You’re probably sick of hearing this — goodness knows we’re getting tired of saying it — but we would fail to complete our civic duty if we didn’t say it, so here it goes: Vote.
We’re watching with growing concern as states across America are fighting — and sometimes losing — court battles to make sure everyone’s vote counts.
The Supreme Court ruled in a Wisconsin case that mailed ballots must be received on Election Day to count. The nation’s highest court declined to expedite a Pennsylvania lawsuit that would prevent ballots from being counted up to three days after the election. In other words, at the moment, Pennsylvania residents’ votes can still be counted as long as the ballot is postmarked by Nov. 3 and received within three days after the election. However, the Supreme Court didn’t dismiss the case — it’s still up for review after the election. We have no clue how that will affect the vote tallies.
So we’re going to do everything we can to prepare you to vote — and to make sure your vote counts.
Got an absentee ballot hanging on your fridge or sitting forlornly on the table? Fill it out. Now. Technically, as long as it’s postmarked by Nov. 3, an absentee ballot can still be mailed.
But here’s the caveat: Mailed ballots must be received by the start of canvass, which begins Nov. 9. It’s a little iffy at this point if a mailed absentee ballot would arrive in time to be counted. There is an option on the secretary of state’s website to track your ballot, though, to ensure it has arrived and been processed. Go to GoVoteWV.com, which redirects you to the SOS site, and select the option to track your ballot.
Never fear! You have two more options. If you aren’t comfortable going to the polls, you can still fill out your absentee ballot and hand-deliver it to the county clerk’s office. Tomorrow, Nov. 2, is the last chance to do this. It involves making a trip, but you should still be able to avoid long lines and crowded places. (Remember to wear your mask, please.)
And of course, you can still vote in person Tuesday. If you already requested and received your absentee ballot, you can vote in person. Just take your absentee ballot to the polls with you. You’ll give your absentee ballot to the poll worker, who will then void it. (This may or may not include the action of writing “void” in massive letters across the ballot.) The poll worker will then help you through the next steps to vote using one of the voting machines.
If you didn’t bother with an absentee ballot, you can just go to the polls as usual — well, mostly like usual, except there will be masks, sanitizers and socially distanced lines.
Please remember to take a valid form of identification with you if you vote in person. There’s a full list of what constitutes valid ID on the SOS website (https://sos.wv.gov/elections/
Pages/BeReg.aspx). If you have a voter registration card (not the paper one from years ago, but the newer, fancy one that’s like a driver’s license), then you should be good to go, but it never hurts to have a backup.
In short: Be informed. Be prepared. Be safe. And vote.
