States are broadening the rules forrequests and early voting — and more people than ever are expected to vote by mail. vote.orgUsually, voters can request an absentee ballot if they have a reason for being away from their district, like if they're attending college in another state or are deployed on a military mission. But, this year, 34 states and the District of Columbia are making exceptions and allowing everyone who's registered to vote by mail.
For example, if it says fill in the oval, fill in the oval — don't circle it. Use a blue or black pen, not a pencil. Don't forget to sign it, otherwise your vote won't count. The place for the signature is on the outer envelope, not actually on the ballot in some cases. Experts worry that the higher number of requests could overwhelm the system and keep votes from being counted. With that in mind, a lot of places will offer ballot drop-off locations at precincts or polling places. And you can often just drop it off at your local election office.