Your 2018 Election Day Guide To Voting
If it’s your first time heading to the polls this year, amazing. Here are some tips and tricks to make election day as seamless as possible.
In case you’ve been living under a rock (or have just blissfully tuned out the bad news that seems to hit every other day), the upcoming midterm elections are shaping up to be some of the most important the country has ever seen. Voting is important — especially this time around — but just because it’s your civic duty doesn’t mean it has to be stressful. If it’s your first time heading to the polls this year, or if you just need some helpful reminders for Election Day, here’s a stress-free guide to voting.
Double check you’re registered to vote
In most states, it’s likely too late to register for the upcoming election if you haven’t already. But even if you have, it’s worth double checking that your registration is officially on record for your current address. There are several websites that can help with this, but Vote.org is probably the easiest. Simply type in your name and address, and it will show your most updated voter registration status.
Find your polling place, and hours.
Once you’ve determined your voter status (hopefully you’re registered!), it’s time to find your polling place. If you’ve managed to hold on to the card/letter you got when you registered to vote at your current address, your polling place is most likely listed there. However, at least in New York, there’s been a fair share of polling places that have been shut down and relocated since the last election, so it’s definitely worth looking up before election day. And while you’re at it, double check your polling place’s hours as well.
Most polling places open early and stay open late, but it’s best to be sure. In New York City, there’s the poll site locator website to help you find your polling place, but Rock the Vote has a locator that works for addresses nationwide.
Read up on candidates, issues, and positions
If you don’t know your comptroller from your congressman, don’t stress. There’s a variety of easy to use websites that help explain the candidates and important issues you’ll see on your ballot come election day. Ballotpedia is probably the best resource for this — just type in your address, and a sample ballot with the candidates and issues featured in the upcoming election will pop up. Ballotpedia simplifies the sometimes complicated language used to describe measures on real ballots, providing a concise, easy to understand version. They also have handy links to site where you can find your polling place and view maps for your district, as well as explainers for obscure positions and measures.
Make time in your schedule
This one’s a no brainer, but once you know the hours of your polling place, make sure you actually set aside some time to go and vote! Whether you prefer to knock it out early in the day before work, try to hit it on your way home, or even during your lunch break: just make sure you set aside 15–30 minutes to cast your vote. Lines will obviously be longer later in the day, so it’s best to get it over with in the morning — and avoid last minute snafus that could prevent you from voting.
Do the damn thing!
It’s your time to shine. Go forth and cast your vote! Regardless of who you vote for, it’s an important part of the democratic process that is actually pretty painless once you get the hang of it. Plus, you get a cool sticker and the chance to change our government all in one fell swoop. Pretty rad!
