U.S. Early Voting Timelines Differ From Other Countries

India made headlines for its 44-day election this year, but in other parts of the world, there isn’t the same flexibility.

By Claire Schnatterbeck, an editorial fellow at Foreign Policy.

People stand in line on a sidewalk outside a voting center in the U.S. state of Georgia. A large sandwich-board sign says "Early voting available here" in red and blue lettering.

People wait in line for early voting for the midterm elections in Atlanta, Georgia, on Nov. 4, 2022. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

View Comments ()

While some Americans prepare to head to the polls on Election Day on Nov. 5, others already cast their ballots weeks ago. Each state has a different timeline for in-person early voting, which can range from 46 days before the election in states such as Minnesota to only day-of voting in states such as Alabama.

Number of Days for Early Voting

Number of Days for Early Voting

In other parts of the world, there isn’t the same flexibility. Indonesia holds the title for the largest one-day election, where its 205 million registered voters only have a six-hour window to cast their ballots. However, many countries hold elections on the weekend or designate their election day as a public holiday to make voting more accessible to workers.

India made headlines during its national elections this year for its 44-day voting period. Due to the country’s size and the logistics required to make sure that registered voters had access to in-person polling stations, the election took place in several phases.