NEW deep-dive from me: A look at 5 of the most common mistakes and errors that can get your mail ballot challenged or disqualified altogether and how to avoid them, according to election officials and experts. Thread: businessinsider.com/mistakes-that-…
First off, filling out your mail ballot is NOT the time to experiment with a fancy new colored marker set. Many scanners can only read ballots that are filled out a certain way, so follow the instructions as to what kind of ink to use and how to properly mark your choices
Second, be sure to sign the envelope containing your ballot! @monicalewinsky recently tweeted about how she had her 2016 absentee ballot FedExed all the way back from Australia to New York only for it to be rejected because she forgot to sign — don't let that happen to you too!
Third, make sure your signature is consistent if you’re in one of the 31 states that use signature matching for mail ballots, and update your signature on file w/ your elections office if you think it may have drastically changed since you last signed what they have on file
Elections offices use the most recent signature they have on file for you either from a voter reg form, ballot request form, or your driver's license signature. You can update your signature by submitting a new voter registration form or with a mail ballot application form
Fourth, be sure to double-check if your state requires a witness signature, a notary signature, or a photocopy of your photo ID to go with with your ballot or ballot application (some states only require this for first-time voters) and get that organized well ahead of time
Don't let complicated ID laws scare you from voting! If you need help navigating the voter ID laws in your state, affording a photo ID, or making a photocopy, nonprofit organizations like @VoteRiders can help — they are 100% focused on helping people with their IDs this fall
Lastly, check your state’s deadlines & get your ballot in on time — late arrival is one of the top reasons ballots are rejected. In the states that require ballots to be received by Election Day especially, the USPS recommends you put your ballot in the mail at least 7 days out
If you’re in a state that requires a ballot to be postmarked by Election Day, either get your ballot in the mail well in advance of Election Day, or if it's getting close to Election Day, you can go to a physical post office and get it hand-postmarked, as @aztammyp recommends
The majority of states allow anyone to drop off their ballot by hand to their elections office (MO and TN are exceptions to this, so be sure to double-check). More and more jurisdictions are using secure ballot drop boxes too, so check out the ballot return options in your state!
The best way to avoid all of this is to go get your ballot now! You can already request your 2020 mail ballot in every state except Mississippi, which starts accepting requests this Friday. Here's a guide I made to every state's request & return deadlines: businessinsider.com/deadlines-for-…
Thanks for reading!! If you made it all the way to the bottom of this thread, here’s my cat Kenji encountering a mail ballot application form for the first time and pondering the nuances of the US election system (I assume!) 🇺🇸🐱 
