OK, so you've registered to vote. (You did register to vote, right? You have to be registered in order to cast a ballot. Except in North Dakota. Go figure.)
Now what? You need to vote! Here are three things to help guide you through the voting process.
You need an election! That seems pretty obvious. In any given year, there are usually two elections: the primary election (where political parties determine who their candidates will be for the general election) and general elections (the one that usually happens in November). You can vote in both of these. Click on the map below to figure out when elections will be in your state.
You need to know where to go. Your polling place is usually determined by where you live. Polling places are usually in schools, libraries, community centers, fire stations, and other public buildings. In some states - like in Washington and Oregon - your ballot will be mailed to you and you just need to mail it back. In other places, like Denver, there are several "voting centers" and you can just go to the one that is most convenient for you. Again, click on the map below to find your polling place.
Here are a few things to expect when you get to your polling place. First, you will need to go to the "check in" table so the nice people who serve as poll workers can check your name off the official voter rolls. Make sure you bring your ID with you. A lot of states make you show ID - like a driver's license - the first time you vote just to verify that you are who you say you are. (Just click on the map below to find out what you should bring to the polls.)Once you check in, you will either (1) be given a ballot and will be directed to a place to go fill it out in private or (2) if you live in a place that no longer uses paper ballots, you will be directed to a electronic voting machine (like an ATM) where you will cast your votes for the various races. If you fill out a paper ballot, after you are finished voting you will hand it back to the poll workers or feed it into a counting machine.
You can always ask for help. Best place to start: select your state below and it will give you all the information you need to go vote. Happy voting!
Get started by selecting your state
