Should I vote early, by mail, or on Election Day?

Early in-person voting

Available in most states, typically for a window of one to three weeks before Election Day at designated sites. Lines are usually shorter than on Election Day, and in many states you may vote at any early site in your county rather than only your assigned precinct.

Several states also allow same-day registration during early voting even where it is not offered on Election Day — which makes early voting the practical fix for a registration problem discovered late.

Mail and absentee ballots

Rules range from fully universal mail elections to states requiring a documented excuse. Where you must request one, the request deadline generally falls one to two weeks before the election.

The most common reasons mail ballots are rejected are arriving after the deadline, a missing or mismatched signature, and a missing witness signature where required. Follow the envelope instructions exactly — the envelope is part of the legal ballot.

Many states offer ballot tracking so you can confirm yours was received and accepted. Some also offer a cure process to fix a signature problem after the fact, but the window is short.

Election Day

You must vote at your assigned precinct in most states, and it is worth confirming that location in advance — polling places move more often than people expect.

If you are in line when polls close, you are entitled to vote. Do not leave the line.

Which to choose

If you want the most margin for error, vote early in person. If you are voting by mail, return your ballot as early as possible — postmark rules vary and several states require receipt by Election Day regardless of postmark.