By Mike Moen PNS

Early in-person voting kicked off this week in certain North Dakota counties and whether it is now or on Election Day, voters are reminded to head to their polling location with a deep understanding of their rights and what is on their ballot.

Beyond the race for the White House, the governor’s seat and Congressional races, North Dakotans also have plenty of ballot questions to decide.

Cody Schuler, advocacy director for the ACLU of North Dakota, said voters do not want to risk missing out on having their voices heard. If a technical issue or other problem arises at your polling site, he said being prepared with knowledge can help ensure the matter is quickly resolved. It starts with asking for assistance.

“If you need interpreter services, whether you need some clarification, election workers can help you with that,” Schuler pointed out. “You can also bring somebody with you. Most people don’t realize that. If you have a disability, you can have someone assist you if you have a hard time holding a pen to be able to fill in the oval.”

He noted the person you bring along can be a trusted family member or friend but they cannot be a political candidate or a candidate’s relative. Other tips include making sure your ID is valid and up to date and knowing your polling location’s address and hours. North Dakota has five statewide ballot questions and Schuler stressed it should prompt voters to research them ahead of time.

The ballot questions range from marijuana legalization to restricting local governments from collecting property taxes. One would overhaul the rules for getting a future ballot initiative passed. Schuler acknowledged when you are in a voting booth, you might feel a sense of unease if you do not understand the questions before you.

“You can look on your phone, look up online what those measures are but also by state law, every polling location should have several copies of the full text of every ballot initiative for a voter to review,” Schuler explained. “All you have to do is ask for them.”

Under state law, there’s a 30-minute time limit to fill out your ballot, so either being prepared or seeking out a worker can help eliminate feeling rushed. If a problem cannot be dealt with on site, Schuler recommended reaching out to the Secretary of State or groups such as the League of Women Voters, the ACLU and North Dakota Native Vote. There is also the Election Protection Hotline at 866-687-8683.