Voters Win: How to Vote By Mail

The Warriors have partnered with I Am a Voter to provide education and opportunities for voters to participate is elections to determine important issues as related to the economy, healthcare, education, environment, and more. In many states, this can be easily done so by voting with mail-in ballots.

Many states will allow voters to participate in the 2020 General Election from the comfort of their own home by submitting their ballots through the United States Postal Service (USPS). This can be done through two different methods: voting by mail and early voting.

Currently, 46 states offer some form of voting by mail. Learn more about the two variations of voting by mail below, as well as changes being made for the 2020 General Election. Participation in the election through any means in encouraged because Voters Win!

Voting by mail is an option for anyone who are not able to vote at their designated polling location. Those who wish to vote by mail receive their ballot at their last-known place of residence, then must return it through the USPS or deliver it to a drop-off location themselves any time up through Election Day.

The policies for mail-in voting vary state to state, so anyone interested in opting into such programs should verify the procedure for their respective state.

Five states currently hold all of their elections exclusively by mail. Registered voters in these states are automatically sent a ballot at their reported place of residence. These states are:

Due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, the following states will join those above in automatically mail ballots to registered voters in November:

Many states are adopting new or temporary mail-in policies for this upcoming General Election as well. For a list of states making such changes, see “Changes to Mail-In and Early Voting in 2020” below.

If a member of Dub Nation in the Bay Area would rather hand-in their ballot in person, they will be able to drop-off their mail-in ballots with the Warriors at their ballots in San Francisco, Oakland, and Santa Cruz from October 31 through Election Day on Nov. 3. CLICK HERE for details on locations and drop-off times.

Early voting, also known as absentee voting, is a process by which voters can submit their ballots early. There are states that permit doing so with mail-in ballots.

Additionally, some states permit “no-excuse” early voting, meaning a voter does not need to provide a reason or excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day and can submit their absentee ballot after it has been received by the voter.

Though some states do not offer “no-excuse” early voting, they still allow for early voting but only if the voter provides a reason for the need to vote early and/or by mail. States may require proof of this reasoning too.

Check your state’s guidelines for more information on early voting and details on “no-excuse” early voting procedures.

Most states have changed their voting procedures this year in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, including the addition and/or extension of mail-in and early voting. Those states which have made such changes are:

Source: Ballotpedia

Remember: members of Dub Nation who reside in the Bay Area can drop off their ballots with the Warriors. The team’s Oakland Facility (1011 Broadway) and the home of the Santa Cruz Warriors, Kaiser Permanente Arena in Santa Cruz (140 Front Street), will both serve as polling sites and ballot drop-off locations on Election Day, November 3, 2020. Thrive City, the vibrant outdoor district surrounding Chase Center (1 Warriors Way), will serve as a ballot drop-off location for San Francisco County voters from October 31 through November 3 as well.