The 2020 general election is fast approaching! The Secretary of State has sent every active, registered voter in Vermont their mail-in ballot, and voting is officially underway.
Once you receive your ballot, it’s important to remember the “4 S’s” to ensure your vote gets counted: Select your candidates, Seal the ballot inside the return envelope, Sign the certificate on the voted ballot envelope, and Send it back in. You can watch the video below for a simple, step-by-step walk-through of the full process.
The easiest way to return your ballot is via the United States Postal Service, using the prepaid return envelope provided to you – no stamp necessary. The Secretary of State is encouraging everyone who will be mailing their ballot back to put it in the mailbox no later than 10 days before the election – October 24th. Anyone who sends their ballot back by then can be confident their ballot will arrive in their town clerk’s hands in time to be counted. However, for those who prefer the peace of mind of hand delivering their ballot, there are several other options available.
One option is to return your ballot to your town clerk in person before election day (following all COVID safety protocols, of course). You can also bring your completed mail-in ballot to your local polling place on election day, November 3rd, and turn it in there. Many towns are also offering ballot drop boxes, or similar after-hours return options for those who can’t make it to their town clerk’s office hours.
Our Ballot Drop Box Lookup tool has information on the ballot drop box availability for every town in Vermont, as well as contact info and office hours of every town clerk. Look up your town to find out what your options are for returning your ballot this year.
Our town clerks are some of the hardest working municipal employees in the state, and they are there to help you with any election questions you may have, so don’t be shy if you need help – just reach out to them (and make sure you tell them how much you appreciate their work)!