APPLYING FOR AN ABSENTEE BALLOT

Voters who are out of the county on election day, and voters who have a disability that makes it difficult for them to go to the polls may apply for an absentee ballot.

The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot is one week before the election, if you are able to go to your voter registration office in person. To apply by mail for an absentee ballot, don't wait until then!

You can pick up the application form at public places such as libraries and municipal buildings, legislators' offices, most state offices, some post offices and some state liquor stores. Your place of work may have them in its personnel office. You can also get them at your county voter registration office.

Fill out the necessary information on the absentee ballot application form and send the form to the county voter registration office. The address is on the card if you picked it up in your home county.

First-time voters must send a photocopy of their driver's license or other photo ID with the absentee ballot request.

You may also print out a downloadable form and send it in.

The voter registration office will send you the ballot for your polling place after the ballots are printed. You will also receive all the instructions you need to fill out the form and return it.

Your ballot must be returned to the voter registration office no later than the Friday before the election if it is to be counted. Your ballot will be taken to your regular polling place to be counted after the votes have been counted in the voting machines. Your vote will be secret -- no one can identify who sent which absentee ballot.

A list of everyone who has voted by absentee ballot is posted on the wall of each polling place. If your plans change and you are able to vote in person, you should go to your polling place and vote, but make sure to tell the poll workers that you had sent in an absentee ballot.