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This article was published on November 6, 2018

Everything you need to vote in the 2018 midterm elections today


Everything you need to vote in the 2018 midterm elections today

It’s that time again, my fellow Americans. Voting day is here in the United States. This time, it’s the 2018 midterm elections. Here at TNW, we want to make sure you all get out there and do your civic duty, so we’ve compiled a list of resources to help you get to the polls today.

Find your polling place: When you want to vote, you need to go to your assigned polling location, as you will not be on the list at any other place. Since the location can change from election to election, it’s best to check ahead of time. The official Election Day page on the government website has links to state resources through which you can find your location.

However, that can take quite a while. The best resource we’ve found thus far is I Will Vote, which shows you your polling place after you enter your home address. It also tells you what kind of identification you need to bring.

Find out more about your choices: The easiest place to find out more about the candidates for whom you’ll be voting is Ballotpedia. Each candidate has their own page, and almost all of them are chock-full of information about the candidates’ previous experience and races.

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The ACLU also has some resources on the different candidates on its site, though in my case it only covered the “big” races and all of the candidates names linked to their pages on Ballotpedia. That said, it also has general information on each major issue (free speech, net neutrality, immigrants’ rights, etc) and what to look for should you wish to vote with those issues in mind.

Fill out a sample ballot: These “practice sheets” can sometimes be available on your county website (it was in my case), but if not, you can find one at Ballotpedia. This will show you all of the candidates in the running and to which party they belong. As stated above, Ballotpedia is also a resource for each candidates’ general information, all of which is linked on the sample ballot.

Another good one is When We All Vote, which shows you a list of each candidate’s experience, and allows you to print out a completed sample ballot for further perusal.

General information: When it comes to the basics of what’s required of you on voting day, one of the best resources is Vote.org. You can check to ensure you’re registered to vote, and request an absentee ballot if they’re available in your state — ideal for those with disabilities which prevent them from reaching their polling location. This option might also be available for Americans living in other countries, though not all of those will be eligible to vote.

If you’re just plain having trouble getting there, both Uber and Lyft are offering deals to help get Americans moving. Lyft is offering all rides today at half-off, while Uber is offering a $10 credit and also shows the cheapest ride to your polling location.

For those of you who’ve already voted, either through early voting or just getting up really early, thank you!

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