- 7,371
- 29,055
- Joined
- Dec 8, 1999
In less than 50 days, the United States will attempt to hold arguably the most consequential election in its history. The two candidates differ widely in their approaches to climate change, COVID-19, policing, healthcare, immigration, labor standards, international relations, and education. With so much at stake, we urge every eligible American to vote.
While no single election will solve the country's many glaring injustices, our decisions this year will either assist or greatly obstruct our progress.
Your vote matters.
In 2016, Michigan was decided by an average of just two votes per precinct.
The turnout in that election was so poor, however, that if the refusal to vote counted as a vote for “nobody,” nobody would've won the election by a landslide.
Failing to vote transfers your power to those who do - amplifying their voices at the cost of your own.
The 2020 election will decide more than just the Presidency. Local elections will determine who, in your area, will be entrusted with pandemic response, prosecutorial decisions, public school policies, managing police personnel, regional transportation, and more.
Click here to check your voter registration status and make sure your information is up to date.
This election will be one of the most scrutinized in American history. Outdated or inaccurate registration information could invalidate your vote.
If you're not registered, you can register online now. Registration deadlines vary by state. Some states, including Texas and Ohio, require voters to register 30 days before the election. You can check your state's registration deadlines here: https://www.vote.org/voter-registration-deadlines/
How To Vote By Mail
Due to the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, many Americans intend to vote by mail this election.
Only nine states will automatically send mail-in ballots to registered voters: California, Colorado, Hawaii, New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont, Nevada, Utah, Washington, and the District of Columbia.
All other voters must request an absentee ballot to vote by mail.
Click here for help submitting your absentee ballot request online. If you intend to vote by mail, you must place your request soon enough to ensure that you both receive your ballot and mail it in time for your votes to be counted. This guide can help you plan: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/08/31/us/politics/vote-by-mail-deadlines.html
Recent operational changes to the United States Postal Service have caused widespread delays and failures in mail delivery, which could impact the election.
You can bypass the USPS by depositing your absentee ballot at your local elections office, or by using one of the drop boxes available in most states. To find your nearest ballot drop off location, consult your local election office.
Don't forget to sign your ballot envelope in the appropriate space, or it will not be counted.
How To Vote Early
If you receive an absentee ballot, we recommend that you complete, sign, and return your ballot as soon as possible. You do not need to wait until election day.
If you plan to vote in person, please consider participating in early voting if available in your area. Voting early could help you avoid long lines and prevent a “mirage victory,” in which election night results will be contradicted after the final absentee ballots are counted – a scenario which would almost certainly result in a protracted dispute over the election's outcome.
Many key states allow early voting up to 45 days prior to the November 3rd election. To find out when you can cast your ballot, refer to this early voting calendar:
How To Make Sure Your Vote Counts
In 2016, thousands of Americans reported instances of voter intimidation. If you witness or experience voter intimidation, or if anyone attempts to prevent you from voting for any reason, call the election rights hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE.
Voter intimidation is a crime. Know your voting rights: https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/voting-rights/#someone-is-interfering-with-my-right-to-vote
How To Help Others Vote
There are many ways to help protect our democracy and promote voter turnout. Here are a few basics:
Encouarge friends and family to register and vote.
You have the right to assist a friend or family member who has difficulty communicating in English.
In many states, you can help deliver your family members' sealed absentee ballots to a drop box or election office to keep them safe and encourage them to vote. Learn the requirements for your state here: https://www.ncsl.org/research/elect...-an-absentee-ballot-other-than-the-voter.aspx
Sign up to serve as a poll worker. Traditionally, older Americans disproportionately serve as poll workers, yet they face an elevated risk due to COVID-19. If you're young and have no underlying conditions that could increase your risk of suffering a severe or fatal infection, you can help fill the void, keep lines reasonable, and ensure that all those eligible to vote will have their ballots counted.
Poll workers are paid, and wages vary by location. Many areas are raising wages to help meet their demand. In Chicago and Cook County, poll workers will earn $230 on election day, and $150 per day during early voting. In Miami Dade County, poll workers earn up to $269 between election day and training.
Document and report attempted interference or intimidation.
This could be the most important election of our lives. Let's act like it.
While no single election will solve the country's many glaring injustices, our decisions this year will either assist or greatly obstruct our progress.
Your vote matters.
In 2016, Michigan was decided by an average of just two votes per precinct.
The turnout in that election was so poor, however, that if the refusal to vote counted as a vote for “nobody,” nobody would've won the election by a landslide.
