I voted today with a hope and a prayer

I voted today, three weeks before Election Day, with mixed emotions of anger and hope and a dash of faith in our democratic system.

This year's Presidential Election is one of the most important elections in my lifetime. I cast my ballot early because of the attempts of the Republican Party to disenfranchise voters.

The Trump administration and his Republican Party have instituted several ways to make it harder to exercise my right to vote.

• Reducing the number of polling places and/or limiting the number of dropoff boxes
• Requiring a photo ID or proof of residency.
• In some polling places, Republicans may be sending so-called poll watchers. They say it is to ensure the legitimacy of the voting, but why are they asking for Special Forces veterans?
• Slowing the mail by destroying fast mail sorting machine so now, in certain locations, the mail must be sorted by hand.
• In California, the Republican Party has set up fake dropoff boxes so they can allegedly "deliver" the ballots for unwary voters. The GOP has been ordered to cease and desist by the State Attorney General.

For my community, I went to city hall where the county had placed an official dropoff box for those who wanted to vote early and didn't want to use the U.S. Postal Service. There were no lines, just a friendly (masked) county employee to watch over the box.

I understand in some states controlled by Republican governors and legislatures, the reduced number of polling places have produced long lines waiting as long as 8 hours to cast their ballots. In these states, wear comfortable shoes, if you're a senior, you can bring a light lawn chair and prepare for a long wait. Bring water. If you're voting on a sunny day, an umbrella will help.

Here are some helpful hints for California voters. Voters in other states might have different requirements. Check with your county elections office website for your state's information on voting.

1. Use a black or blue pen to fill in the bubble. Pencil or red ink won't do. There are instructions if you messed up and filled in the wrong bubble.
2. This is important: Remember to sign your ballot envelope. Many voters forget this last step. The county election office will throw out unsigned ballots. Make sure the signature is the same one on you have on file.
3. If you want, you can track your ballot online by linking to this site.
4. To find an official ballot dropoff site, click here.

KEY DATES AND DEADLINES

Election day is Nov. 3

Registration deadlines for California

• Online: Oct. 19
• By mail: Postmarked by Oct. 19
• In person: Nov. 3

Absentee ballot deadlines for California

• Request: Oct. 27
• Return by mail: Postmarked by Nov. 3
• Return in person: Nov. 3 by 8:00 p.m.

Early voting

• Oct. 5 - Nov. 2, but dates and hours may vary based on where you live
• In California, you can also register and vote on Election Day.

Conditional voter registration is a safety net for Californians who miss the deadline to register to vote or update their voter registration information. Voters can use the conditional voter registration process from the day after the deadline all the way through Election Day. Eligible citizens can go to their county election office, polling place, or vote center to register and vote conditionally. These ballots will be processed once the county elections office has completed the voter registration verification process.

EDITOR'S NOTE: A word of caution, this is news sprinkled with opinion. Readers are encouraged to seek multiple news sources to formulate their own positions.