When is Election Day 2016?
After the final debate tonight, all eyes will turn to Election Day, when we’ll find out who our next president will be. Here’s the date to watch.
The final presidential debate for 2016 will happen tonight. After it finishes, though, the presidential election won’t actually end. We still have just under three weeks to go. Election Day 2016 will take place on November 8, 2016.
However, depending on where you live, you can already start voting. According to VOTE.Org, most states actually offer early voting. Before you ask why it’s different for every state, simply put, each state runs its own elections, as prescribed in the Constitution. Yes, some federal laws do oversee elections, but for the most part, the states handle it.
If you are not registered to vote, USA.gov has several guides on how to register. Some states have already passed registration deadlines, however. USA.gov has a complete list of those deadlines, including registration by mail, in-person, and online. (Yes, some states really do let you register online now. Neat, huh?)
Furthermore, that list does indicate states that have same-day registration. In other words, some states do permit you to register on the very same day that you cast your ballot. The list does provide links for each state’s election site.
If you Google search “sample ballots”, the search engine can use your registered address to generate your sample ballot. (Vote-USA.org, another nonprofit organization, offers the same service.) For people who may not have voted before or want to do some research ahead of actually voting, a sample ballot can be invaluable.
Finally, Rock the Vote can help you find your polling place and will also tell you what’s on the ballot for you.
The easiest way to verify that you have registered to vote is to go online. Most states allow you to look up your registration on the Secretary of State’s website.
Next: Trump on the NFL concussion rules
The third presidential debate starts at 9 p.m. ET tonight. Election Day will be November 8.