🚨 Your 2026 Primary and Midterm Election Guide: Calendar, Activist Links, and Donation Links 🚨

[Wednesdays]

This discussion thread is pinned.

Last edited Mon Feb 9, 2026, 08:35 PM - Edit history (19)

Image: "Registering to vote is complicated? False. It takes 2 minutes using Rock the Vote's online voter registration tool."
https://www.rockthevote.org/how-to-vote/register-to-vote/?source=register


Here's important information and links for the 2026 election season. This is a “work in progress” and I'll be updating frequently until General Election Day, so be sure to check back often!

Please let me know if there are any broken links, or any incorrect or incomplete information, and I will make the necessary corrections.

Note – if you do anything by mail, be sure to mail things in WELL IN ADVANCE. I personally would recommend at least 10 days, especially for submitting absentee ballots. Remember, we’re still dealing with DeJoy’s postal system! (DeJoy himself might be gone, but his postal complex is still in place.)


Donation Sites

Click here to go to ActBlue and donate to Democrats:
https://www.forwardblue.org/

Omaha Steve’s post about DU Act Blue 2026 fundraisers for congress, etc.:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100218885532

A caveat: ActBlue keeps a small percentage of your donation. So if you want a candidate or entity to have all of your donation, write a check to the candidate directly.


Activist Sites

Democratic Freedom Caucus Guide For Activists:
https://www.democraticfreedomcaucus.org/guide-for-activists/

Indivisible, for protests and activism:
https://indivisible.org/

Swing Left Dot Org
https://swingleft.org/statements/3-to-win

ACLU Activism
https://www.aclu.org/action

10 Crucial Things You Can Do This Year -- by Robert Reich
https://robertreich.substack.com/p/what-you-can-do-in-2026?utm_medium=email

Things you can do other than voting or protesting (thanks to WhiskyGrinder for this):
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OSWxykA1WHOi0vTPLAJDaCeVhR3uSfh7PhlCj4t4yT0/edit?tab=t.0


Voting Information

In Arizona you’re required to provide a birth certificate (or passport) in order to register to vote in state elections, so if that affects you, be sure to act on it early. hlthe2b’s thread about how doing so can be quite costly!
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220668602

ACLU's Voting Rights Page:
https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/voting-rights


2026 Election Calendar
Note: voting calendar dates for states are general guidelines, and the dates can vary for particular jurisdictions. For precise dates, call your local election office or visit their website. You can find the contact information here:
https://www.usvotefoundation.org/election-offices


Today
Illinois state primary: early voting continues through March 16. Details here:
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/illinois-early-voting-2026-primary-election

Thursday, February 12
North Carolina state primary in-person early voting begins through Feb. 28. For locations and precise dates and times:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/One-Stop_Early_Voting/2026/Early_Voting_Site_List_March_2026.pdf

Monday, February 16
Washington’s Birthday
Arkansas state primary early voting begins through March 2.

Tuesday, February 17
Georgia-14 special election: early voting begins through March 6.
Texas primary early voting begins through Feb. 27.

Friday, February 27
Texas primary early voting ends

Saturday, February 28
North Carolina state primary in-person early voting ends 3 p.m.

Monday, March 2
Arkansas state primary early voting ends

Tuesday, March 3
Arkansas state primary
North Carolina state primary
Texas state primary

Friday, March 6
Georgia-14 special election: early voting ends

Sunday, March 8
Daylight Saving Time begins

Tuesday, March 10
Georgia-14: special election to fill Marjorie Taylor Greene's seat (if necessary, run-off on April 7)
Mississippi state primary

Monday, March 16
Illinois state primary early voting ends

Tuesday, March 17
Illinois state primary

Saturday, March 28
"No Kings" protests nationwide
Info and sign-up here: https://www.nokings.org/
More info here: https://indivisible.actionkit.com/mailings/view/123716

Monday, April 6
New Jersey special election in-person absentee voting begins 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. (10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday). For locations:
https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/vote-early-voting.shtml

Ohio state primary voter registration deadline

Tuesday, April 7
Indiana state primary early voting begins
Ohio state primary in-person absentee voting begins

