This article was written by Liz Galst for EDF’s Vital Signs.
You know already that your vote makes a difference, and this year, that difference could be bigger than ever. Here’s what you need to know to make sure that you can cast your vote without any unexpected glitches.
FIND OUT WHAT IS ON YOUR BALLOT AND MAKE A PLAN TO VOTE
1. Am I registered to vote?
States have removed millions of voters from their official rolls in recent years, and not all of them have died or moved. Visit momscleanairforce.org/get-ready-to-vote or the website of your state’s secretary of state or local board of elections to confirm your registration.
If your registration has been erroneously canceled, or if you or others you know have yet to register, now is the time to sign up. Registration requirements and deadlines vary by state—Alaska’s deadline is the earliest, on October 6. Twenty states allow you to register to vote all the way up to Election Day. You can find out more about signing up at usa.gov/register-to-vote.
And if you or someone you know will turn 18 on or before Election Day but after the registration deadline, fear not. In all 50 states, young voters can pre-register.
2. Where is my polling place?
Some of us have been blessed to vote at the same location for the last several decades. Others, not so much. (New York City Board of Elections, I’d like a word.)
Find out your voting location and voting times in advance, at the website of the National Association of Secretaries of State.
And check in with friends and family about their voting plans. Studies show this is one of the most effective ways to increase voter turnout. You can even plan to vote together.
3. Can I vote by mail?
Yes, in every state in the union. But 14 of those states require you supply a reason, such as disability or travel, why you can’t vote in person.
Eight states and Washington, DC, automatically send every voter a ballot. (Voters in these places also have the option to vote in person.) And 28 states offer “no-excuse” mail-in voting. In those states, you need to request a ballot—usually online—but you don’t need to explain why.
If you do vote by mail, give yourself plenty of time to get your ballot back by your state’s election deadline. (You can find it here.) Dropping your completed ballot at an official drop box or polling place is the best way to ensure it arrives promptly.
Many states offer online ballot tracking and will notify you by email when they have received your ballot. Contact your local election officials ASAP if you have trouble tracking your ballot.
4. Can I vote early?
Forty-eight states offer early voting; only Alabama and New Hampshire do not. (Mississippi allows early, in-person voting only for people who aren’t able to vote in person on Election Day.)
In many states, voting has already begun. So check with your secretary of state or local election officials to find early voting dates, hours, and locations.
Early voting gives voters more flexibility on timing and can help avoid long lines. And there’s another bonus: Canvassers and phone-bankers will take your name off their contact lists. (How you vote is private, but whether you have voted is a matter of public record.) If you vote early, generally speaking, those persistent election volunteers will leave you alone.
5. Do I need an ID to vote?
Thirty-six states require voters bring some form of identification to the polls. Many require a photo ID. In some states, if you show up without an ID, it’s possible to file a provisional ballot and return afterward with the necessary identification. How quickly you need to return depends on the state. You can find out about provisional voting requirements here.
A suggestion: Just to be on the safe side, if you have ID, bring it with you to the polls.
6. What if something goes wrong at the polls?
If you experience a problem at the polls—say, your registration’s gone missing, there’s something wrong with a ballot or scanner, people are trying to intimidate voters at your poll site—contact the nonpartisan nonprofit Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE. The hotline offers guidance and information and works to protect every voter’s right to cast a ballot, no matter whom they intend to vote for.
The hotline also offers services in Spanish (888-VE-Y-VOTA), Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Bengali, Hindi, Urdu, Tagalog (888-API-VOTE), and Arabic (844-YALLA-US).