r/Explainlikeimscared • u/cicad1an_rhythm • 5d ago
How do I vote?
I'm a USAmerican, and this is my first year being registered to vote. I know who I want to vote for, I've done all of the research; I also *think* I know the location itself to go to? My parents are religious and abstain from voting, so they've never taught me, nor will they teach me now.
I have a lot of anxiety and do much better if I know exactly what to expect. If it matters by state: I live in South Dakota. Thanks in advance!
31
u/SeaSnowAndSorrow 5d ago edited 5d ago
Others have told you where to find your polling location, so I'll skip to once you get there.
There will be people outside who work for campaigns. You do NOT have to talk to them or accept fliers or anything else. You can say "no thank you, I know who I'm voting for." They can't legally follow you inside or block you from entering.
Once you get inside, you're going to go to the first area, where they're going to ask for your ID. Driver's license is standard, but a non-driver state ID, US passport, US military ID, tribal ID card, or school-issued photo ID from a high school or accredited college or university within your state is also allowed. (I checked this for OP's state, so if anyone else is reading this, check your local regulation, as what's accepted may vary.) You may also need to state your full legal name and address.
If your ballot is paper, they'll hand it to you and direct you to a semi-private cubicle to fill it out. They provide the pen or pencil. In this case, it's like a school bubble-test. If you're using a touchscreen machine they'll direct you to one. There's generally a privacy pop-up cubicle or curtains or something.
Nobody is allowed to follow you to your cubicle, block you from entering a pollinglocation, look over your shoulder, or tell you who to vote for. It is illegal to prevent you from voting. The only situation in which it would be allowed is caregiver assistance for disabled voters. If anyone tries to intimidate you, block you, or tell you who to vote for, you call a poll worker over. It's their job to prevent this.
Some other general tips:
-
As someone else said, if the line is long, you stay in line.
-
If you're voting early, it may not be at your regular precinct. You need to check your town or city website for those locations. (My city goes from one initial early voting location to five halfway thorugh early voting to fifty on election day.)
-
Wear comfortable shoes.
5
u/cicad1an_rhythm 5d ago
Thank you!! This is a really nice breakdown :]
14
u/Upbeat_Ruin 5d ago
A couple more things to piggyback on this thread:
- Don't take pictures of your ballot. It may disqualify your vote in some states, and is generally a bad idea. Keep your phone in your pocket until you get home.
- Don't wear clothes with political slogans on them (e.g. "[Candidate's name] 2026".) It's considered electioneering and is forbidden in many states.
- Don't talk about who you plan to vote for with the people you're in line with. Again, could be considered electioneering.
- Before you leave, thank the poll workers. It's a long work day for them (usually around 12 hours), and incidents of harassment and violence against them have ramped up in recent years. A small gesture of courtesy can go a long way.
The poll workers will probably be able to help with any questions you have once you get there. Good luck, and remember that voting is your civic right!
8
u/SeaSnowAndSorrow 5d ago
My other tip is to have your ID out before you get to the door. It keeps the line moving for everyone.
2
u/FewRecognition1788 4d ago
And they often have stickers for you to wear once you turn your ballot in.
A selfie with your sticker right outside you polling place is great!
16
u/DVDragOnIn 5d ago
And also, I’m in a different state than SD, but no selfies in the voting booth. Once you get into the polling location, no pictures. When my son and I voted in 2024, there was a first-time voter and the poll workers were so excited to get a first time voter, they LOVE to see folks participating in democracy! Good for you for taking on something new and voting!
4
u/SeaSnowAndSorrow 5d ago
Oh gods! I didn't even think of that becuase it would never have occurred to me as something that would happen.
7
u/AliMcGraw 4d ago
My state now has selfie posters that say "I voted!* that hang near the exit from the polling station so people can get a good photo for social media without taking it in the polling room.
6
u/AtrumAequitas 4d ago edited 4d ago
Interesting, I’ve never seen campaign people outside my polling stations ever. I wonder if it’s illegal in my state.