Sunday, April 12
Nebraska state primary early voting begins

Tuesday, April 14
New Jersey special election in-person absentee voting ends

Thursday, April 16
New Jersey-11 special election

Friday, April 17
South Dakota state primary in-person absentee voting begins

Monday, April 27
Georgia state primary early voting begins

Wednesday, April 29
West Virginia state primary early voting begins

Saturday, May 2
Louisiana state primary early voting begins
Virginia state primary in-person absentee voting begins

Sunday, May 3
Montana state primary in-person absentee voting begins

Monday, May 4
California state primary early voting begins (varies by county)
Idaho state primary early voting begins (varies by county)
Indiana state primary early voting ends

Tuesday, May 5
Indiana state primary
New Mexico state primary early voting begins
Ohio state primary

Saturday, May 9
Louisiana state primary early voting ends
West Virginia state primary early voting ends

Sunday, May 10
Maine state primary in-person absentee voting begins

Monday, May 11
Nebraska state primary early voting ends

Tuesday, May 12
Nebraska state primary
West Virginia state primary

Wednesday, May 13
Iowa state primary in-person absentee voting begins

Thursday, May 14
Kentucky state primary early voting begins

Friday, May 15
Georgia state primary early voting ends
Idaho state primary early voting ends (varies by county)

Saturday, May 16
Kentucky state primary early voting ends
Louisiana state primary

Tuesday, May 19
Alabama state primary
Georgia state primary
Idaho state primary
Kentucky state primary
Oregon state primary
Pennsylvania state primary

Saturday, May 23
Nevada state primary early voting begins

Monday, May 25
Memorial Day

Tuesday, May 26
New Jersey state primary early voting begins
North Dakota state primary early voting begins
South Carolina state primary early voting begins thru June 5, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. (closed weekends)

Saturday, May 30
New Mexico early voting ends

Sunday, May 31
New Jersey state primary early voting ends

Monday, June 1
California state primary early voting ends
Iowa state primary in-person absentee voting ends
Montana state primary in-person absentee voting ends 12 p.m.
South Dakota state primary in-person absentee voting ends 5 p.m.

Tuesday, June 2
California state primary, including 1st District special election primary (pre-prop 50 district boundaries)
Iowa state primary
Montana state primary
New Jersey state primary
New Mexico state primary
South Dakota state primary

Thursday, June 4
Maine state primary in-person absentee voting ends

Friday, June 5
Nevada state primary early voting ends

Monday, June 8
North Dakota state primary early voting ends

Tuesday, June 9
Maine state primary
Nevada state primary
North Dakota state primary
South Carolina state primary
Utah state primary early voting begins

Thursday, June 11
Maryland state primary early voting begins
Oklahoma state primary early voting begins

Saturday, June 13
New York state primary early voting begins
Oklahoma state primary early voting ends 2 p.m.
Virginia state primary in-person absentee voting ends 5 p.m.

Tuesday, June 16
Oklahoma state primary
Virginia state primary

Thursday, June 18
Maryland state primary early voting ends

Friday, June 19
Juneteenth National Independence Day
Utah state primary early voting ends

Sunday, June 21
New York state primary early voting ends

Tuesday, June 23
Maryland state primary
New York state primary
Utah state primary

Friday, June 26
Minnesota state primary in-person absentee voting begins

Saturday, June 27
Vermont state primary early voting begins

Tuesday, June 30
Colorado state primary

Friday, July 3
Independence Day Federal Holiday

Saturday, July 4
Independence Day 250th Anniversary

Monday, July 6
California 1st District Special Election early voting begins

Wednesday, July 8
Arizona state primary early voting begins

Wednesday, July 15
Kansas state primary early voting begins (some locations)

Friday, July 17
Tennessee state primary early voting begins
Washington state primary early voting begins

Tuesday, July 21
Missouri state primary in-person absentee voting begins (photo ID required)
Wyoming state in-person absentee early voting begins

Saturday, July 25
Michigan state primary early voting begins

Tuesday, July 28
Kansas state primary early voting begins (all locations; end date varies by county)
Wisconsin state primary early voting begins

