Election day is November 8th, just a little less than a month away! If you’re planning on voting in the 2016 election, now’s your chance to make sure you’ve taken care of business to ensure you have a ballot in hand by election day.
Here are 3 things you’ve gotta do before the election:
1) Register to vote or update your voter address.
For most states, registering to vote is simple and can even be done online. For those states that don’t allow you to register online, mail-in voter registration is your next easiest option. But find out now, because some states require you to register up to a month in advance of the upcoming election.
Check out Vote.gov to find out more about your state’s voter registration requirements and get registered so you can make your voice heard this Election
Be aware: if you’ve moved within the same state since the last time you voted, you’ll need to update your voter registration with your new address. If you’ve moved out of state since the last time you voted, you’ll need to register to vote again with your new state.
2) Find your polling place or get an absentee ballot!
Polling places will continue to be updated over the next month. Your polling place may not be accurate until closer to the election – so be sure to double check in few weeks. To find your polling place, visit Vote411.org and enter your address.
Some states allow you to vote via mail-in ballot regardless of whether or not you’ll be in town on Election Day. How easy is that?! Other states only allow for an absentee ballot when you will not be in the county for election day. To learn more and request your mail-in or absentee ballot visit Rock the Vote.
3) Do your research.
For some us, our decision of who to vote for has long been determined. Others may still be in the midst of deciding or feeling that there isn’t a perfect candidate for you. If you’re an undecided voter, consider checking out this non-partisan I Side With quiz to determine which candidate your views most align with.
For states and local candidates in the election, visit Vote Smart to get the details on the down-ballot candidates that you might not have heard about yet. Vote Smart will give you the chance to see the candidates biographical information as well as their stance on policy topics.
For the list of initiatives and propositions appearing on your ballot, visit Ballotpedia. By entering your voting address into the Ballotpedia search you’ll have access to see what will actually be on your ballot before receiving it. Furthermore, Ballotpedia goes in-depth with an overview of the initiative, the exact text of the measure, pro and con arguments, and an explanation of what a yes or no vote would result in.
Voting can be frustrating and time consuming, but this is one important part of #adulting that you shouldn’t skip. You can’t complain if you don’t vote. And hey, your vote can make the difference.
This article was originally published on BossedUp.org and shared with permission.
