Early voting is defined as “casting a ballot prior to Election Day at a location designated by the Supervisor of Elections and depositing the voted ballot in the tabulation system.”

The following are new provisions pertaining to early voting:

* Early Voting Times: expands minimum hours per day from 6 to 8 hours (maximum hours remain at 12 hours per day). The hours are up to the discretion of the Supervisor of Elections.

* Early Voting Day: increases possible days – early voting as a minimum must begin on the 10^th day and end on the 3^rd day before an election that contains federal or state races on ballot; however, in addition, the SOE may offer EV on the 15^th, 14^th, 13^th, 12^th, 11^th or 2^nd day before such an election.

* Early Voting Sites:

* Expands existing permissible sites to also include fairground, civic center, courthouse, county commission building, stadium, convention center, government-owned senior center, or government-owned community center.

* Allows SOE to designate one additional site per election in an area of the county that does not have an eligible early voting location. This site must be geographically located to provide all voters in that area with an equal opportunity to cast a ballot.

* Requires each county to maintain at a minimum the same number of early voting sites for a general election it operated for the 2012 General Election.

Voters who want to vote early should remember to bring a photo and signature identification with them.