Friday, July 31
Arizona state primary early voting ends

Saturday, August 1
Tennessee state primary early voting ends

Sunday, August 2
Michigan state primary early voting ends

Monday, August 3
Alaska state primary early voting begins
California 1st District Special Election early voting ends
Missouri state primary in-person absentee voting ends (photo ID required)
Washington state primary early voting ends

Tuesday, August 4
California 1st District Special Election (pre-prop 50 district boundaries)
Arizona state primary
Kansas state primary
Michigan state primary
Missouri state primary
Washington state primary

Thursday, August 6
Tennessee state primary

Saturday, August 8
Florida state primary early voting begins
Hawaii state primary

Sunday, August 9
Wisconsin state primary early voting ends

Monday, August 10
Minnesota state primary in-person absentee voting ends
Vermont state primary early voting ends

Tuesday, August 11
Connecticut state primary
Minnesota state primary
Vermont state primary
Wisconsin state primary

Saturday, August 15
Florida state primary early voting ends

Monday, August 17
Wyoming in-person absentee voting ends

Tuesday, August 18
Alaska state primary
Florida state primary
Wyoming state primary

Wednesday, August 19
Rhode Island state primary early voting begins

Saturday, August 22
Massachusetts state primary early voting begins

Friday, August 28
Massachusetts state primary early voting ends

Tuesday, September 1
Massachusetts state primary

Saturday, September 5
Delaware state primary early voting begins

Monday, September 7
Labor Day
Rhode Island state primary early voting ends

Tuesday, September 8
New Hampshire state primary
Rhode Island state primary

Sunday, September 13
Delaware state primary early voting ends

Tuesday, September 15
Delaware state primary

End of primary season

Friday, September 18
Minnesota in-person absentee voting begins
South Dakota in-person absentee voting begins

Saturday, September 19
Mississippi in-person absentee voting begins
Vermont early voting begins
Virginia in-person absentee voting begins

Thursday, September 24
Illinois early voting begins

Sunday, October 4
Maine in-person absentee voting begins
Montana in-person absentee voting begins
Nebraska early voting begins

Monday, October 5
California early voting begins
Ohio voter registration deadline

Tuesday, October 6
Indiana early voting begins
New Mexico early voting begins
Ohio in-person absentee voting begins
Wyoming in-person absentee voting begins

Wednesday, October 7
Arizona early voting begins

Monday, October 12
Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples' Day

Wednesday, October 14
Georgia early voting begins
Iowa in-person absentee voting begins
Kansas early voting begins (select locations)
Tennessee early voting begins

Friday, October 16
North Carolina early voting begins
Washington early voting begins

Saturday, October 17
Massachusetts early voting begins
Nevada early voting begins
Texas early voting begins

Monday, October 19
Alaska early voting begins
Arkansas early voting begins
Colorado early voting begins
Connecticut early voting begins
Idaho early voting begins (varies by county)
North Dakota early voting begins
South Carolina early voting begins thru Oct. 31, 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. (closed Sunday)

Tuesday, October 20
Louisiana early voting begins
Missouri in-person absentee voting begins (photo ID required)
Utah early voting begins
Wisconsin early voting begins

Wednesday, October 21
West Virginia early voting begins

Thursday, October 22
D.C. early voting begins
Maryland early voting begins

Saturday, October 24
Delaware early voting begins
Florida early voting begins
New Jersey early voting begins
New York early voting begins

Tuesday, October 27
Kansas early voting begins (all locations; end dates vary by county)
Louisiana early voting ends

Wednesday, October 28
Oklahoma early voting begins

Thursday, October 29
Kentucky early voting begins
Maine in-person absentee voting ends
Maryland early voting ends
Tennessee early voting ends

Friday, October 30
Arizona early voting ends
Georgia early voting ends
Idaho early voting ends
Massachusetts early voting ends
Nevada early voting ends
Texas early voting ends
Utah early voting ends

Saturday, October 31
Kentucky early voting ends
Mississippi in-person absentee voting ends 12 p.m.
New Mexico early voting ends
North Carolina early voting ends
Oklahoma early voting ends 2 p.m.
South Carolina early voting ends
Virginia in-person absentee voting ends 5 p.m.
West Virginia early voting ends

