The 2020 US presidential election is a monumental moment in any American’s life, but it’s especially exciting for first time voters. Voting is the foundation of the United States. Every government official is elected by the people, or they are appointed by someone elected. If you care about the future of our country, you should vote. Every vote counts, so it’s in your best interest to fill out a ballot. What should you do to prepare for casting your ballot?

1. Register
Unfortunately, you can’t just walk into a polling station and vote. You have to register, which can be done when you get your driver’s license or permit or online at https://www.ncvoter.org/registering-to-vote/.

2.Decide how you are going to vote and where
There are many options for the “how” part of voting, from mail-in ballots to early voting, to traditional voting at the polls. Early voting is often a better option than regular voting because the polls are often less crowded. If you want to vote by mail, request an absentee ballot application here: https://vote-absentee.com/?utm_source=DST . You will receive a ballot in the mail to fill out and send back. Research which option works best for you. If you are voting in-person, look up your polling site, which can be found at Forsyth County’s Elections website, https://www.co.forsyth.nc.us/Elections/.

3.Do your research
You aren’t just voting for the president when you hit the polls. You can also vote for North Carolina’s Senator, House of Representatives member, State Governor, and many other positions. These smaller, local positions will affect you more than you’d expect. You don’t want to vote for someone whose beliefs you don’t support, so be sure to research the candidates beforehand. Understand their experience and where they stand with today’s issues. Even if the candidate is in your political party, they might have different beliefs from yours.. You can take an online quiz to find out which candidate matches your beliefs. Here’s a great option: https://2020election.procon.org/2020-election-quiz.php.

4.Bring a cheat sheet
There are a lot of candidates on the ballot, and it can be hard to keep track of who you support and who you don’t. Bringing a paper with the names and the positions for which those candidates are running will make the process easier.

You do not have to vote for every position on the ballot. If you find it overwhelming, it’s okay to leave some positions blank. If you follow the tips mentioned above, you are completely prepared for your first election!