Edit: looked it up, and it’s 200 from front door. I’m starting to see why so many polling places in my state are small schools and churches. 200 feet would be outside the parking lot for most of them.
4
u/SeaSnowAndSorrow 4d ago
I know in my hometown, my voting site was my former elementary school, and they were very strict about measuring from the lunchroom door, through the foyer, and outside to the exact spot by the curb it was allowed, and they spraypainted the line in the grass or snow. You'd get one or two.
Where I live now? "Just not inside the door" is considered close enough. You basically have to go through a gauntlet.
2
u/chubbychecker_psycho 4d ago
It's illegal here in Chicago but they stand right over the minimum distance line and really go for it.
12
u/TheGlassHammer 5d ago
Look up your voting location on Vote.org counties/states have early voting. You early voting location can be different than you normal location. My early voting (EV) location is a library and my normal voting place a church.
You can bring notes with you to help remember your research. Look up any state laws that are on the ballot. Also anything that isn’t each to figure out on the fly. You can also see a sample ballot online.
There can be long lines. Remember to stay in line (ESPECIALLY if you’re voting Nov 3rd). Once you’re in line before 7pm you get to vote. Doesn’t matter if the line lasts until 1 am or whatever.
Sometimes it’s digital. Sometimes it’s a fill in the bubble. You can ask the poll workers how to physically vote. You can’t ask them who you should vote for
7
u/cicad1an_rhythm 5d ago
Thank you for your help! Is early voting different than absentee voting? Or are they the same?
5
u/IcyMathematician4117 5d ago
Similar but different :) I voted early this year, so went to the designated polling place and completed/turned in a ballot. It was the exact same process as though I'd gone on Election Day.
If I had voted absentee, I would've gotten the same ballot in the mail. I could've chosen to mail it back in or drop it off at a voting site. Absentee works well for folks who are temporarily out of state (college, military, etc.) or in places that don't have great early voting.
4
u/cicad1an_rhythm 5d ago
I see. I'm not sure if my county offers early voting? I would definitely like to do that over trying to get it done day of, but I'm having a really hard time finding information on that. Can I do absentee voting even if I don't have a 'reason' for it?
6
u/MGConnector 5d ago
Look up your county or city government website. They will have a sample ballot - literally what the ballot will look like, with all the races and the format for voting. Looks like the state government has a site that will give you your sample ballot - they ask you to fill in personal information, this is because someone in one city may be having a school board race and in the next county over, they are not: https://vip.sdsos.gov/VIPLogin.aspx It is like taking a test in high school - multiple-choice questions with a write-in alternative if you don't like the choices.
2
2
u/No-Possibility4768 5d ago
When you register to vote, they will tell you your voting location. It used to be a physical card that you would bring. Do you have an email or letter confirming your registration? That should show the location. I live in Virginia and now you bring your ID and they look you up in the computer registry. There's a community center down the street from my house that does voting but I'm actually assigned to a school voting center a few miles away. You walk in, show ID, confirm address, they give you the ballot, you go to a little booth to fill it out and then put it in a machine and you get your I Voted sticker. It's really easy, it takes 2 minutes if you go early and know who you are voting for. There are volunteers to help guide you.
2
u/cicad1an_rhythm 5d ago
I did get a letter. I'm not sure what I ended up doing with it, I got it a few weeks ago (I don't think I got rid of it). I'll go look for it. Thank you for your help!
3
u/wateryoudoingthere 5d ago
If you can’t find the paper, call your state or county department of elections and they can help you understand your poll location and anything that might be on your ballot.
You’ve got ballot measures, local office, auditors, tons of races most people don’t think about until they have to weigh in (democracy is terrifying, even though the alternative is far more terrifying…)
If for some reason you run into issues with being able to vote, you should know that there are resources available. If something is messed up with your registration or ID, you’ll be able to vote with what’s called a provisional ballot. It’s essentially an IOU that locks your vote in and gives you a handful of days to correct whatever issue went down. If you do correct it your vote counts, if you don’t it doesn’t. And if you think you’re being treated unfairly in the polls, you can call the election protection hotline.