Sunday, November 1
Daylight Saving Time ends
Connecticut early voting ends
Delaware early voting ends
Michigan early voting ends
New Jersey early voting ends
New York early voting ends
Wisconsin early voting ends

Monday, November 2
Arkansas early voting ends
California early voting ends
Illinois early voting ends
Indiana early voting ends
Iowa in-person absentee voting ends
Kansas early voting ends (all locations)
Minnesota in-person absentee voting ends
Missouri in-person absentee voting ends (photo ID required)
Montana in-person absentee voting ends 12 p.m.
Nebraska early voting ends
North Dakota early voting ends
South Dakota in-person absentee voting ends 5 p.m.
Vermont early voting ends
Washington early voting ends
Wyoming in-person absentee voting ends

Tuesday, November 3
General Election Day


Again, to find the exact dates for elections in your area, contact your local election office. The contact information can be found here:
https://www.usvotefoundation.org/election-offices


"Flip the House!" (38 GOP-held seats considered vulnerable to Democrats on Reddit)

[democrank]

1. Kicking with enthusiasm!

Thank you so much for posting this important information. I appreciate it.

[2naSalit]

2. K&R

[malaise]

3. Yeah

Spread far and wide

[Cha]

4. Hey Cool.. you have it Pinned,,

Mahalo, Wednesdays!

[malaise]

5. Spread this too

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220943730#post4

[niyad]

6. KNR and bookmarking

[bigtree]

7. k&r

[Lydia1]

8. Staying Engaged in 2026: Primary Election Dates, Activism, and Donations

This is a really helpful roundup—thanks for putting it together. Having the primary election calendar, along with direct activist and donation links, makes it much easier for people to stay informed and actually take action instead of just reading headlines. Resources like this are especially useful for first-time voters or anyone trying to get more involved locally. Bookmarked for reference

[KS Toronado]

9. Welcome to DU !

[TBF]

10. There's a lot going on -

like ACLU's big call tonight at 8 eastern; and I'm sure Indivisible is having calls this week (you can probably get details w/a google search - I reposted the ACLU on Bluesky this am). People have had more than enough of this Nazi regime. Welcome to DU!

[LetMyPeopleVote]

11. Welcome to DU

[artemisia1]

12. Welcome to DU!

[Filla22]

13. Your 2026 Primary Election Guide: Calendar, Activist Links, and Donation Links

“Thanks for putting this together! Super helpful to see all the dates and links in one place. Definitely going to make sure I register early and plan ahead for mail-in ballots.”

[KS Toronado]

14. "register early" ? Are you a first time voter?

And welcome to DU !

[LetMyPeopleVote]

15. Welcome to DU

[malaise]

17. Adding this ad

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220982377#post2

[CrispyQ]

18. Thank you for this great thread!

Does anyone know, if the Senate were to pass the SAVE act in the next few months, would the midterms be affected?

Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act (H.R. 22 / S. 128 in the 119th Congress, 2025-2026)

https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-save-act-overview-and-facts/

snip...

Quick summary

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act would require all American citizens registering to vote or updating their registration information to present documentary proof of citizenship in person. For the vast majority of Americans, this would be a passport or birth certificate.

Government-issued driver’s licenses—including REAL IDs—as well as military or tribal IDs do not satisfy the bill’s requirements.

The legislation would invert the responsibility to verify a person’s eligibility and citizenship status from election officials and the government onto every single American citizen, making citizens convince the government that they’re eligible to exercise their right to vote.

The SAVE Act would change the way all citizens register to vote upon enactment. It would upend online voter registration, make it impossible to mail in a registration application, and eliminate voter registration drives.

Wasn't Real ID a fed program & now it's not good enough?

[Tempus Fugit]

20. Nice Directory! Any chance it could be modified to include the the CA-01 special election?

Dates for the upcoming CA-01 special election:

Primary: June 2
General: August 4

Boundaries are pre-Prop 50.

[Tempus Fugit]

21. Thanks and Additional Updates

Thanks to OP for including my information.

Arizona’s primaries will now be on July 21, as Katie Hobbs signed a bill on Friday to change the primary date from the First Tuesday in August.

https://elections.maricopa.gov/news-and-information/elections-news/primary-election-dates-262026.html