In the Find Next Election action step, users enter their address into a field that is connected to Google Maps.

Using data from a tool called CivicEngine, the address is matched to the user's election district, which is in turned matched to our calendar of upcoming elections. If users have multiple elections on the calendar, we'll show the one that is coming up soonest by date.

Note: while we offer an option to save only your zip code rather than full street address, this will result in less actionable information because we don't know your district or the polling/ballot drop-off locations that are closest to your address.

There are a number of reasons why you might not see a certain election action. If you need further support, contact help@motivote.us or use the chat function.

Some election actions are not open year-round, but instead become available a certain number of days out from the user's Election Day.

While users can save their address and check their registration status/get registered at any time, they cannot select a voting method or make a voting plan until a couple months before Election Day.

This is because a plan isn't valuable many months out from Election Day, when you don't yet know your specific schedule. Picking a specific day and time to go vote in November isn't useful to do in June — closer to Election Day, voters have more visibility into travel plans, work schedules, classes and exams, and other considerations of their voting plan.

In addition, local election offices often don't finalize and publish list of official voting locations until closer to Election Day. Educational ballot guides are also not researched and published so far out, especially for down-ballot races.

This article contains a table with the "open" dates for each action step.

As the first step of the voting plan, Motivote prompts users to select their voting method. While there is some variation across states, the options are typically: Vote By Mail, Vote Early, Vote on Election Day.

Once the user saves their preferred method, this will 'unlock' additional actions that are associated with that method. We structure actions this way to reduce information overload and show users only the content that is relevant and actionable.

A user who is voting by mail will see steps for requesting and returning their ballot, while a user who is voting in-person will see steps for planning their polling place and ID requirements*. All voters see registration and ballot guide actions.

*Note: While some states have identification requirements for vote by mail, like including a copy of ID or an identification number on their ballot application or return envelope, this information is included in the Make Plan to Return action.

This article contains a 'flow chart' that shows the action steps for each method.

Some actions will not be available until other actions have been completed.

For instance, users need to select a voting method before they see our plan-making actions. Until they select a voting method, we don't know whether to show them information about voting by mail or voting in-person.

Users who select vote-by-mail as their method will indicate they requested their ballot (if required in their state) before making a plan to return their ballot. If users are in a state where an "excuse" is required to vote by mail, that action is a pre-requisite to requesting their ballot.

This article contains a 'flow chart' that shows the sequence of election actions.

Completed actions are moved to the 'Completed Actions' sections, which is collapsed in the default state, at the bottom of your Actions page. Some actions are editable, meaning users can change their response (but will not receive more points.)