Dear John,

Have you voted yet? If so, you’re among the more than 86 million Americans who, as of Friday afternoon, have already cast their votes—a record turnout of early voters. 

Despite those early voting numbers, with just three days left until Election Day, now is not the time to relax. If you have not yet voted, today is the day. If you plan to vote using an absentee or mail-in ballot, due to USPS delays, it is too late to mail your ballot back—you must find a drop-box or polling place in your county to drop off your ballot. (You can do that here.) 

If you plan to vote in person on Election Day, we urge you to plan for a long day. Be prepared for a long line. Bring snacks and water. Know your rights—and if you experience problems voting, have questions about your right to vote, or want to report possible voter suppression, call or text the nonpartisan Election Protection hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE. If you’re in line when the polls close, stay in line—you have a right to vote! The time to make your voice heard is here—and like many Ms. readers, I bet you’ve been waiting four years for the chance. 

And remember: this year, we cannot expect final results on election night. With the increase in mail-in ballots in every state, it is very likely that immediate results will not be possible in many races on November 3rd. It might take many days for us to know the final results – even in the presidential race. We simply cannot predict how each race will turn out before all of the votes are actually counted—and getting it right is worth the wait. 

Many states cannot begin to process mail-in ballots until the polls close on Election Day—including the swing states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. (Find out when your state begins to count ballots here.) We just need to stay calm, and allow our electoral system to work as intended. We cannot allow incorrect, premature claims of victory to take hold before the results are certain. Every vote must be counted. 

Election Day is almost here. It’s up to all of us to vote, encourage our friends and family to vote, and then wait for the true results. Onward. 

For equality,

Kathy Spillar
Executive Editor