U.S. Election Assistance Commission TIPS To Enhance Your Voting Experience Know the voting process in your State before you vote in the next election. The following tips from the U.S. Election 10 Assistance Commission may help enhance your voting experience.

what forms of ID your State ac- to vote early by mail, know the 1 Register to vote cepts by contacting your State or deadlines for requesting and re- local elections office or checking turning your ballot. Some States Most States require citizens to be their Web sites. provide dropoff stations for mail registered in order to vote. Make ballots, and some States allow sure you understand the voter voters to return mail ballots to registration requirements of your Understand polling places on election day. State of residence. If you are not 5 provisional voting registered to vote, apply for voter registration no later than the dead- Federal law allows you to cast Understand line to register in your State. Con- a provisional ballot in a Federal 8 absentee voting tact your local or State elections election if your name does not requirements office or check their Web sites to appear on the voter registration get a voter registration application record, if you do not have ID, or if Most States allow voters to use and learn the deadline to register. your eligibility to vote is in question. an absentee ballot under certain The National Voter Registration Your State may provide other rea- circumstances. Check on the dates Application form is available at sons for voting by a provisional and requirements for requesting https://www.eac.gov/voters/register- ballot. Whether a provisional bal- and returning an absentee ballot and-vote-in-your-state. lot counts depends on if the State before election day. Absentee can verify your eligibility. Check ballots often must be returned or with your State or local elections postmarked before the polls close Confirm your voter office to learn how to tell if your on election day. Determine your 2 registration status provisional ballot was counted. State’s requirements for returning absentee ballots. Once you register to vote, check your status with your State or local Check the elections office several weeks 6 accessibility of Learn about military before the last day to register to 9 and overseas voting vote. That way, you can change your polling place your registration information if If you are a voter with minority Special voting procedures may needed (for example: name, ad - lan guage needs or you are a voter apply if you are in the U.S. military dress, or other corrections) in with special needs or specific or you are an American citizen time to vote. concerns due to a disability, your living overseas. You may qualify polling place may offer special for an absentee ballot by submit- Know your polling assistance. Contact your local ting a Federal Post Card Applica- elections office for advice, mate- tion (FPCA). Contact the Federal 3 place location and rials in a specific language, infor- Voting Assistance Program or hours mation about voting equipment, check its Web site: http://www. If you vote at a polling place on and details on access to the polling fvap.gov, for information relating election day, confirm your polling place, including parking. to military and overseas voters. place location. Make sure you know what time your polling Get more place opens and closes. Consider voting 7 early 10 information Know your State’s Some States allow voting in per- For more on these tips and for voter identification son before election day. Find out answers to other questions about 4 if your State has early voting in the election process, visit https:// (ID) requirements person or by mail and if so when, www.eac.gov/voters/election-day- or contact your Some States require voters to where, and how you can vote contact-information State or local elections office. show ID to vote. You can find out before election day. If you choose

August 2014