The 2020 general election is coming up fast, and while November 3 is a pretty easy date to remember, Election Day might actually be weeks earlier if you’re planning on voting early or voting by mail. Since voting rules and deadlines are a little bit different in every state, now is the time to make a plan.
You could google around or dig through page after page of government websites to figure out what you need to do and when—or you could make use of a comprehensive, state-by-state resource that has already compiled everything you need to know in one place.
The folks over at DAME put together an excellent guide to voting in every state, including the following information:
Voter registration deadlines
Voter ID requirements
Early voting dates
Mail-in and absentee voting info, including the deadline to request your ballot
Polling place locations
Poll worker applications
Voting rights
Contact information for elections officials
Simply scroll down to your state and toggle open. Key dates are already listed on the page, but for other info you’ll be redirected to relevant pages on your selected state’s website. Note that some of the resources may not apply statewide—the linked poll worker application in Utah, for example, is specific to Utah County. (Utah has universal vote-by-mail, so in-person polling is limited anyway.)
You’ll find another helpful voter info guide over at Vote Save America. Scroll down to the Know Your State section and select your state from the dropdown menu to see key dates and access an FAQ about early and mail-in voting.
You can also check if you’re registered to vote—though you may also want to confirm directly with your state voter rolls, especially if the Be a Voter tool tells you you’re not registered at your current address.
Once you’ve marked important election dates and deadlines on your calendar, use our guides to registering to vote, voting by mail and voting in person (safely) during a pandemic to ensure your vote is counted.