With the November 3 General Election just days away, Secretary of State Sam Reed is reminding voters to mail in or drop off their ballots by Election Day. As Secretary Reed has noted, each election features races and issues that affect all of us, so he encourages all registered voters to exercise their right and have their voices heard.

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Mail-in ballots have to be postmarked on or before Election Day. Secretary Reed suggests if you are mailing your ballot to have it in the mail by this Saturday, October 31. Ballots received after Election Day with a postmark later than November 3 cannot be counted, according to state law. If you haven’t received a ballot, contact your County Auditor’s Office for a replacement. If you would like a replacement ballot to be mailed to you, don’t wait until the day before the election to request one. If there is not enough time to receive and return a replacement ballot by mail, you may pick up one in person at your County Auditor’s Office.

Voters can also drop off their ballots at a ballot drop box provided by each county. To check on ballot drop boxes locations in each county, go to MyVote . The deadline to place ballots in a drop box is 8 p.m. on Election Day. Besides lots of local races on the ballot, there also are two statewide measures – the Tim Eyman-sponsored Initiative 1033, which proposes capping annual growth in city and county general funds, with excess revenue dedicated to property tax relief; and Referendum 71, which asks voters to approve or reject the bill (SB 5688) passed by the Legislature this year that expands the rights and responsibilities of domestic partnerships. Just to clarify, if you support this bill, you’ll want to vote to approve R-71; if you oppose this bill, you’ll want to vote to reject R-71.

For more info on the election, go here to see the General Election Online Voters’ Guide.