

Overseas Vote Foundation for detailed information on registering and voting overseas.