Midterm Elections 2018: Service Dogs at the Polls
The midterm elections are tomorrow, November 6th, 2018, and it's time to start making plans about when, where, and how you're going to vote. For voters with an Assistance Animal, there are even more considerations. Read on to learn more about making your trip to the polls with your Service Dog smooth and uneventful. First things first, make sure you've got all of your voting logistics handled. The process for preparing to vote and for voting can be different in every state, but in general, you'll need to: Determine your Eligibility -- Federal U.S. law mandates that all U.S. citizens 18 or older, even if they turned 18 on the day of the election, are eligible to vote. State laws vary and may or may not exclude felons and incarcerated persons from voting. No one can be denied their right to vote based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, level of education, disability, employment status or other factors, excluding citizenship, age and criminality. Check the Voter Registration Deadline -- each state has differing deadlines for when you must be registered to vote in the upcoming November 8th election. Some states have their cutoff in mid October, and others allow you to register through the first couple days of November. This article will help you easily determine your state's voter registration deadline. Register to Vote -- each state has different requirements, but you can search for your state's requirements here, as well as find everything you'll need to complete registration in your state. Some states will even let you register completely online! If you don't want to register online, you can complete your voter registration at your local DMV. Complete your registration early, as there are deadlines that must be met in order for you to participate in the upcoming presidential election. Check Your Status -- a couple weeks after registering to vote, verify your status online if you haven't received your Voter Registration Card in the mail. Find Your Polling Location -- Every town/city (potentially county) provides one or more polling locations. Look up your polling location online, by calling your city hall or by contacting your local election board. Find the address and make sure you know how to get to the polls. Double check their hours of operation, too, so you can ensure you can be there at the proper times. Make sure to write down the name, location and hours