The United States General Election will be held on November 3rd and it's shaping up to be an election unlike any other. In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic we've received a number of requests from members for information about how to vote safely while ensuring that your votes are counted. As a service to our American members, we have collected all of the relevant information you might need in this thread.
Your one stop shop for the essentials is Vote.org. Make sure you are registered to vote, and if you intend to vote on Election Day, find your polling place ahead of time.
- Register to Vote (takes two minutes!)
- Check Your Registration Status
- Registration Deadlines in Each State (some begin ~30 days before Election Day)
- Find Your Polling Place
- Get Election Reminders
For those who do not wish to risk standing in line on Election Day, there are alternative options available to you. Below you will find details and resources relevant to each of them.
Voting by Mail
Mailing in an absentee ballot may be an attractive option for many, and as long as you act quickly, it should be safe and effective. Due to concerns about the speed of USPS mail following recent budget cuts and management issues, it is strongly recommended that voters who choose this option request absentee ballots as soon as possible and make sure that they are mailed in long before Election Day. If your ballot is not received by the state before Election Day, it might not be counted. Don't wait.
In-Person Early Voting
Forty states and the District of Columbia have some form of early voting in place, allowing voters to cast their ballot in person while avoiding crowds. Some states have even extended early voting due to the pandemic. The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) website has detailed information on early voting for each state, and Vote.org also provides a similar resource. This can be a great option for those who want to avoid the November 3rd crowds.
Drop-off Ballots at a Local Election Office or Polling Location
If you do not want to risk mailing in your absentee ballot, almost all states allow voters to deliver ballots in person at their local election office. To find a list of local election offices, you can search your state Board of Elections website or Secretary of State website.
If you do not live close enough to return your ballot to an election office, you may be able to return it to an alternative location. According to the NCSL, eleven states and Washington D.C. allow voters to drop off ballots at any in-person voting locations in the county, including Arizona, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Kansas, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Utah and Washington.
Some states allow a family member or someone else to collect and deliver absentee ballots on your behalf. The NCSL website has details on the rules governing ballot collection in each state.
Drop Boxes
Drop boxes are special containers for voters to drop off absentee ballots in sealed envelopes. These have become more commonplace in the last decade, and are an efficient and secure way to return your ballot while entirely skipping the mail process. Those monitored by surveillance cameras are often available 24 hours per day, seven days per week, while others that are monitored by election workers have specified hours of operation.
The number of drop boxes varies widely by state. The NCSL website has details on drop box availability in each state. Eleven states have ballot drop boxes set up in some or all counties: Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Washington.
Sources:
Official Staff Communication
This thread can be used by members to share information and tips about how, where, and when to vote safely in each state. Please remain focused on the act of voting. It is NOT a General Election OT.
