Don’t turn into pumpkin — get your ballot in mail

Before donning your Halloween costume and heading out to trick-or-treat, don’t forget to put your ballot in the mailbox.

Wednesday is the last day for Arizonans to mail in their early ballots for the Nov. 6 general election, the contest that decides who represents you in a host of public offices.

Ballots put in the mail after Wednesday may not arrive in time to be counted on Election Day.

The vast majority of Arizonans, about 75 percent, typically cast a ballot by mail. In order for those ballots to be counted, election officials must receive them before polls close.

Voters on the Permanent Early Voting List should have already received their mail-in ballots. It’s too late to request another mail-in ballot for this election, but you can still vote in person.

When sending in a ballot, don’t forget to sign the front of the envelope. Unsigned ballots aren’t counted.

You must sign the affidavit on the envelope, in the designated box, to attest that you are the registered voter whose ballot is contained inside.

County recorders verify each signature to ensure it matches the signature on a voter’s registration.

Don’t despair if you forget to return your mail-in ballot by Halloween.

You won’t be able to mail your ballot, but you can drop still it off in person. Completed mail ballots can be returned at any polling place in your county before 7 p.m. on Election Day.

To find a polling place near you, vis-

it the Arizona secretary of state’s website.

Ballots can also be returned to the county recorder’s office in the county where you live. Information on office locations is also on the Arizona secretary of state’s website.

Make sure you place your ballot in a designated ballot-return box.

If your mail-in ballot was lost or damaged, you’re still eligible to vote in person on Election Day. To vote in person, you must go to your assigned polling place or a voting center.

Need more help? Call 1-877-THEVOTE (1-877-843-8683) for assistance.

To be eligible to vote, you must be a U.S. citizen, reside in the county listed on your registration and be 18 years of age on or before Nov. 6.

If you haven’t already registered, you cannot vote in this election.