If you’re a little confused about what’s going on with this year’s election, you’re not alone. 

This year’s election kind of feels like that famous scene from The Office where Dwight starts a fire to teach everyone the importance of fire safety. “Today, smoking is going to save lives,” he says while flicking a cigarette into a trash can. The room fills with smoke. He locks the doors. Cuts the phone lines. Throws firecrackers. Chaos ensues. 

Trump and his allies are doing something similar right now. They’ve intentionally started a fire by manufacturing a crisis over election integrity. They’re trying to block the ballot box. Change the rules. Manipulate the voting maps. File legal challenge after legal challenge. 

It’s okay to feel unsettled right now, but there’s no reason to panic. With ballots already going out in North Carolina, let’s take a look at what’s going on with mail-in voting, and make a plan for what you can do next. 

What’s Trump doing with mail-in voting? 

Trump’s doing all he can to kill vote by mail (despite using that voting method himself).

He’s trying to do that by taking control of the mail itself. He issued an executive order that would force the U.S. Postal Service to adopt new rules for states that allow voting by mail– just weeks before the election. 

Without getting too in the weeds, the executive order would basically give the Postal Service the power to not deliver ballots that don’t meet Trump’s criteria. Scanning bar codes and checking databases and launching portals and buying new printers would all be involved in meeting the new criteria. It would be a mess to implement and could lead to many ballots being tossed. 

Luckily, these changes are currently frozen by courts, but the Supreme Court is still considering the legality of the plan and should be issuing a ruling soon. It’s unclear what the Supreme Court’s ruling will mean for North Carolina since they’ve already mailed out absentee ballots. 

In short, he’s trying to make it a confusing mess. He’s been successful at generating confusion, but the material changes to the process are still up in the air. 

What’s the NC State Board of Elections doing with mail-in voting? 

In North Carolina, absentee ballots already started mailing out last Friday. And hours before those ballots were mailed out, Republicans on the State Board of Elections changed the rules for how they should be counted, basically making it easier to toss ballots for minor technicalities. 

For example, absentee ballots have two envelopes– an inner envelope for the ballot, and an outer envelope that the inner envelope goes inside of. The new rules state that if the inner envelope isn’t fully sealed, the ballot is spoiled. This is on top of other changes being implemented this year, like the rule that ballots must be received by officials on Election Day, not just postmarked and on the way. 

Unlike Trump’s executive order, these changes are actually locked in. Gov. Josh Stein called the State Board’s last-minute changes a “slap in the face to voters.” It really is, since it could lead to up to 20% of absentee ballots being tossed.  

How does this impact me? 

If you’re part of the 5% of North Carolinians who vote by mail, it’s now easier for your ballot to get tossed. Didn’t fully seal one of the envelopes? Forget one of the three stamps needed to mail the ballot? Ballot got lost in the mail? Mail got delivered after 7:30 pm on Election Day? Your vote won’t count. 

Don’t worry– this is still a viable voting option if you’re careful and proactive. But better yet, you can vote early in-person, which is quick and easy.

What should I do next? 

If you’re able, make a plan to vote early in-person instead. It’s super easy, super convenient. There are shorter lines and more flexibility. You can go to any early voting site in your county, and vote on any day of the week. Early voting starts October 15 and runs through October 31. Check out ncvoter.org to see a list of voting locations and hours in your county. 

My favorite part– you get to watch your ballot go right into the counting machine, and then collect your sick “I voted” sticker. You don’t have to worry about Trump and the Postal Service. No rule changes or pending litigation to keep an eye on. Just go in and get it done. 

But if you need to vote by mail for accessibility reasons, that’s okay too. It’s still safe and secure, regardless of what Trump and his allies say. Just be careful and be proactive. 

You will need two witnesses and a photocopy of your ID, and you’ll need to sign and carefully seal your ballot. Return your ballot as quickly as possible, and keep an eye out for it being processed at northcarolina.ballottrax.net/voter/. And you can hand deliver your ballot, either to an early voting location or to your county board of elections. Just remember that you can’t deliver your ballot to a polling place on Election Day because they will not be able to accept it. 

Is it time to panic?

No! Absolutely not. Elections all across the country will be safe and secure because of all the hard work being put in by volunteers and local elections officials. We will be okay, because we will be as prepared as ever. 

During that fire in The Office, it was the boss, Michael Scott, who was the least composed of all (which is saying a lot). He tells his employees to “stay f****** calm!!” moments before shoving them to the ground and throwing a projector out the window. He creates such a frenzy that no one notices that there was a fire extinguisher on the wall the whole time. “Okay, we’re trapped. Everyone for themself!”

They’re hoping to create enough chaos that they can hold on to power a little longer. They’re hoping that we’ll turn against each other, or tune out entirely. But we’re not going to let the confusion and frustration keep us from making our voices heard. We’re going to show up, do our part, and support one another as we always have.

Visit ncvoter.org to make a plan to vote today. Help a friend and a family member make a plan too. We’ll all make it through this mess together. 

NC Important Voting Dates

• Sept. 4: Absentee ballots begin getting mailed out. 
• Oct. 9: Voter registration deadline (5 p.m.). For more, see How to Register.
• Oct. 15: In-person early voting begins; same-day registration available. For more, see Vote Early in Person.
• Oct. 20: Absentee ballot request deadline (5 p.m.). For more info, see Vote by Mail.
• Oct. 31: In-person early voting ends (3 p.m.).
• Nov. 3: Election Day. For more, see Vote in Person on Election Day.
• Nov. 3: Absentee ballot return deadline (7:30 p.m.).