The United States Constitution gives each citizen (18 years and older) the right to vote for candidates running for office in the general election. Your vote counts in our democracy.
I am sure that many of you have voted in a general election in the past. In normal election years, once you decided who to vote for, you just went to your precinct, checked in, got your ballot, marked it, and put it into the voting machine. But these are not normal times! We are coping with a coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, where it may not be safe for us to be inside a crowded polling location. There is the current uncertainty surrounding the status of USPS mail delivery, and its impact on vote-by-mail.
What is certain is that it is vitally important that your vote be counted in the November 3rd general election, whether you are registered a Democrat, Independent or Republican (in alphabetical order). And it is important that you have a plan to vote this year! Gee, even going to shop for food requires a plan these days!
Things to put in your voting plan include:
- Are you still registered to vote? What is your voter registration ID number?
- Will you vote in person? If so,
- Where is your precinct polling location?
- What are the hours your precinct is open?
- Is early voting available? Dates, where and hours?
- How will you get to the polling location? Do you need a ride?
- Will you vote by mail? If so,
- Have you already requested a mail-in (absentee) ballot? If not, how to request?
- What is the deadline to request a mail-in ballot? (In Lee County, Fla, it is October 24th)
- How early do you need to mail for it to arrive in time to be counted?
- Does the mailed ballot need extra postage?
- Are there ballot drop boxes in your community? Where are they?
These useful websites can help you make your plan to vote. Although created by Democrats, anyone registered with any party can use these sites to answer the above questions.
A State by State Guide in approved ways to vote in each state:
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/how-to-vote-2020
An easy to use website: https://iwillvote.com/
- to see if you are registered to vote
- to register if you are not
- to request a mail-in ballot
- to see where your precinct is located this year