Have you decided how you are going to vote in the upcoming election?
Even if you have decided between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, there is more to do before you can do your duty on Election Day.
There are more offices that will need your vote: secretary of state, state auditor, state treasurer, superintendent of public instruction, attorney general, agriculture commissioner, labor commissioner, insurance commissioner, state senator, state representative, N.C. supreme court justice, N.C. court of appeals judge, superior court judge, district court judge, district attorney, county commissioner, clerk of superior court, and register of deeds, and, in addition to U.S. president and vice president.
You have lots of choices to make and there are deadlines for making some of them.
Below is a list of some of the important dates and deadlines that apply:
Sept. 6: County boards of elections begin mailing absentee ballots to eligible voters who submitted an absentee ballot request form.
Oct. 11: Voter registration deadline (5 p.m.).
Oct. 17: In-person early voting begins; same-day registration available.
Oct. 29: Absentee ballot request deadline (5 p.m.).
Nov. 2: In-person early voting ends (3 p.m.).
Nov. 5: General election.
Nov. 5: Absentee ballot return deadline (7:30 p.m.).
If the presidential election, or one of the others, is very, very important to you, you may want to do more than vote. In one recent election, I was persuaded to knock on doors of people likely to vote for my preferred candidate—if they voted at all. I spent an afternoon at the task.
My candidate lost. I was disappointed but was then and am still am glad I made the effort. If I had done nothing, I would have blamed myself for the loss.
If you feel this year as strongly as I did that year, here are some things you might do to help your candidate succeed.
1. Give some hard-earned dollars to your candidate. The money is important, but the act of giving is a seal of support, like a small Sunday morning church gift. It is more than just the money.
2. Make a connection with the candidate and introduce him or her to people you know. Invite a candidate to visit your home. Invite neighbors and encourage the candidate to explain his or her views.
3. Attend events sponsored by other candidates and maybe wear your candidate’s button alongside that of the honoree.
4. Have your own big neighborhood party to honor your candidate.
Whatever your neighbors’ views, they will appreciate the opportunity to get to know people who live nearby and learn about the candidate.
5. Create a postcard and make copies to send to your friends and others. Address, stamp them, and send them off.
Write something personal like “this candidate is a friend of mine and a trustworthy person who thoughtfully considers the issues facing us. I would appreciate your consideration and especially your vote on election day.” Add a personal note, if you can, to remind the recipient of the card how you might be connected to him or her.
5. Sign up with a candidate’s organization to knock on doors on election day to remind people to vote.
6. Stand in line to greet voters at the polls. Somebody you know will honor your advice.
7. Especially if your candidate loses, it will be important to know that you did not give up and that you worked hard all the way to the end. Of course, it will be even better if your candidate wins a close election because of your efforts.
8. Win or lose, your activity and participation on Election Day and your participation marks you as an American citizen who does his or her job.