Greg Flynn, the Wake County Board of Elections Chair, says the key this year is early, early early. I agree!

1. If you haven’t already done it, ask for your absentee ballot today. Mail-in ballots are safe. These votes will be announced in the first round of results on election day, along with early voting results. I haven’t gotten my ballot yet, probably because I skipped a required field on the request and had to send in a new one. Do it early so problems can be spotted and handled in time.
2. As soon as you get your ballot in the mail, mark it, sign the envelope, get it witnessed, and mail it back. The directions are really clear. Just make sure to read the back of the envelope and put on one first-class or forever stamp.

*Check to make sure your vote was received using the BOE’s Voter Lookup service. It won’t show that you asked for an absentee ballot, but it will show when your vote has been received. They process mail-in ballots once a week, so it may take some time. If you don’t see it after a reasonable period, call the BOE, check on the status, and ask about voting a provisional ballot. Ask first! Voting a second time saying that you haven’t voted yet is a felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

1. Use the BOE’s Voter Lookup service to verify you are registered at your current address under your current name and to see your sample ballot. Update your registration now if needed. Don’t be surprised on November 3.
2. Go the first week of Early Voting between 8 and 10 am if you can to avoid crowds. Early voting runs from October 15 to October 31. You can go to any site in your county.