Voters who are planning to mail their voted ballots back to their town or city clerk should do so as soon as possible, as clerks must receive ballots by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5.
All active registered voters in Vermont were automatically mailed a ballot for the Nov. 5 General Election, a practice known as "Universal Vote by Mail" that is conducted in eight states and in Washington, D.C.
There are several ways to vote. Vermont voters can:
• Mail their ballot back to their clerk's office.
• Bring their ballot to their clerk's office in-person during their open hours.
• Drop their ballot into an official ballot drop box any time before Election Day.
• Bring their ballot with them to their polling place on Nov. 5. If a voter shows up to vote in-person without the ballot that was mailed to them, they can sign an affidavit of "No Ballot Cast" and will receive a new ballot to vote then and there.
"If you are planning to cast your ballot ahead of Nov. 5 and aren't able to get it in the mail today, I strongly recommend that you hand-deliver it to your clerk's office, or drop it in an official ballot drop box," Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas said in a news release. "We want to ensure that your vote is counted and your voice is heard - the postal system takes time, and Election Day is coming up fast."
Copeland Hanzas reminded voters that if they do mail their ballot back to their clerk's office, they can check to see whether it's been received on their My Voter Page account. If there were any errors with the ballot, such as forgetting to sign the envelope, there will be a clickable "cure ballot" button that allows the voter to fix the issue online and ensure their vote is counted.
Access the My Voter Page website at mvp.vermont.gov.
This Town and Village item was submitted to The Commons.