63
u/idlers_dream7 5d ago
I'd recommend going to vote411.org and choosing your state. They have all the info.
Voting is an extremely boring event. You go to a place (often a firehouse or school), show them ID/sign something, then stand in line waiting to be escorted to a ballot cubby. They'll offer you a paper or digital ballot option, if available, and you either fill it in by hand like a scantron or use a touchscreen to make selections.
When you're done, you turn in your completed paperwork, get an "I voted" sticker, and head home.
There are usually tons of volunteers helping every step of the way, because they want/need people to vote no matter their discomfort level.
28
u/Imaginary-Angle-42 5d ago
You are not allowed to use your phone at all so have your list on a piece of paper not on your phone.
In the several places I’ve been the people helping at the polls are paid volunteers. It’s a good way to see how voting works. It’s a very long day, but rewarding.
14
u/wateryoudoingthere 5d ago
Technically true, but I’ve never seen that enforced. Enforcement is also tricky when you’re supposed to have a degree of privacy as you vote.
4
u/BunnyLuv13 4d ago
Oh really? I’ve gotten snapped at each time my phone comes out of my pocket. Even just to check the date and time. They are very serious about it in Georgia!
3
u/wateryoudoingthere 4d ago
That’s so interesting, I’ve voted in two states and neither has cared. One even has a curtain on the booth so they’d have no way of knowing!
3
u/PlaysWithSquirrels7 4d ago edited 4d ago
Phone use or not probably depends on the state. My state (Louisiana) has an app that shows you your ballot and they encourage you to preselect things so you're ready to go! Seconding all the other comments about doing your homework and having it all recorded so all you gotta do in the moment is fill it out. Good luck!
Edit to clarify I have no idea if SD allows phone use or not. Can always just have paper notes though!
11
u/MullberryBoy 5d ago
Voting is a right and should be treated as a privilege too. The League of Women Voters has a nonpartisan site that details the candidates and propositions. You can use that info to pre fill your sample ballot at the polls. I have met some great people every time I vote and experience a nice sense of accomplishment when I leave.
7
u/Urist_Bearclaw 5d ago
A few tips:
If you make a mistake on your ballot, tell the attendants and they can dispose of the invalid ballot and give you a new one.
If the line to vote is long (I imagine that’s unlikely in SD but you never know) and you’re worried that you won’t get to vote before the polls close, STAY IN LINE. As long as you were in line before that time, your vote can be counted.
Different places handle the ballot differently. Some will have you fill in bubbles with a pen, like taking a scantron test in school. Some will use an electronic machine. Some places have a mechanical thing that uses a hole punch on the ballot for your choices. However it’s done there will be instructions, and the staff can help if you are confused.
5
u/desertboots 5d ago
Congratulations! Voting is almost always conducted on a county level, but laws are by state. So g o to this website for exact information.
https://sdsos.gov/elections-voting/voting/default.aspx
Afew important things to know:
When are Polling Places Open? Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time.
Bring Identification All voters who appear at a polling place must show proof of identification (SDCL12-18-6.1). Approved forms of photo identification include:
South Dakota driver's license or nondriver ID card / or / U.S. government photo ID (passport is acceptable) / U.S. Armed Forces ID / Current student photo identification card from a South Dakota high school or South Dakota accredited institution of higher education / Tribal photo ID /
4
u/DostoevskysLilBitch 5d ago edited 5d ago
I recommend voting early, there's less of a crowd. It's extremely similar to public school: you'll go to the voting location and there should be signs indicating where to go. There will be people at a table who ask for your name, address, and, in my state, driver's license. They then tell you where to go to wait in line to get your ballot. You take it and go to a little desk with walls and fill the bubbles in completely, sign and date the ballot envelope and put your ballot in it. You then take it to the person who gave it to you, they seal it for you, then you get your sticker and leave.
4
u/cantaloupe-490 4d ago
It's a little different everywhere, and you've already gotten good advice on the logistics. Just remember that in most places, the people working at the polling location are volunteers. They may get paid a small amount of money, but they chose to be there.
