We’re now 8 days out from election day. Voting in this election is one of the most important things we can do to protect our rights and our democracy right now. With COVID-19 being a huge concern, it seems like we have more options than ever to vote, and deciding which path to take can seem a bit overwhelming.

There’s a lot of talk about “mail-in voting” these days, but what the heck is it?

Mail-in voting has actually been around for some time, dating back to the Civil War, allowing soldiers to vote from the battlefield. Since then, states have expanded their “vote by mail” laws to provide flexibility and provide alternatives to cast a vote in person on Election Day.