Early Voting Is For Everybody

There is a myth out there that voting is easy, and the reason people don’t vote is because they are lazy. If we’ve learned anything from researching the voting procedures in every state, however, it’s that voting can be anything but! There are plenty of people who would love to vote but they’re stretched for time, don’t have access to transportation, are intimidated by the official procedures, overwhelmed by the research, or even afraid of the long lines.

Helping people overcome these obstacles is where you as a Vote Captain can spread your magic.  Many people don’t realize that almost every state has some form of mail-in or early voting. Often, this is the best way to make sure busy and overburdened friends and family get the chance to have their voice heard.

 Check out VoteCaptain.org/states to find what the early voting options are in your state.

Quick Facts About Early Voting:

• Elections are overseen by states, so each state has different early voting rules and deadlines. Find out your state’s rules here.

• Some states have an early voting period with designated in-person polling locations. In most other states, however, you can still vote early at your local election office, whether it is the county clerk, county auditor, or board of elections.

• In many states, voting by mail involves applying for an absentee ballot.  The local election authority will then mail you the ballot, which, depending on the state, generally has to be postmarked or returned by Election Day.  (Please note that stamps are generally required for this kind of ballot.  In some states two stamps are needed for the ballot because the envelope is heavy.)

• Washington and Oregon have universal vote by mail, so every registered voter receives a ballot in the mail automatically.

As a Vote Captain you can help voters by providing them with voting information, helping them with logistics, and, of course, having some stamps available.