How to stay informed and vote this upcoming election

Adults hear it everywhere each election year as November approaches. Whether it be social
media, tv commercials or pamphlets taped on your door, everyone feeds you the same message:
vote! And while voting is certainly important and should be encouraged, it’s ironic the
information voters aren’t given. Everyone tells you to vote, but no one tells you how to decide
who to vote for, and this always leads to uninformed voting.
What many new voters don’t know is that a simple Google search can provide you with all the
information on running candidates that you need to make a decision. Websites such as
politico.com are a concise, easy-to-use guide to discover what issues democratic candidates
support or reject, and their plans for the country or specific problems. Another example of a good resource is Ballotpedia.org when wondering what the current president’s policies and values are, as well as their opponent’s.
Many voters simply vote as their parents do or for the candidate of their registered party. Other voters only watch tv discussions of the upcoming election and make their decision from there. But it is important to read articles from writers on all sides of the political spectrum, watch news reporting from all sides, and read any documents presented to the public for yourself. Doing this will ensure voters that they have a complete understanding of the country’s issues and the values of each candidate.
Voting after you are informed is fairly simple. Head to votedouglascounty.com. Here, you will
find step by step instructions on how to register to become a voter, and vote at a polling place
near you. You can also learn about presidential candidates on this website as well as voting
deadlines and other information.
Obviously, given the coronavirus pandemic this is no normal election. For your safety, you can
choose to vote through mail. The early voting application involves requesting to vote early by
mail. Keep in mind this is not the official ballot.
Registered voters can request an early voting ballot to be mailed to them before the election. A
link is provided for the early voting request application on the website under early voting.
Completed application can be returned via mail or in person to the election commission. Also,
you can choose to email a picture of the completed application to the the election commission
email.
All requests must be received by 6 p.m. on the second Friday prior to the election. All other
voting information you may need can be found under the early voting page. Make sure to read all the instructions to insure your ballot is counted, otherwise it may not be.
This election year is different than one America has ever seen. This year especially, it is
important to stay informed and use your voice. Whether that be voting in person or via mail, you can acknowledge the impact of your vote.