2020 is a major election year! You've seen the ads everywhere, and now you have your absentee (or sample) ballot and you have no idea what to do. Here are the Top 5 Online Tools to help you fill out your ballot. As a reminder, you are able to take paper into the voting booth with you. Feel free to print your sample ballot (or one of the websites below) to take with you to the polls.
How to Vote in Every State
If you don't even know how to vote or register, here is your first stop. It's a YouTube channel dedicated to simplifying how to vote in every state in the US. Watch a 3-minute video to get you started. Put together by Complexly and MediaWise, this resource has been updated specifically for 2020. Link.
Voting and Elections by USAGov
Need to find your election office or look up common voting terms? This website is for you. USAGov is the official guide to government information and services. There is a lot of information here and I'm sure it can answer 75% of your election questions. Link.
BallotReady
After doing some research on how to vote, I'm sure your next question is "Who should I vote for?" BallotReady is here to help. By signing up with the address you're registered at, BallotReady pulls your sample ballot and shows you all of the candidates and as much information about their platforms as possible. Find some info about a candidate that's not on the website? Let them know and they will review and update the candidate's page. This is a nonpartisan tool affiliated with the University of Chicago, the National Science Foundation, and the Knight Foundation. Link.
VOTE411
It's possible some of your candidates didn't have any information on BallotReady, so here's another tool to cross-reference. Run by E.thePeople, candidates are sent a questionnaire about their positions and actions and their answers are published here. To access your candidates, enter your address like you did for BallotReady. Link.
How to track your mail-in ballot by CNN
Did you know that most states are now able to track your absentee ballot? See when it's sent to you and what date the election office processes it. Not every state uses the same system, but CNN compiled a list showing which states use ballot tracking and link to them. If you do not receive your ballot within the specified time frame (usually 7-10 days), make sure to reach out to your election office. Link.
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