voting related tips
It is time to make a plan to vote. The League of Women Voters urges all citizens to plan ahead for the November elections.
First — Make sure you are registered to vote by Oct. 5, or confirm your registration status at www.GoVoteTn.com. Next, decide which is the best way for you to vote: in person on Election Day, on Early Voting Days or by absentee by mail voting.
Second — Check to see if you are eligible for absentee by mail voting. Voters 60 and older and those with special vulnerabilities to COVID are among the voters eligible. If you decide to vote absentee by mail, allow plenty of time for the mail. The U.S. Postal Service recommends at least 15 days. Ballot applications can be submitted now; ballots will be mailed in mid-to-late September and should be returned as soon as possible. You can track your absentee ballot at www.GoVoteTN.org. For more details about absentee voting visit www.lwvtn.org.
Third — If your plans are to vote in person, know that state and county election officials have very detailed procedures to make in-person voting as safe as possible during the pandemic. Poll workers will be wearing masks to protect you. You should wear a mask to protect the poll workers, other voters and yourself. Avoid the crowds if you can by voting during early voting.
Be sure your plans include checking out the location and hours for your local polling place and, of course, a review of what is on the ballot. The League of Women Voters provides all of that information in our non-partisan resource, www.Vote411.org.
If your voting plans include a trip to the polls for early voting or Election Day, remember that poll workers are there to help you. They can show you how to use the voting machines and answer general questions. If there is an issue with your voter registration, you can ask for a provisional ballot. Don’t forget to bring your state or federal ID and a mask.
Thank you for your participation to make democracy work.
Tiffany Foster
President, League of Women Voters of Knoxville/Knox County
