Voting for the first time may seem like a daunting task, what with competitive campaigns, new technology at polling centers, and multiple propositions to be voted on.
But voting can be broken into a few basic and quick steps.
■ The first step in the voting process is to ensure that one is registered to vote. Registration can be done online, in most school buildings, at a city office or at the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office in Hillsboro.
■ Then, get to know your polling place. An easy way to check is to visit
votinginfoproject.org and type in your mailing address. If you don’t have a computer, call the Jefferson County Clerk’s office at 636-797-5486 on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
■ You will save time if you are familiar with the ballot before arriving at the polls and figure out where you stand on the candidates and issues. The sample ballot for Jefferson County is available at the county government website, jeffcomo.org; click on “County Offices” and select “County/Election Authority.”
■ On Election Day, you can arrive to vote anytime between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. Head to your local polling center with some form of photo identification. This may include a driver’s license, a form of state or military identification, or a passport. If the voter does not carry common forms of identification, he or she can still cast a provisional ballot, after signing a statement. The vote counts if the voter returns with proper ID or if the signature matches the signature on the voter registry.
Voters who do not plan to be in Missouri on Election Day can apply to vote absentee any time before Oct. 31 for the Nov. 6 election.
■ At the polls, voters must first check in. In Jefferson County, this is done on a tablet-like device and takes little time to complete. Election judges will confirm your current address, name and eligibility to vote. This ensures you are at the proper polling address and that you are only voting once for the election.
■ Next, voters are given the ballot that includes candidates and proposals to be decided in that jurisdiction. For Nov. 6, machines for those with visual and other impairments are also available.
■ Jefferson County voters will choose candidates for county offices, judge positions, the state Legislature, state offices and U.S. Congress.
■ Though it is acceptable to leave a section of the ballot blank, the vote will not be accepted if more than one option is marked on the ballot sheet for a specified section. A writing utensil and confidential area to vote will be provided.
■ Once voting is completed, the voter inserts the ballot into a scanning device. If the ballot is not filled in correctly, the machine will spit the ballot back for the voter to correct any errors.
■ The last and most exciting step is receiving a stamp of approval from an election official. Voters receive an “I voted” sticker.