The 2022 midterm elections are less than a week away, and while tensions are rising in close races across the country, the actual process of voting should never be stressful or overly time-consuming. To that end, we’ve gathered answers to the various questions you might have about when, where, and how to vote, as well as how you can access a sample ballot that aligns with your politics and take paid time off from work to head to the polls on Election Day. Find all that info and more below.
When are the midterm elections?
The 2022 midterm elections will take place on Tuesday, November 8; local poll times vary, but many are open from roughly 6 or 7 a.m. to 7 p.m, hopefully allowing time for people with a variety of schedules and obligations to cast their ballots at a convenient time.
How can I check if and where I’m registered to vote?
Checking if you’re registered to vote is as easy as entering your name, address, birth date, and contact info into Vote.org. (If nothing comes up, make sure to check if you’re registered at a former address, and remember that while most states require you to be registered roughly a month before Election Day, some—like Connecticut and Colorado—allow you to register by a week or less before November 8.)
When does early voting end?
The answer to this question varies greatly by state, but this handy Vote.org guide can tell you exactly when early voting ends in your area. Just input your address, and find everything from your local polling place’s location to its hours to information about the candidates on the ballot. (For example, in Texas, early voting runs from October 24 to November 4, with hours at my local polling place that go from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT.)
Can I take the day off of work to vote?
Federal law doesn’t currently compel employers to give their employees time off to vote on Election Day, but states including Minnesota, New York, and Texas allow employees to take paid time off to vote on Election Day (provided they haven’t already voted early).
Where can I find information about who to vote for?
It can be difficult to figure out exactly who to vote for all the way down the ballot, particularly when it comes to local ballot initiatives (that, nonetheless, can have a huge impact on your community), but researching a voter guide from verified sources—for example, your city or town’s local DSA chapter or League of Women Voters—can help. I used the printable voter guide provided online by the Travis County Democratic Party to vote early last week, and while it’s important to note that polling places do not allow you to look at your phone while you vote, once you’ve found a voter guide that works for you and researched the various candidates independently to assure yourself that their vision is in line with yours, you can write out a guide for yourself to use while voting. (Or just print it—but come on, what millennial owns a printer?)
It’s too late for me to register to vote in time for Election Day. How can I help the process regardless?
If you can’t cast your vote for one reason or another but still want to get involved, you can make a difference by getting trained and becoming a poll worker in your community.
