In case you’ve missed it, the United States is less than 30 days away from Election Day! This year is one of the most crucial elections our country has ever seen.
Why does voting matter? Voting is a critical way to ensure your voice is heard by our government. Your elected local, state, and federal officials influence your life everyday through policy. If you want to see the policies that matter to you become law, it’s important that we elect the right people to office.
Election Day is November 3rd, but like everything else in 2020, voting isn’t as standard as it was in years past. Let’s keep it simple. If you’re qualified to vote, follow these 4 steps.
Register to vote.
Check your registration-- even if you were registered in the last election, you should still double and triple check you’re registered properly now. It takes just 30 seconds. We’ve made it easy to do it right here!
If not, it’s a speedy process to get registered right now at vote.gov.
2. Make your voting plan.
Here’s where things get funky. With a pandemic on our plates, our options to vote go beyond just visiting your local polling stations on Election Day. This year, you can vote in a few ways.
Early, by mail. For some states this is a common procedure, but for many it’s a new way to practice your rights. Thousands of Americans have successfully voted by mail for years, including members of our military, who rely on voting by mail along with people who can't make it safely to the polls. An added benefit of mail-in, or absentee, voting is getting your vote in early, which is especially important with the current USPS delays. Every state’s absentee voting rules are different, so be sure you know and follow the rules for your state here if you decide to vote absentee. Use this handy resource to know exactly where your ballot stands.
Drop off your ballot by Election Day. Though not every state accepts drop-off ballots, many do, so if this is your preferred method of voting, make sure that’s an option wherever you live here.
In-person on Election Day.It’s still an option, if you’d prefer, but we do recommend voting early! Bring your state ID, and your mask. Check the rules for your state here to prevent any snafus. You can vote, and even register too, if necessary on Election Day between 7 am and 8 pm. Text Vote to GOVOTE (468683), or find your local polling location here.
Keep up on all key election dates by signing up for reminders. Here-- this link works for all 50 states!
3. Research your ballot.
The parties are very different on important issues such as minimum wage, LGBTQ+ rights, climate change, and much more. You can do your own research to decide the candidates and platforms that best represent your own values and perspectives. For some non-partisan resources, we like Ballotpedia and BallotReady.
In the general election, which is coming up quickly, you are eligible to vote for any candidate from any party. It doesn’t matter if you’re registered for a political party or whom you may have voted for in the past, and even if you didn’t vote in your state’s primary or caucus.
Do you have any lingering questions? Get more info on state-wide voting guidance here… or anything else you may need to know at vote.org and HowTo.Vote!
