IT'S YOUR RIGHT
When you vote, you take an active role in deciding issues regarding health care, immigration, equal opportunity, voting rights, infrastructure, jobs, education, social security, neighborhood safety, taxes, etc.
​
DECIDE HOW YOUR TAXES WILL BE ALLOCATED
Elected officials decide how to pay for public services with the money collected from our taxes and how to share the tax burden. Take an active role and find out if your candidate shares your views and will spend your money wisely.
​
VOTE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
Worried about climate change? Thinking about how you’ll pay off your student loans? Hoping you’ll have health insurance when you need it? Vote for leaders that are committed to solving these problems for you and your children.
​
VOTE TO IMPROVE YOUR COMMUNITY
Elected officials and judges make day to day decisions on laws that will affect your community, law enforcement, crime prevention, traffic patterns, and where to build schools, parks, and recreational places.
VOTE FOR HEALTHCARE OPTIONS
Your vote gives Governors, Legislators, and Congress the authority to pass or reject laws that will determine your access to health care. Vote and elect people who have your best interest in mind. Do it so your loved ones can have access to health care that represents your views.
​
VOTE TO IMPROVE YOUR CHILD'S EDUCATION
Local and state school board members who you elect make decisions on policies and budgets that will impact how well prepared your children will be for their future. Your Legislators, Governor, Congress Members, and the President also make decisions that affect the cost and quality of public schools and higher learning institutions. Vote to place your children and grandchildren in good hands.
1Vote Counts
Your vote truly matters. Do you want someone else deciding for you the laws that will affect your family and community? Voting gives you the power to choose how your city, state, and country will operate. If you don’t vote, you can’t complain! Go vote and make the decision before someone else does it for you.
10 THINGS YOU MUST KNOW ABOUT VOTING
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
REGISTER TO VOTE
Most states require citizens to be registered in order to vote. Make sure you understand the voter registration requirements of your State of residence. If you are not registered to vote, apply for voter registration no later than the deadline to register in your State. Contact your local or state elections office or check their Web sites to get a voter registration application and learn the deadline to register. The National Voter Registration Application form is available here.
CONFIRM YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION STATUS​
Once you register to vote, check your status with your State or local elections office several weeks before the last day to register to vote. That way, you can change your registration information if needed (for example name, address, or other corrections) in time to vote.
​
KNOW YOUR POLLING PLACE LOCATION, AND HOURS
If you vote at a polling place on Election Day, confirm your polling place location. Make sure you know what time your polling place opens and closes.
KNOW YOUR STATE'S VOTER IDENTIFICATION (ID) REQUIREMENTS
Some States require voters to show ID to vote. You can find out what forms of ID your State accepts by contacting your State or local elections office or checking their web sites.
UNDERSTAND PROVISIONAL VOTING
Federal law allows you to cast a provisional ballot in a Federal election if your name does not appear on the voter registration record, if you do not have an ID, or if your eligibility to vote is in question. Your State may provide other reasons for voting by a provisional ballot. Whether a provisional ballot counts depends on if the State can verify your eligibility. Check with your State or local elections office to learn how to tell if your provisional ballot was counted.
​
CHECK THE ACCESSIBILITY OF YOUR POLLING PLACE
If you are a voter with minority language needs or you are a voter with special needs or specific concerns due to a disability, your polling place may offer special assistance. Contact your local elections office for advice, materials in a specific language, information about voting equipment, and/or details on access to the polling place, including parking.
CONSIDER VOTING EARLY
Some States allow voting in person before Election Day. Find out if your State has early voting in person or by mail and if so when, where, and how you can vote before Election Day. If you choose to vote early by mail, know the deadlines for requesting and returning your ballot. Some States provide drop-off stations for mail ballots, and some States allow voters to return mail ballots to polling places on Election Day.
UNDERSTAND ABSENTEE VOTING REQUIREMENTS
Most States allow voters to use an absentee ballot under certain circumstances. Check on the dates and requirements for requesting and returning an absentee ballot before Election Day. Absentee ballots often must be returned or postmarked before the polls close on Election Day. Determine your State’s requirements for returning absentee ballots.
​
LEARN ABOUT MILITARY AND OVERSEAS VOTING
Special voting procedures may apply if you are in the U.S. military or if you are an American citizen living overseas. You may qualify for an absentee ballot by submitting a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). Contact the Federal Voting Assistance Program or check its web site: http://www.fvap.gov, for more information relating to military and overseas voters.
GET MORE INFORMATION
For more on these tips and for answers to other questions about the election process, contact your State or local elections office.