MARK YOUR CALENDARS TO VOTE, ELECTION DAY IS NOVEMBER, 3RD

Let your voice be heard! I think we can all agree that 2020 is probably the craziest year we have all lived through. However, it has also brought a TON of issues to the table. Issues that each person has any opinion on. Even if you have never voted before, please consider heading to the polls (or mailing in your ballot) to vote in the 2020 election. There’s never been a more crucial year to let your vote be heard as a citizen.

Never voted before? Not sure if you are still registered? Don’t know your state deadlines? Have no idea how any of this works? Well… do not worry my friend! In this article I will be answering all your voting questions and more! hopefully by the end you will be registered to vote and have a game plan on how you plan on voting in the 2020 election this year!

Register to vote!

Now first things first… let’s get you registered to vote! Now, it’s important to note that every state has different deadlines for when you can register to vote. For example in my state (Indiana), you must be registered by Monday, October 5th this year to Vote in the 2020 election. This is a little less than a month prior to voting day! Stop pushing off your voter registration and get it done TODAY!

You can also check out the link below to see another blog post I made that dives into specifics on voter registration deadlines broken down by state. You can also register to vote directly on your states website via the blog post.

CONFIRM YOUR REGISTRATION STATUS

Just because you have voted in the past does not always mean you still are registered to vote! Double check your registration status to make sure you are good to go!

DO I NEED TO RE-REGISTER OR CHANGE MY REGISTRATION TO VOTE?

YES if….

• You’ve moved permanently to another state. Register to vote in the new state.
• You’ve moved within your state or changed your name. Update your voter registration with your new location or your new name. Make sure you also update your state driver’s license or state ID card before the election, if that’s the voter ID you’ll use. 

NO, if….

• Your name and address have not changed and you’re an active voter. 

MAYBE, if…

• You move to a different state very close to the date of a presidential primary or general election. Check with your old state. You may be able to vote by mail through your old state for that election. After that, you’ll need to register with and begin voting in your new state.

STILL NOT SURE?

You can check your status by clicking the button below! This is also a great way to know where you should be going to vote if you plan on voting in person. This site will tell you what location you need to vote at!

DECIDE ON YOUR VOTING PLAN

You have a few options when it comes to voting. Especially with the coronavirus this year, I understanding that voting on election day may not be everyone’s first choice anymore. BUT PLEASE… do not let the virus stop you from voting!

Your voting options are:

• Mail-in Voting
• Early Voting (In Person)
• Voting in Person on Election Day

Here is some information about each type of voting so you can prepare yourself & decide which option you are going with.

MAIL-IN VOTING

Voting by mail is going to be much more popular than in years past due to the global pandemic going on. However, the rules are different depending on where you live. Click the button below to find out the rules for mail-in voting in your state. If you choose to vote by mail, be sure to request your ballot and get it in by your states deadline.

Unfortunately some states such as Indiana, Texas, and Louisiana do not permit COVID-19 to be an excuse for voting by mail. (Like really? We are in a pandemic people. Indiana get it together. I’ll save my rant on voter suppression for another day lol)

EARLY VOTING (IN PERSON)

As we established already, unfortunately some states are not allowing coronavirus to be an excuse for mailing in your vote. So for those of you concerned about the virus, please do not let that keep you from casting your vote. The next safest option is voting early!

Voting early is great for a number of reasons. First of all, it can give you peace of mind by getting voting out of the way early. That way there is no chance you could potentially miss out on voting. Often times people underestimate how packed the polls will be on election day. You don’t want to end up waiting in line for hours or even end up giving up all together because you have other places to be. It’s also great incase you know you aren’t available to make it to the polls on election day.

When voting early, lines are often much less crowded than on election day. If you are concerned about being around a lot of people because of coronavirus, I recommend showing up first thing in the morning or during weird hours of the day. Often times during people’s commute to and from work and during lunch hour is when you should expect to see the polls at their busiest.

Not all states allow early voting, so be sure to check the link below before deciding if you will be voting early or not!

VOTING IN PERSON ON ELECTION DAY

If you plan of voting on election day, then mark your calendars NOW! Election day takes place this year on TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD, 2020.

Make sure you are aware of your polling place prior to election day. Depending on where you live, you will have a location assigned to you for voting.

WHAT TO BRING ON ELECTION DAY

2/3s of all states require some form of ID to be shown in order to vote. Check your states guidelines below to see what you need to bring.

Also- BRING A MASK. Regardless if your state has a mask mandate or not, wear a mask to your polling location. We will greatly reduce the spread of COVID by implementing this simple and easy step!

DO YOUR PART TO STOP THE SPREAD

Lastly, because things will likely look a little different voting in person this year, I am including an article by the CDC for recommendations to consider when going to cast your vote! I highly recommend checking this article out so you can be well informed on how to keep yourself & others safe when heading to the polls!

GET OUT AND VOTE!

Let’s make this the biggest voter turnout ever! Do your part as a US citizen & let your voice be heard! If you have any additional questions about voting, head to your state website, you should be able to find all the information you need there!

Happy voting! XO Josie