<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In case you’ve been living under a rock, the Midterm Elections are quickly approaching: November 6th, to be exact. Voting in New Orleans is fairly simple, but let me spell it out for you. The Orleans Parish Registrar of Voters has listed on their </span><a href="https://www.nola.gov/registrar/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">website</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> where and how to take part in the upcoming elections. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For those voting in Orleans Parish who are unable to make it to the polls on election day, the deadline to request your absentee ballot is November 2nd. Absentee ballots for those unable to vote in person are due November 5th by 4:30 pm, though this deadline changes for citizens in the military and overseas. The request may either be printed and sent to should be sent to 1300 Perdido 1W23, New Orleans, LA 70112, or submitted electronically with a valid Louisiana driver’s license. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Filling out an absentee ballot, also known as a vote-by-mail ballot, is incredibly simple. You simply receive your ballot, fill out the ballot enclosed in the envelope, and follow the instructions listed on the envelope and ballot in order to correctly submit your vote for counting. If you are unable to mail your ballot, or a family member or friend submits your vote on your behalf, further instructions may be listed on the envelope. Please double-check your ballot for potential errors that may affect its eligibility for counting!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For those voting in person, your assigned polling location can be found by going to the </span><a href="https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Louisiana polling locator</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Voting locations will be open from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm, so make sure to get out and vote! For those in communities who find it difficult to get transportation to the polls, Lyft is offering 50% off promo codes—and some free rides—to those using the ride service to vote. Click </span><a href="https://blog.lyft.com/posts/2018/8/22/get-out-the-vote"><span style="font-weight: 400;">here</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to find out more on the offer. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Before you make your way to the polls, make sure to update your residential address if it has changed since you registered to vote, or if it differs from your voter registration record. You may be listed as an inactive voter, classified as someone whose registration address has not been verified by the Orleans Parish Registrar of Voters. This status can be easily remedied by updating your residential address at </span><a href="http://www.sos.la.gov/ElectionsAndVoting/Pages/default.aspx"><span style="font-weight: 400;">www.GeauxVote.com</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, or by mail or in person by going to the Registrar Office at City Hall, Room 1W24. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you haven’t already registered to vote within the state of Louisiana, then I’m sorry to inform you that the deadline to register to vote has passed. However, if you are registered to vote in a state other than Louisiana, then I urge you to click </span><a href="https://www.vote.org/absentee-ballot-deadlines/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">here</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and check to see if you can still receive an absentee ballot to send to your previous place of residency. Personally, I am casting my vote back in New Jersey, where my district is currently experiencing a toss-up election. I suggest that you find the time to catch up on your local politics if you are voting out-of-state; your home state may also be undergoing a neck-and-neck election that will greatly impact that community. No matter where you cast your vote, voting is a fundamental right for American citizens, and it is our duty as citizens of the United States to actively participate in shaping the society we wish to live in by electing officials who share our beliefs, no matter what your political ideology might be. </span></p>
<p>COVER PHOTO: The Wall Street Journal</p>
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Midterms 2018: How To Vote In The Big Easy
