National Voter Registration Day: Information for Guam, the US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands before voting on November 3

Tuesday, September 15, is National Voter Registration Day, a nationwide day of civic action that falls at a particularly important moment for residents of Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands, all of which hold general elections on November 3, 2026.

Unlike residents of the 50 states, United States territory residents cannot vote in presidential elections. But they do elect governors, territorial legislators, and non-voting delegates to the United States House of Representatives, and those races carry real consequences for how federal money flows to the islands, how local laws are made, and how territories are represented in Washington. With November 3 less than seven weeks away, here is what residents in each territory need to know.

Guam

Guam is deciding its next governor and lieutenant governor, all 15 senators in the Guam Legislature, its delegate to Congress, and its attorney general. The race for governor pits Democratic nominees Senator Therese Terlaje (D) and Senator Sabina Perez (D) against Republican nominees Vice Speaker Tony Ada (R) and businessman EJ Calvo (R), following a record-setting August primary.

Voter registration closes 15 days before Election Day, placing the deadline for the November 3 general election around Monday, October 19, 2026. The absentee ballot request deadline is October 31, 2026, and absentee ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received by November 13, 2026.

Residents can register to vote at the Guam Election Commission, village mayors’ offices, public high schools, and college campuses. Absentee and early in-person voting options are available through the Guam Election Commission.

United States Virgin Islands

The United States Virgin Islands are choosing their next governor and lieutenant governor, all 15 seats in the Legislature of the US Virgin Islands, their delegate to Congress, Board of Elections members, and Board of Education members. The Democratic ticket of Delegate Stacey Plaskett (D) and Senate President Milton Potter (D) will face four independent candidates for governor: Oakland Benta, Adlah Donastorg, Gustav James, and Warren Mosler.

The online voter registration deadline for the November general election is October 4, 2026, and the in-person deadline is October 4 as well. Early voting is scheduled from October 16 to October 31, 2026, from 9 am to 6 pm daily on St. Croix and St. Thomas. Early voting on St. John runs from October 23 to October 31, 2026, from 9 am to 4 pm.

Residents can register to vote and check their registration status through the Election System of the Virgin Islands.

American Samoa

American Samoa is electing its delegate to Congress and all 20 seats in the American Samoa House of Representatives. The voter registration deadline is October 5, 2026, with the Election Office currently reporting 13,503 registered voters. The absentee ballot request deadline is October 19, 2026, and ballots must be received by November 3, 2026.

Residents can register and find more information through the American Samoa Election Office.

Northern Mariana Islands

The Northern Mariana Islands are electing their next governor and lieutenant governor, its delegate to Congress, attorney general, 6 Senate seats, all 20 seats in the House of Representatives, 4 mayors, and municipal council and board of education seats. The voter registration deadline by mail was September 4, 2026, and the in-person deadline was also September 4, 2026, meaning registration for this election has already closed. Early voting runs from October 27 to November 2, 2026.

Residents can check their status and find voting information through the Commonwealth Election Commission.

All four territories hold their general elections on November 3, 2026. For territory residents, the stakes of these elections extend beyond local governance — the delegates they send to Congress are the primary vehicle through which their communities can advocate for federal funding, policy equity, and the broader question of how the United States treats its nearly 3.6 million territorial citizens.