Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5

Elections, at all levels of government, can be extraordinarily close. Your vote is crucial to determining the trajectory of our nation and your community.

• In 2020, only six votes separated the candidates in Iowa’s 1st Congressional District.
• In 2016, only 16 votes separated the top two primary candidates for Arizona's 5th Congressional district. (A recount later expanded the lead to 27 votes.)
• And, our nation's election history has seen many races determined by a single vote.

Your vote matters — and so do the votes of your family, neighbors, and friends!

Under the U.S. Constitution, federal and state elections are administered by states and local agencies. Each election office sets its own voting procedures, which is why voting rules vary by jurisdiction.

With ongoing changes to voting requirements and processes, it’s important you stay updated and informed on the specific provisions of your local election office.

• Check your voter registration or contact your state or local election office, for the most up-to-date information, including how to obtain a mail-in ballot, voter registration deadlines, early voting locations, and where you can vote in-person.

In many states and U.S. territories, voters have two options:

1. Obtain a mail-in ballot, and return it by mail or at an official drop-off location.

1. How to get a mail-in ballot (see the specific requirements for your state):
   1. All states offer absentee voting (also known as “vote-by-mail” or “mail-in voting”), although rules on eligibility and process differ by state.
      1. In some states, you must first request an application, and fill it out and return it, before you can receive your mail-in ballot.
      2. Some states will automatically send mail-in ballots to all registered voters.
   2. If you need to request an absentee ballot, do not wait for the mail-in ballot request deadline. Request your ballot early so that you have enough time to receive the ballot, fill it out, and mail it back in time for it to be eligible to be counted.
2. Correctly fill out your mail-in ballot:
   1. Use only the official ballot you received.
   2. Read all instructions before you begin marking your ballot.
   3. Fill in the ovals or squares in the manner requested. Do not make notes, drawings, or other stray marks on your ballot. Doing so could invalidate (“spoil”) your ballot. It’s also important to use the correct ink color to avoid having your ballot rejected. If you have questions, contact your state or local election office.
   4. Sign your name in the correct place(s), and be sure to properly date the ballot in the correct place, if required. Some mail-in ballots require more than one signature, and there are many laws around signatures that could disqualify your ballot. Missing signatures are one of the most common reasons for mail-in ballots to be rejected. Double-check that you have signed and dated your ballot in the correct places and that your signature is consistent with the signature you used to register to vote.
3. Mail in your ballot before the deadline:
   1. You may need to mail your ballot before Nov. 5, in order for it to be counted. Some states, such as Florida, require the ballot to be received by Nov. 5.
   2. The U.S. Postal Service recommends you send in your ballot at least seven days before the specified deadline.
   3. You must use the envelope provided when mailing back your ballot. Seal the envelope.
   4. Affix the correct postage amount, if postage is needed.
4. Or, deposit your mail-in ballot in an official ballot drop box or polling place:
   1. In many states, you can personally bring your ballot to locations designated by your election office.
   2. Special ballot drop boxes are offered in some states. You must deposit your ballot in the official drop box before the deadline set by your election office, which may be when polls close on Election Day.

2. Vote in-person.

• Check to see if your state or U.S. territory offers early in-person voting.
• States may have changed or reduced polling locations since the previous election. If you choose to vote in-person on Nov. 5, confirm your polling location with your election office before you head to the polls.
• Check if a specific form of identification must be presented when you vote (two-thirds of states require ID).

If you live outside of the United States, please visit the U.S. Vote Foundation for resources.

For specific details on who can and cannot vote, check your state or local election office.

Early in-person voting is offered in many states, some U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia, with specific dates varying by state.

• Use the National Conference of State Legislatures’ early in-person voting resource or contact your state or local election office to learn if and when early voting begins for your jurisdiction.

If you’ve already received an absentee ballot or vote-by-mail ballot, you can mail it in now or drop it off at designated locations. In order to be counted, your mail-in ballot must be received before the deadline set by your election office.

Use Vote.org’s absentee ballot resource or contact your state or local election office to find your deadline for returning your mail-in ballot by mail or in-person.

You can track the status of your mail-in ballot online. Some states and U.S. territories may offer text or email alerts as your ballot is processed.

• Use Vote.org’s ballot tracker tools or contact your state or local election office to find the website where your election office tracks mail-in ballots.

Voters in jurisdictions that have no ballot tracking systems can inquire with their local election office.

Every state and U.S. territory, except North Dakota, requires voters to register.

Voter registration deadlines vary by jurisdiction, with some states allowing voters to register on Election Day, while other jurisdictions require registration weeks before Election Day.

• Use Vote.gov’s registration resources or contact your state or local election office to check if you’re registered, and to see when the registration deadline is.

The National Mail Voter Registration Form is also available in different languages, including Bengali, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Yup’ik, and more.

On Election Day (Tues., Nov. 5), it is important to go to your current, designated polling location, because other locations will not have your name on their voter roster.

• Use the National Association of Secretaries of State’s look-up resource or contact your state or local election office to learn how you can find your designated in-person polling place.
• Polling locations are based on your voter registration address. They can be located in schools, fire stations, and other spaces. Your polling location is not permanent and may differ from election to election, for example, as a result of changes to precinct boundaries or number of registered voters.
• If you do not go to your designated polling location, you may be able to vote by provisional ballot. Nearly all states provide provisional ballots, which voters can request at polling places, for example, if their name cannot be found on the poll list. The reasons for accepting and the process for handling provisional ballots vary by jurisdiction.
• If the line is long, please remain in line. Polls will remain open as long as people begin waiting in line before the poll's scheduled close time. Polling hours vary by location.

Before you head to the polls, check to see if you need to bring identification. Many states require some type of ID for all voters, with specific rules varying by state.

• Check if your state requires identification, and if so, photo or non-photo ID.
• Voters who are not carrying the type of required ID to the polls may still be able to cast a provisional ballot, though additional steps may be required (for example, presenting the required ID at an election office within a specified period of time).
• If you are a first-time voter, bring ID with you to the polls. Federal law requires first-time voters, who did not register in-person, to present identification at the polls.

In this election, everyone will be voting for the President of the United States and who will represent them in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Additionally, 34 Senate seats, governors of 11 states and two U.S. territories, and many city mayors, state representatives, and state and local measures are on the ballot.

• Check your state or local election office to see if your sample ballot is available online or can be requested.

How sample ballots are provided varies by election office.

• If you're registered to vote, many will mail you a sample ballot and voter information guide about 2–5 weeks before Election Day.
• Some may make sample ballots available at polling locations, while others publish them in local newspapers.

Voter information guides include candidate statements and descriptions of ballot initiatives. Voters can learn more through resources such as Ballotpedia.org and the opinion section of your local newspapers.

With the anticipated large number of mail-in ballots, election results are unlikely to be available as promptly as we’ve come to expect.

Some states begin counting mail-in ballots prior to Election Day and may have their results shortly after polls close.

But many states may need days or weeks after Election Day before they are able to report results. In some states, election officials are permitted to only begin counting ballots on Election Day.

Under the U.S. Constitution, federal and state elections are administered by local election offices.

Each election office sets its own rules and provides its own voting information for their jurisdiction.

• Use USA.gov’s Voting and Elections resources or Vote.gov to find additional information offered by your local election office
• Or contact your state or local election office.