HOW TO VOTE IN NOVEMBER: 
  • In Florida, you must be registered to vote by Monday, October 5. You can do so online here: https://registertovoteflorida.gov/home. 
  • If you feel comfortable voting in person, you can find your polling place here: https://www.vote.org/polling-place-locator/. Keep in mind that you must go to your designated polling place; you can't just show up at any polling place to vote in person.
    • Check in advance whether you need to bring a picture ID with you to the polls. Florida requires that you bring a driver's license, state ID card, passport, or the like to the polls. Your student ID (unfortunately) does not count as a valid ID for these purposes. 
    • If you're in another state, make sure that you check to see whether you are required to bring your voter ID card with you to vote in person. 
    • Keep in mind that in Florida (and in many other states), you can vote early in person as well. I believe early voting starts October 19th in Florida; the dates might vary in other states. This website will be updated on October 4 with more information about early voting: https://dos.myflorida.com/elections/for-voters/voting/early-voting/
    • Depending on where you plan to vote in person, you might encounter long lines voting in person on Election Day itself, so please plan for enough time to stand in line, if necessary. Remember that as long as you are in line by the time the polls close, you are able to vote. 
  • If you know you won't be able to vote in person, you can request a mail in, absentee ballot here: https://www.vote.org/absentee-ballot/
    • There are likely to be legal challenges about mail-in voting this year. Send in your ballot at least a week to make sure it arrives by Election Day. FLORIDA WILL NOT COUNT BALLOTS POSTMARKED ON ELECTION DAY---THEY MUST ARRIVE BY NOVEMBER 3.
    • You can also request an absentee ballot and turn it in in person at your local polling place any time between now and Election Day. (This is my plan.)  
  • If you have the time and resources to do so, consider signing up to be a poll worker in your community. Poll workers are typically seniors and other retired people who are particularly susceptible to COVID, and many will not be working as normal on Election Day. As a result, there is a shortage of poll workers across the country, and you can help fill this gap. On another note, we might witness efforts at voter intimidation at polling locations, and being a poll worker allows you to help alert officials to this type of behavior and protect people's right to vote. Keep in mind that to be a poll worker, you must be available long hours on Election Day (typically something like 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.). You can find more info about signing up here: https://www.eac.gov/help-america-vote#section-sign-up