Failing to vote transfers your power to those who do - amplifying their voices at the cost of your own.
The 2020 election will decide more than just the Presidency. Local elections will determine who, in your area, will be entrusted with pandemic response, prosecutorial decisions, public school policies, managing police personnel, regional transportation, and more.
Click here to check your voter registration status and make sure your information is up to date.
This election will be one of the most scrutinized in American history. Outdated or inaccurate registration information could invalidate your vote.
If you're not registered, you can register online now. Registration deadlines vary by state. Some states, including Texas and Ohio, require voters to register 30 days before the election. You can check your state's registration deadlines here: https://www.vote.org/voter-registration-deadlines/
How To Vote By Mail
Due to the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, many Americans intend to vote by mail this election.
Only nine states will automatically send mail-in ballots to registered voters: California, Colorado, Hawaii, New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont, Nevada, Utah, Washington, and the District of Columbia.
All other voters must request an absentee ballot to vote by mail.
Click here for help submitting your absentee ballot request online. If you intend to vote by mail, you must place your request soon enough to ensure that you both receive your ballot and mail it in time for your votes to be counted. This guide can help you plan: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/08/31/us/politics/vote-by-mail-deadlines.html
Recent operational changes to the United States Postal Service have caused widespread delays and failures in mail delivery, which could impact the election.
You can bypass the USPS by depositing your absentee ballot at your local elections office, or by using one of the drop boxes available in most states. To find your nearest ballot drop off location, consult your local election office.
Don't forget to sign your ballot envelope in the appropriate space, or it will not be counted.
How To Vote Early
If you receive an absentee ballot, we recommend that you complete, sign, and return your ballot as soon as possible. You do not need to wait until election day.
If you plan to vote in person, please consider participating in early voting if available in your area. Voting early could help you avoid long lines and prevent a “mirage victory,” in which election night results will be contradicted after the final absentee ballots are counted – a scenario which would almost certainly result in a protracted dispute over the election's outcome.
Many key states allow early voting up to 45 days prior to the November 3rd election. To find out when you can cast your ballot, refer to this early voting calendar:
Early Voting Calendar - Vote.org
When does early voting start and end in your state? Find out now.
www.vote.org
How To Make Sure Your Vote Counts
- Check your voter registration and ensure that all information is up to date - including your signature.
- If you're voting in person, make sure you bring any required ID with you. Check your state's voter ID requirements here: https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/voter-id.aspx#Laws in Effect
- If you are still waiting in line when the polls close, don't leave - you still have the right to vote.
- If voting the voting machines at your polling place go down, you have the right to a paper ballot.
- If you need help obtaining the correct ID, Vote Riders offers assistance, including financial and legal assistance if necessary.
- If you use an absentee ballot, be certain that you've sealed and signed the envelope in the appropriate location.
- Be sure to visit the appropriate polling site. Find yours here: https://www.vote.org/polling-place-locator/
- If an election judge raises any questions about your eligibility, you may request a provisional ballot – but these ballots have been historically under-counted and should be treated as a last resort.
- If you have a felony conviction, you are still eligible to vote in most states. Visit this site for more information: https://campaignlegal.org/restoreyourvote
In 2016, thousands of Americans reported instances of voter intimidation. If you witness or experience voter intimidation, or if anyone attempts to prevent you from voting for any reason, call the election rights hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE.
Voter intimidation is a crime. Know your voting rights: https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/voting-rights/#someone-is-interfering-with-my-right-to-vote
How To Help Others Vote
There are many ways to help protect our democracy and promote voter turnout. Here are a few basics:
Encouarge friends and family to register and vote.
You have the right to assist a friend or family member who has difficulty communicating in English.
In many states, you can help deliver your family members' sealed absentee ballots to a drop box or election office to keep them safe and encourage them to vote. Learn the requirements for your state here: https://www.ncsl.org/research/elect...-an-absentee-ballot-other-than-the-voter.aspx
Sign up to serve as a poll worker. Traditionally, older Americans disproportionately serve as poll workers, yet they face an elevated risk due to COVID-19. If you're young and have no underlying conditions that could increase your risk of suffering a severe or fatal infection, you can help fill the void, keep lines reasonable, and ensure that all those eligible to vote will have their ballots counted.
Poll workers are paid, and wages vary by location. Many areas are raising wages to help meet their demand. In Chicago and Cook County, poll workers will earn $230 on election day, and $150 per day during early voting. In Miami Dade County, poll workers earn up to $269 between election day and training.
Document and report attempted interference or intimidation.
This could be the most important election of our lives. Let's act like it.