How to vote by mail: everything you need to know

The 2020 elections will be like none before: they will happen in the midst of a pandemic and an economic crisis that have led to rethinking the very act of how to vote. 

The coronavirus will make voting by mail historically high and a necessity to avoid contagion. That has electoral officials and voters alike on alarm: As  the Postal Service (USPS) faces multibillion-dollar debt, President Donald Trump refuses toprovide the necessary funds to guarantee its operations .

This week there were also protests in front of the house of its director, Louis Dejoy, who increased the cuts. Not only did they come with banners, but people left envelopes on the door of his condominium to demand: "Save the post office, save democracy." 

Several envelopes with a message of protest after Trump assured that he was withholding the monies with which the Postal Service is financed. Getty Images

Half the American population also believes voting will be difficult, according to a Pew Research Center poll, and in recent days, changes have been made to the USPS that could delay the sending and counting of ballots in several states.

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Here's what you need to know to vote by mail and have your vote count.

• What is needed to vote
• Why vote by mail
• What do I need and what are the important deadlines?
• Essential requirements for your vote to count
• Possible issues to be aware of

What do I need to vote?

Registering is the first step no matter how you vote on November 3.

You need to be eligible. That means:

• To be over 18 years old
• Be a citizen
• Not be in prison
• Be a resident of your state (have lived there for more than 6 months).

If you meet these conditions, visit the website of your state elections authority to register. If you've done it before, make sure you're still enrolled and your address is up to date. Telemundo has a tool to facilitate your registration.

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Here you can see a basic format of the registration request: it is convenient to familiarize yourself to finish the form on time. In most states, the form must be filled out, signed, and apostilled no later than the second week of October , so don't let time pass.

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Why vote by mail?

There will be two main ways to vote: in person and by mail , also called absentee voting.

This year voting in person will be more complex as there will be fewer physical voting precincts and a higher probability of catching the coronavirus.

In several states, the authorities will enable centers such as gyms or outdoor parking lots to maintain a healthy distance and avoid infections. 

Vote-by-mail ballots in sorting bins at King County Election Center in Renton, Washington.AP

However, there is still a risk: in Wisconsin infections increased after voting during the primaries.

What do I need to vote by mail?

• Fill out the application to request the ballot . It can be done online in states like Florida, Arizona, and Massachusetts, or with a mail or e-mail request in places like Illinois or New York. Review the information on your election authority's website.
• In most states, you need to order the ballot by mail before the third week of October , around Friday, October 23.
• 16 states require you to declare an “excuse” to vote by mail. In Texas, for example, those excuses include being over 65, having a disability, or being out of the country on Election Day.
• Don't despair: many states, including Florida and New York, also allow absentee voting in emergencies, such as hospitalization or illness of yourself or a family member. In the context of a pandemic as an emergency, there is no harm in trying to order your ballot by mail even if your state requires “excuses”. 

If you live in states like California or Nevada: Anyone at the voter registry will get the application to vote by mail and everyone decides whether or not to use it. (But it is key that you register as a voter in order to receive it). This is called universal mail voting, or all-mail in English.

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Colorado has had universal mail voting since 2014, following in the footsteps of Oregon, Washington, Hawaii and Utah.

The essentials for your vote to count

After taking these steps, it is important to ensure that the process pays off.

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In the April primaries in Wisconsin, for example, 23,000 mailed ballots were thrown out just because people missed filling in a box or ticking a box.

To avoid this, the ballot you fill out and then submit must meet certain requirements:

• Read the instructions on the ballot carefully. Taking a minute to do it makes a difference: if you say a circle must be filled in and you put an X, your vote will be discarded.
• The completed ballot must be placed in the special envelope that will come with the ballot. The outside of the envelope must be signed and dated. If you do not sign the envelope, your vote will not be counted.
• That signature must be the "official" signature, the same on your driver's license or other identification. If the election officials find that it doesn't match, they will discard the vote. 
• If you have acquaintances in states like Colorado who have already voted this way, ask them for help. You can also lean on the social media of organizations like Vote.org to make sure you've filled out everything right.

Your ballot must be received by the election offices of each state by November 3 . 

The USPS usually allows the envelope to be tracked so that you can make sure it arrived.

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Don't wait until the last minute - it's best to send everything in before the deadline, especially due to delays the USPS acknowledged due to funding cuts.

A group of protesters protested against President Donald Trump after he said he was withholding the funds with which the Postal Service is financed.

What if I'm late to send it before the deadline?

There is still a solution , for which you do not need apostille (the postage stamp): the ballot deposit boxes in the official voting precincts.

You can go in person to drop off your ballot in the box, which can usually be done up to the day of the vote. Sometimes there are box guards who will ask to see identification.

How do I find a voting box?

The county clerk's office provides that information, and as the election date approaches, counties will notify the addresses of the boxes.

You can also go to your local election clerk's office on voting day to turn in the sealed envelope with your ballot.

This official website will help you find your polling place.

What if I prefer to go in person?

If you have already registered as a voter, he received his ballot by mail, but eventually prefer to do it in person or did not have time to do so before the deadline, all you need to do on November 3 is to seek voting precinct ( polling place ) that corresponds to him, and to go that Tuesday with an official identification in hand.

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Not all states require it, but it's best to err on the side of caution. Most states, including Texas and Georgia, require identification to have your photo, such as a driver's license or passport.

Others like New York, Arizona and California accept documents, such as a recent utility bill, that have your name and address on them.

Some states (21 of them) allow you to register to vote the same November 3 with proof of residency and identification to vote.

With so much at stake in this election, it is best to process early to ensure your vote is counted.

What problems could you encounter? How do I avoid them?

For many people , voting by mail is new.

Check the website and instructions from your local Secretary of State ahead of time: States that require "excuses" may remove them, as New York is debating to do, for example.

At least six states received notice this week from the USPS that the ballots they will send for vote-by-mail will arrive late. 

A mailed primary election vote is processed at the Chester, Pennsylvania Elections Service Office.

Get things done as soon as possible to prevent these delays from affecting you. If you are late, you can call your local elections office to check the status of your ballot.

Look out for changes in the weeks ahead: There are pending lawsuits around vote-by-mail in 31 states, according to Myrna Perez, director of the voting and elections program at the Brennan Center for Justice.

The specialist clarified that the litigations include requests to eliminate the excuses this year or so that there should not be a notary signature in addition to that of the voter on the envelopes (three states require it).