Guest Spot: Support your fellow voters

If you want to play a direct role in ensuring that all eligible Suffolk County residents are able to vote in the upcoming election — and that the election is free and fair — there are several low key, non-partisan ways you can help.

• Ask family, friends and neighbors if they are registered to vote. If they are not, help them get registered ahead of the Oct. 26 deadline.

• Make sure everyone you know has a plan to vote. Offer a ride to the polls or help your less-mobile neighbors and friends apply for an absentee ballot.

• Help your family and friends learn what’s on the ballot ahead of voting.

• Sign up to be a poll worker. Information on registration status and voting districts can be found at voterlookup.elections.ny.gov.

To register to vote or to update voter information, visit elections.ny.gov/voter-registration-process. The nearest in-person registration site is at the Department of Motor Vehicles in Riverhead. There’s also a local registration event on Thursday, Oct. 10, from 1 to 6 p.m. at the Riverhead County Center.

Early voting begins Saturday, Oct. 26, and runs through Sunday, Nov. 3. For a list of early voting locations and hours, visit suffolkcountyny.gov. For those unable to travel to the polls, absentee ballots can be requested at elections.ny.gov/request-ballot. To be fully prepared to vote, and avoid any confusion or surprises, it is always best to review a sample ballot before casting your vote. Sample ballots are available at suffolkcountyny. gov/boe/documents. Don’t forget to pass this tip along to friends and family so everyone has a chance to review the ballot before the day they vote.

Did you know that each polling site in New York State is required to have an equal number of Republican and Democratic poll workers? This is to help ensure that the elections are free and fair. Voters who are registered as Independents are also encouraged to become poll workers. It’s not too late to apply to be a paid poll worker for the November election. To qualify, you must be a registered voter in Suffolk County. Poll workers are paid for the required three-hour training session and for each day they work at a polling site. Responsibilities include preparing polling places for voting, setting up voting equipment, signing in and processing voters and answering questions from voters. To learn more about becoming a poll worker, call the Suffolk County Board of Election at 631-852-4533 or visit elections.ny.gov/form/become-a-poll-worker.

Let’s each do our part to help Suffolk County vote! See you at the polls!

Katy Stokes is a Suffolk County election inspector, a Southold Peconic Civic Association board member and a Neighborhood News columnist for The Suffolk Times.