9 tips to safely vote in person this Election Day

Although a record number of Americans have already cast their votes for this year's Presidential election via mail-in ballots and through early voting options, plenty more are expected to flood polling stations on Election Day tomorrow.

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Given the current world order—in the midst of a global pandemic that demands social distancing measures and sanitation practices to rule human interactions for the foreseeable future—in-person voting will look slightly different this year.

You shouldn't be scared to exercise your right to vote tomorrow but you should be practical and careful. To that intent, we've rounded up a few tips that will help you make your Election Day as safe and meaningful as possible.

1. Wear a face mask. Double-layer ones are safer than single-layer options and remember that any mask should cover both your nose and your mouth.

2. Stay at least 6 feet away from other people on line and from folks within the polling station.

3. Bring along some hand sanitizer and use it often.

4. Bring your own pen to use on your ballot.

5. If you know that your polling station offers touch-screen voting, bring along some sort of cotton swab to cover your finger while touching the pad. Needless to say, get rid of that swab once you're done voting.

6. If possible, head to your voting center during off-peak hours. Usually, the middle of the day tends to be less crowded than the early morning and the late afternoon/night rush.

7. Familiarize yourself with your ballot ahead of schedule as to minimize the time you spend in the voting booth. Use this website to find a sample ballot. 

8. Wash your hands as soon as you leave the polling station.

9. As usual, avoid touching your face.