It is officially November 3, 2020—Election Day.

During early voting, millions of Texans flooded the polls in record numbers. If you are not one of those Texans who has already voted early or mailed or dropped off your ballot, today is your final opportunity to make your voice heard in the 2020 general election. Polls close at 7 p.m. local time. If you requested a mail-in ballot, be sure to drop it off at a polling place in person today to ensure your vote will be counted.

Voting may seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. To make your time at the polls run as smooth as possible, check out these voter resources before you cast your vote. Make a plan and get out there!

• Use VoteTexas.gov to check your registration, find out what’s on your ballot, and look up your polling place.
• Educate yourself about the candidates on your ballot. On ATPE’s nonpartisan voter education project, Teach the Vote, you can find current legislators’ voting records, candidate responses to ATPE’s candidate survey, and other election information.
• Utilize TexasEducatorsVote.com for various resources, advice, and voting reminders before you head to the polls.
• Since you are not allowed to use your cell phone while voting, head to vote411.org to build a personalized ballot that you can print out and take with you to the polls. 
• Find out what safety protocols are in place at polling places around the state. And read one ATPE lobbyist’s experience with early voting in the general election to get an idea of what to expect while voting during a pandemic.

Want to know where you can get post-election analysis, especially as it relates to Texas public education? Make sure you’re following @TeachtheVote on Twitter for real-time updates and reading our advocacy blog at TeachtheVote.org for in-depth coverage from the ATPE lobbyists. Additionally, keep in mind that an increase in voting by mail in many areas may lead to longer wait times for election results than in previous elections.

As 2020 has shown, it is important to have our voices heard and our values as educators fought for on the local, state, and federal level. Be safe, stay healthy, and go vote!