Straight-ticket voting lets you vote for every candidate of one party with a single mark at the top of the ballot. Only six states still offer it: Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Oklahoma and South Carolina, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Indiana doesn’t apply it to at-large races, and Michigan voters restored it in 2018 after the legislature had tried to end it.
Everywhere else, you mark each race by hand. Here’s how the option works, what it doesn’t cover, and why most states have dropped it.
How does straight-ticket voting work? #
In states that offer it, the first section of the ballot asks whether you want to vote a straight party ticket, with a choice for each qualified party. If you fill in one party’s oval:
- Your vote goes to that party’s candidate in every partisan race on the ballot, from U.S. Senate down to county offices.
- Races where that party has no candidate are left blank unless you mark them.
- Nonpartisan races and ballot questions are not affected at all.
Can you override a straight-ticket vote? #
Generally yes. In the states that offer the option, if you mark a straight-party choice and then mark a candidate from another party in a specific race, your individual choice counts for that race while the party choice covers the rest. The exact wording differs by state, so read the instructions printed on your ballot, and ask a poll worker if they’re unclear.
What straight-ticket voting skips #
The party mark only reaches races where candidates run with a party label. You still have to mark these separately:
- Nonpartisan offices, such as many judicial, school board and city races.
- Judicial retention questions.
- Statewide and local ballot measures, including constitutional amendments and tax levies.
- In Indiana, at-large partisan races, which have required individual marks since 2016.
The most common mistake is assuming the party mark completes the ballot. Voters who stop there leave the rest blank, which is called undervoting.
Which states eliminated straight-ticket voting? #
Most states have removed the option over the past three decades. Here are the dates, as compiled on Wikipedia’s straight-ticket voting page from state legislative records.
| State | Year eliminated |
|---|---|
| Georgia | 1994 |
| South Dakota | 1996 |
| Illinois | 1997 |
| New Mexico | 2001 (used intermittently until 2018) |
| Missouri | 2006 |
| New Hampshire | 2007 |
| North Carolina | 2014 |
| West Virginia | 2015 |
| Rhode Island | 2015 |
| Iowa | 2017 |
| Texas | 2020 |
| Pennsylvania | 2020 |
| Utah | 2020 |
Michigan is the exception that went the other way. The legislature eliminated straight-ticket voting in 2015, and voters wrote it back into the state constitution through Proposal 3 in 2018.
Where did straight-ticket voting come from? #
In the 1800s, parties printed their own ballots listing only their candidates, and you dropped your party’s slip in the box. Voting a straight ticket was the default because there was no other way.
States adopted government-printed secret ballots, often called Australian ballots, in the late 1800s. Many used a party-column design with a single box at the top of each party’s column, which kept the familiar straight-party habit. Over the 20th century, reformers pushed office-block ballots, which group candidates by office instead of party and require a choice in every race.
Pros and cons of straight-ticket voting #
Both sides of this argument have a point, and the effects vary by state.
Arguments for keeping it
- Shorter lines. Long ballots can take several minutes to complete. A one-mark option speeds things up, especially at busy precincts.
- Fewer skipped races. Voters who tire partway down a long ballot still cast votes in lower-profile partisan races.
- Simpler for some voters. It helps people who find long ballots confusing, including some voters with disabilities or limited English.
Arguments against it
- Less attention to individual candidates. A single mark encourages voting on party alone, especially in local races.
- Harder for independents and third parties. Candidates without a major-party column are easier to overlook.
- Missed nonpartisan races. Some voters think the party mark covers everything and leave judges and ballot measures blank.
Research on whether ending straight-ticket voting helps one party is mixed, and the answer depends on each state’s voters. The clearest effects are on ballot completion and time in the booth.
Straight-ticket voting on the 2026 ballot #
Five of the six straight-ticket states have a U.S. Senate race on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan, Oklahoma and South Carolina. Indiana doesn’t. Alabama, Michigan, Oklahoma and South Carolina also elect governors this year. In those states, the top races do more than decide themselves; they shape how many voters reach for the single party mark.
If you vote in one of those states and want to know how the top races stand before you fill in anything, Election Tracker has Senate and governor polls grouped by race, each with a 30-day average. Each poll card shows the pollster, sample size, whether it surveyed likely or registered voters, and field dates. Pin your state’s races to the top of their tabs so they’re the first thing you see.
Most voters vote a straight ticket anyway #
The formal option is fading, but the behavior isn’t. Because of partisan polarization, most voters now mark the same party in nearly every race by hand. In 2016, every state with a Senate race voted for the same party for Senate and president; in 2020, only Maine split. We cover the exceptions in split-ticket voting and why it’s declining, and how the top of the ticket carries the rest in the coattail effect.
Frequently asked questions #
Which states still allow straight-ticket voting? #
Six: Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Oklahoma and South Carolina. Indiana excludes at-large races from the straight-party option. Check your county’s sample ballot to see exactly how it appears where you vote.
Can I use straight-ticket voting and still pick someone from another party? #
In the states that offer it, generally yes. Mark the individual candidate you want in that race, and that choice counts for that office while the party mark covers the others. Follow your ballot’s printed instructions, since wording differs by state.
Does straight-ticket voting cover ballot measures and judges? #
No. It applies only to partisan races. Ballot measures, nonpartisan offices and judicial retention questions must be marked separately, and they’re left blank if you don’t.
Does straight-ticket voting apply to president? #
Yes. In presidential years, the party mark includes that party’s presidential and vice presidential ticket along with every other partisan race.
Do write-in votes work with a straight-party mark? #
Rules vary, but a valid write-in for a specific office generally counts for that office the same way an individual mark does. Our guide to how write-in votes work covers the requirements, including states that only count registered write-in candidates.