Millions of Americans will cast their ballot on Election Day.
People need to be registered to vote, but in 21 states and Washington, D.C., same-day registration is available on Nov. 5.
"Because of the Help America Vote Act, there's a process in place that allows people, you know, that requires people who register to vote to provide some type of identifying information, like their driver's license," said Veronica Degraffenreid, former acting Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Degraffenreid, who also served as an election official in North Carolina, is now the senior manager of strategic partnerships at the Brennan Center for Justice.
Provisional ballots
If there's an issue with a person's voter registration, they could be issued a provisional ballot. It includes all the same races on a normal ballot, but they are set aside to allow officials to confirm a voter's eligibility after polls close.
Poll watchers
Voters might see partisan observers or poll watchers at their polling locations. In some states, they may be allowed to raise a concern about procedures or a voter's eligibility, but those types of challenges are rare.
"The challenger typically needs to have, you know, some type of evidence, and also, just depending on the jurisdiction, there are limits on what you can challenge for. So you can't just decide, 'Well, I don't think that that person is an American citizen, because their name ... sounds too foreign.' Obviously, that would be inappropriate," Degraffenreid explained.
Filling out your ballot
In states that offer paper ballots, voters should fill in the circle or square completely. Making extra marks or signing a ballot could impact whether it scans properly.
Some jurisdictions use ballot marking devices that allow voters to make their selections on an electronic screen. That equipment helps reduce errant marks that can slow down tabulation and they can warn voters if they've skipped a race.
The ballot marking software will indicate, 'Oh, you didn't vote for this contest. Is that OK? And you're like, that's OK or you've overvoted, do you want to go back and change your selections?'" said Degraffenreid.
There will be about 180,000 precincts open nationwide on Election Day. They are subject to different state and local election rules. People who have specific questions should reach out to their local election staff.
