The fastest way to get an election day reminder on iPhone is to say “Hey Siri, remind me to vote on November 3 at 8 a.m.” For deadlines before that (registration, mail ballot requests, early voting), add a Calendar event with two alerts for each one. If you’d rather not set anything up by hand, an election app with built-in reminders can schedule the countdown for you.
The 2026 general election is Tuesday, November 3, 2026, and every US House seat, 35 Senate seats and 36 governorships are on the ballot. Here’s how to make sure you don’t miss it.
Which election dates should you put on your phone? #
Election Day is the last deadline, not the only one. Before you set reminders, look up these dates for your state on your state election office’s website or at vote.gov:
| Deadline | Why it matters | Typical timing |
|---|---|---|
| Voter registration | Miss it and you may not be able to vote, unless your state has same-day registration | Often 15 to 30 days before Election Day |
| Mail ballot request | Some states require a request; others mail every voter a ballot | Often 7 to 14 days before, but earlier is safer |
| Mail ballot return | Some states count ballots postmarked by Election Day; others need them in hand by then | Varies a lot by state |
| Early in-person voting | Lets you skip Election Day lines | Starts anywhere from about 4 weeks to a few days before |
| Election Day | Polls open and close at state-set times | November 3, 2026 |
Deadlines differ by state and sometimes by county, so don’t rely on a national article (including this one) for your specific dates. Our 2026 midterm election calendar covers the national timeline.
How to set an election reminder with Siri #
- Say “Hey Siri” (or hold the side button).
- Say something like “Remind me to vote on November 3 at 8 a.m.”
- Siri creates the reminder in the Reminders app. Check it saved with the right date.
This works for any deadline: “Remind me to request my mail ballot on October 5 at 7 p.m.” Siri needs the Reminders app installed, and it’s on every iPhone by default.
How to add election dates to the iPhone Calendar with alerts #
A Calendar event is better than a single reminder for things you need to prepare for, because you can attach two alerts.
- Open Calendar and tap +.
- Title it clearly, for example “Election Day: vote” or “Last day to register to vote.”
- Set the date. For Election Day, turn on All-day or set the time you plan to vote.
- Tap Alert and choose a lead time, such as 1 day before.
- Tap Second Alert and choose another, such as At time of event or a custom time that morning.
- Add your polling place in the Location field so Maps is one tap away.
- Tap Add.
Repeat for each deadline. If you share a calendar with family, add the events there so everyone gets the alerts.
How to use the Reminders app for election deadlines #
- Open Reminders and tap New Reminder.
- Type the task, for example “Return mail ballot.”
- Tap the info button, turn on Date and Time, and pick when you want the alert.
- Tap Done.
Reminders is good for checklist items: find your polling place, check your registration status, read up on the ballot measures in your state. Put them in one list called “Election” and tick them off.
Is there an election widget for iPhone? #
Several news apps have offered election widgets, mostly for results on election night, and what’s available changes from cycle to cycle. Our own app, Election Tracker, doesn’t have a Home Screen widget yet, so we won’t pretend otherwise.
A practical workaround: once your election dates are in Calendar or Reminders, add the Calendar or Reminders widget. Your next deadline then sits on your Home Screen with a countdown.
Home Screen (iOS 18 and later):
- Touch and hold an empty area of the Home Screen until the icons jiggle.
- Tap Edit in the top-left corner, then Add Widget.
- Search for Calendar (the “Up Next” style shows your next event) or Reminders.
- Pick a size and tap Add Widget, then Done.
On iOS 17 and earlier, tap the + button in the top-left corner instead of Edit.
Lock Screen (iOS 16 and later):
- Touch and hold the Lock Screen and tap Customize, then Lock Screen.
- Tap the widget area below the clock.
- Add Calendar or Reminders, then tap Done.
How to get automatic election reminders from Election Tracker #
If you’d rather not create events by hand, Election Tracker, our free iPhone app for US polls and approval ratings, can schedule the countdown for you. In Settings, turn on Election reminders and allow notifications when iOS asks. The app then schedules four notifications for the November 3, 2026 general election:
- 30 days before
- 7 days before
- The day before
- Election Day morning (“Polls close this evening”)
Each arrives at 9 a.m. local time. Reminders that have already passed are skipped. They’re scheduled on your iPhone itself; the app has no account and sends nothing to a server. Turn the switch off and they’re cancelled.
They’re countdown reminders for the general election, not your state’s registration or mail ballot deadlines, so pair them with Calendar events for those. The rest of the app is there for when a reminder makes you curious about the races: Senate, governor and generic House ballot polls grouped by race with a 30-day average, presidential approval with a 90-day trend, and read-only prediction-market prices.
A simple setup that covers everything #
- Look up your state’s registration, mail ballot and early voting dates.
- Add each as a Calendar event with two alerts.
- Ask Siri to remind you on Election Day morning, or turn on Election Tracker’s reminders.
- Add the Calendar widget so your next deadline is always visible.
- The week before, check your polling place. It can change between elections.
If you’re not sure you’re registered, check now rather than waiting for a reminder. Most states let you confirm your registration online in a couple of minutes. Our explainer on how automatic voter registration works covers the states that register people through the DMV, and why it’s still worth confirming your record.
Frequently asked questions #
When is Election Day 2026? #
Tuesday, November 3, 2026. It’s a general election for all 435 House seats, 35 Senate seats and 36 governorships, plus many state and local offices and ballot measures. Our explainer on why Election Day is on a Tuesday covers how that date was chosen.
Can my iPhone remind me to vote automatically? #
Not by itself; you need to add a reminder or event, or use an app that schedules one. Siri can create a reminder in a few seconds, and Election Tracker schedules a set of countdown reminders when you turn them on in its Settings.
Does Election Tracker have a widget? #
Not yet. You can put your election dates on the Home Screen by adding them to Calendar and using the Calendar widget. The app itself shows polls, approval ratings and market prices when you open it.
Why didn’t my election reminder go off? #
Check that notifications are allowed for the app (Settings > Notifications on your iPhone) and that Focus or Do Not Disturb isn’t silencing it. For Calendar events, confirm the alert was set and the event is on a calendar that’s turned on.
Do I need to set reminders for the registration deadline? #
Yes, if you’re not registered or have moved. Registration deadlines come weeks before Election Day in many states, and they’re the ones people miss most often. Look yours up at vote.gov.