V-O-T-E!!!

During every presidential election, there's an effort to get new people registered to vote. While this is important, it's equally important to vote in all federal, state, and local elections. These elections help to determine who our mayors, sheriffs, judges, and representatives are - to name a few. And their decisions impact everything from trash pickup to school district superintendent appointments.

If you're at least 18 years old and a United States citizen, you may be eligible to vote. I note may be because some states have additional requirements which could prevent you from voting. More on that later.

Who you vote for is up to you, but it's important that you vote. Many people have fought and died to ensure voting rights would be available to all citizens, so this right cannot be taken for granted. There are still parts of the world where some citizens don't have a say in their government. Either because they are not allowed to vote, or societal norms make voting difficult.

Registering to vote

You can confirm your state's voter registration deadline at Vote.org. The deadline differs from state-to-state, and can vary from 30 days before election day to the day of election. To register to vote, you must provide proof of residency and a government id. In Arizona, proof of citizenship is also needed.

But it's equally important to vote in local and state elections because these are the leaders who have the greatest impact on our daily lives.

Requesting absentee ballots and voting by mail

Like registering to vote, rules for requesting an absentee ballot or voting by mail is state specific. But the good news is 97% of states offer an option to vote early. These options are especially helpful for voters who will be out of town, working during voting hours on election day, or are unable to go to the polls due to sickness, disability or injury.

Understanding the impact of felonies on voting

In some states a felony conviction does not impact your ability to vote, while other states will only restore your voting rights after you're released from prison, finished probation, or pay all fines and restitution. Be sure to check your state's rules for voting with a felony conviction, before you register to vote. Otherwise, you risk being convicted of a crime.

Getting to the polls

It's easy to let the day get away from you, so if you'll be voting in person plan ahead.

• Consider voting first thing in the morning and mark it off your to-do list.

• If you have children and the morning schedule allows, take them with you to help reinforce the importance of voting.

• Voting during or after work? Set an alarm on your phone to make sure you do so.

Finally, call someone who's voting in person and make sure they make it to the polls.