Voting 101: 7 ways to make your midterm ballot count

The midterm elections on November 3 will test the narrow congressional majority held by Republicans since President Donald Trump took office last year. They also come as the president pushes to change how elections are conducted nationwide, falsely portraying fraud as a pervasive issue.The Trump administration has called for a federal voter database using citizen data, plus new ID requirements spurred by false claims of noncitizen voting. In July, Trump also gutted a bipartisan commission created to uphold election integrity across the United States.Voting rights advocates have sounded the alarm on moves like these, noting they may make it harder for some eligible citizens to cast their ballots. As the national voting landscape continues to change, The Advocate has compiled a list of tips and safety recommendations pertinent to this year’s election cycle. Pexels/Edmond DantesRegistering to VoteFor some, this may go without saying. But to cast a ballot, you must register to vote in advance. The process varies state by state and some areas allow same-day registration. Check your secretary of state’s office or election board website to learn more. Go to vote.gov to easily find details about your state.Ballot DeliveryVoting laws vary widely across the country. Some states have stringent in-person voting laws, whereas others offer more flexibility around mail-in and absentee ballots.States generally have voter lookup tools on their government websites, which voters can use to confirm ballot types, find in-person voting locations, and sometimes even consult sample ballots with all candidates listed prior to Election Day.Voting on TimeFor mail-in ballots, some states need ballots to arrive by Election Day, whereas others require only that they be postmarked by then. For in-person voting, states may require you to arrive at your designated polling site at different times. Check your voting precinct’s policies in advance. Pexels/Edmond DantesVoter ID LawsAs Republicans