That means they're excited about voting and excited about helping you! When I worked as an election officer and someone said it was their first time voting, everyone went out of their way to be extra helpful, and also to celebrate with them. It's a milestone and it deserves to be celebrated!
All that to say, just remember you're walking into a building full of people who want this to go smoothly for you. If you need help or get confused, just ask. They're there to support you.
4
u/AtrumAequitas 4d ago
Your polling place will have directions. There will likely be a line, easy path to follow.
3
u/chubbychecker_psycho 4d ago
Remember that you don't have to vote for everything on the ballot. Here in Chicago there are always 20 judges and you have to say for each one of they should keep their position. Younger voters tell me they're intimidated by that but you don't have to vote for EVERYTHING.
If you aren't sure, skip to the next one.
3
u/Ace-Redditor 5d ago
Everyone else has given some good advice, but I just wanted to add: If you're not sure about who/what to vote for for a certain position/proposal, you're allowed to leave it blank! If it's something that you know won't affect you or something you don't think you know enough about (you can look things up if you need to as well), you can just leave it blank and vote for the "big stuff" only, or just pick and choose as you want
2
u/tseidyss 5d ago
The first thing would be to see where the nearest voting center is! I’d go online by typing like “voting SD” and maybe add your city and that’ll get you on track for locations.
0
5d ago
2
u/cicad1an_rhythm 5d ago
Habit, I guess? I know people outside of the USA, and I would say "American" could technically refer to anyone in North or South America. Those are the Americas. USAmerican is just what I use as a way to make it clear that I am from the United States. Apologies if it read weird, lol.
-3
u/TradeBeautiful42 5d ago
Nobody in Canada or South America refers to themselves as American. This reads as a weird fake post.
-3
u/cicad1an_rhythm 5d ago
...People do, though. People refer to "Americans" much the same way that people refer to "Europeans" or "Asians". The US just doesn't have a convenient term the way Canadians, or whoever else do. I promise I'm not making up a post about not knowing how to vote?? 😅 Not even really sure what I would get out of that.
3
2
u/StoryAlternative6476 5d ago
Because “America” can technically refer to anywhere in North, Central, and South America, so they are specifying since this is something that would vary widely by country, I imagine. “US American” is generally shorter than “resident of the United States of America.”
0
5d ago
1
u/kaerahis 5d ago
What does it matter if the poster is fake? Other people can learn how to vote and reading up on it can help people with high anxiety.
I'm going to blow your mind when I tell you that the official name for Mexico is Los Estados Unidos Mexicanos. It translates to The United States of Mexico.
1
u/StoryAlternative6476 5d ago
Oh no, a foreigner might be getting the USA’s voting system explained to them, whatever will we do
1
u/AbuPeterstau 4d ago
I’ve actually had a Canadian friend get really aggravated by USAmericans using the generic “American” to only mean citizens of the USA as if Canada wasn’t also part of North America.
I do not personally know any people from Central or South America, so I can’t comment about that. But some Canadians certainly do call themselves American.
I can understand the confusion though if you haven’t personally known anyone from any of the other countries in North, Central, or South America who use the word to describe themselves.
44
u/StoryAlternative6476 5d ago edited 5d ago
Something that I wish I knew sooner is that voting is an open note test. You can (and should) look up your ballot in advance, do all the research you’d like, and bring your answers with you and copy them onto your ballot. There are often random items/people that you don’t hear as much about as the big races, but they still need your votes. Leaving a question blank means your voice wasn’t accounted for on that issue, so I always try to pick something even if I feel relatively neutral or feel like I’m picking the “less bad” option rather than what I truly believe.
Your vote is also private. You can tell people you voted differently than you actually did, and no one can prove you wrong. It is public record whether you’re party affiliated and if you do/do not vote, but all choices you make on your ballot are between you and the ballot counting machine and no one else. Not your parents, your boss, your religious leaders, your neighbors, your spouse, etc.
Some orgs will put out “voters guides” listing who you may want to vote for if your views align with a certain political party. Obviously still do your own research but I’ve always found these helpful as a starting point.