If a person moves in close proximity to the day of the election, is it possible they are rendered legally ineligible to vote in both their new and prior states of residency?
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No, for Presidential voting
Federal law says that no durational residency requirement may be imposed for voting for President/Vice-President. It does allow states to apply a registration requirement up to 30 days from the election. However, if you were registered in a previous state, you moved, and cannot meet the registration requirement of the new state, then you may vote in the previous state, including by means of absentee ballot.
This applies only to the election of the President and Vice-President. Some examples of how states comply are Rhode Island, which allows voters who missed the registration deadline to vote for President only, and Texas provides a Presidential ballot to those who moved out.
The applicable statute is 52 USC 10502: Residence requirements for voting
(c) ... No citizen of the United States who is otherwise qualified to vote in any election for President and Vice President shall be denied the right to vote for electors for President and Vice President, or for President and Vice President, in such election because of the failure of such citizen to comply with any durational residency requirement of such State or political subdivision...
(d) ...For the purposes of this section, each State shall provide by law for the registration or other means of qualification of all duly qualified residents of such State who apply, not later than thirty days immediately prior to any presidential election, for registration or qualification to vote for the choice of electors for President and Vice President or for President and Vice President in such election...
(e) ...If any citizen of the United States who is otherwise qualified to vote in any State or political subdivision in any election for President and Vice President has begun residence in such State or political subdivision after the thirtieth day next preceding such election and, for that reason, does not satisfy the registration requirements of such State or political subdivision he shall be allowed to vote for the choice of electors for President and Vice President, or for President and Vice President, in such election, (1) in person in the State or political subdivision in which he resided immediately prior to his removal if he had satisfied, as of the date of his change of residence, the requirements to vote in that State or political subdivision, or (2) by absentee ballot in the State or political subdivision in which he resided immediately prior to his removal if he satisfies, but for his nonresident status and the reason for his absence, the requirements for absentee voting in that State or political subdivision.
user71659
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Generally, if you move before voting, you can't vote in a place where you are no longer a resident. And, not all jurisdictions allow early or mail-in voting for people other than active duty military and disabled voters.
About 22 states allow election day voter registration in at least some circumstances. But in other U.S. states, registration up to about 30 days before election is often required, and you can't register to vote until you live there.
So, the possibility that you could be disenfranchised by moving close to an election is a real possibility in some combinations of departure and arrival states.
UPDATE:
The answer above is true for every candidate and question on the ballot except for the Presidential election.
But, notwithstanding this analysis, the answer from user71659 correctly notes that 52 U.S.C. § 10502(e) provides that you may vote for President and Vice President only, by absentee ballot if necessary, at the address where you were previously registered to vote, if you don't meet the residency requirement (not to exceed 30 days) at your new residence. You may do so despite the fact that you no longer reside there, and despite the fact that you would ordinarily not qualify for an absentee ballot there.
Of course, getting the election administration bureaucracy in your former state to honor this legal right could be challenging in practice.
ohwilleke
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No
Mostly.
The independent Australian Electoral Commission handles registration for Federal and independent state/territory commissions do so for state and local elections.
By law, you must enrol when you turn 18 but you can enrol at 16 or 17, you just can’t vote. You must have lived where you enrol for at least 1 month, but there are provisions to allow travellers or people of no fixed address to enrol.
Once enrolled, you’re enrolled for life. If you move, once you have been at your new address for at least one month, you have to update your details. Again, there are provisions for travellers or people of no fixed address.
There are cut-off dates for each election, so it’s possible to be enrolled at the “wrong” address. If so, you can vote absentee or postal.
Of course, Australia has a Westminster-style parliament, so we don’t vote for a head of state - we get one for free - a guy named Charles, who the people of the UK kindly pay for.
A reminder, too, that voting is compulsory.
Dale M
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