Contrary to Donald Trump’s misstatement, the day to vote for your choice of president of the United States is November 8th. To honor that occasion, here are 4 key things to remember as a voter.
1. Find your polling place early If you’ve voted in previous elections, you probably have a vague idea of where you voted last time, so just check to make sure your voting location hasn’t changed. But if you’re like so many people this year, this may be your first time ever voting, let alone in a presidential election. Your polling place is where you will go to officially cast your vote, which makes it a pretty important place to know! It’s usually somewhere near your home that accommodates a large amount of people, and isn’t always where you expect. For example, mine is at a huge church. To find your polling place, simply visit www.mvp.sos.ga.gov and log in using basic infromation about you, like your name and where you live. Remember to use the address you registered to vote with. So, if you go to Brenau, but you were registered in Glenn county, don’t put down Hall as your county. Finding your polling place earlier will reduce your stress levels and make it easier to get out and vote on election day.
2. Be prepared for lines
There are early voting opportunities and absentee ballots, but the majority of the voting pool will be voting on the 8th. Because of that, there are going to be lines, and there’s going to be a wait. There will be a lot of people going to one location to do something independently, so it can only move so fast. When you go to vote, don’t be surprised if you get there and there’s a line outside of the door. Plan accordingly and give yourself enough time. Don’t let it deter you, though! Stick it out and cast your vote!
3. Let your employer know when you want to vote
Okay, so this sounds super unexpected, but if you are someone who works weird hours, you can still vote! Under Georgia law, you are allowed 2 hours to vote so long as you give advanced notice to your employer. So if you work 7-7 (which is when the polls are open), if you give your employer advanced notice, you can still vote. Obviously, make sure your employer approves first so you don’t get fired, but under Georgia law you have a small level of voting protection. This law doesn’t apply if you already have 2 hours before or after free (from work) to vote. That being said, it’s a valid option to get out and vote!
4. Be strong in your convictions
This election has been a tough time for our country. It has been especially tough for millennials who don’t see their values reflected in either candidate. That being said, this is the future of our country. We have to vote. We have to turn out. If we don’t, politicians won’t listen to us, and we’ll continue to have to elect people who don’t work for us. So go to the polls and stick to your gun. If you want to vote 3rd party, vote 3rd party! If you want to vote Democrat, vote Democrat! If you want to vote Republican, vote Republican! No matter who you want to vote for, don’t let anyone deter you. Use your voice and your vote.