Voting in the United States

In the United States, there are several ways to vote in elections. The three main ways are voting in-person on election day, in-person early voting, and voting absentee.

Voting In-Person

To vote in-person, either early or on election day, a registered voter shows up to their assigned polling place and casts their ballot. Early voting takes place during a specified period before the election. Because early voting is more time flexible, voters with nontraditional schedules or who cannot miss work often take advantage of early voting.

Voting Absentee

Absentee voting, also known as voting by mail, involves requesting a ballot in advance of the election. Once the ballot arrives in the mail, it must be filled out and mailed back. In some states, anyone can request an absentee ballot. Absentee voting is commonly used by active duty military, college students, and disabled voters.

To learn more about how to vote, check out this government website.