Tuesday is the final day people can register to vote before the November election, sort of. Election officials encourage would-be voters to have their paperwork in by the regular registration deadline.
To the disdain of critics concerned about preserving the integrity of the process, and to the joy of get-out-the-vote groups, that's easier than ever. This spring, legislators approved online voter registration.
All that entails is going to the State Board of Elections website and providing information like name, address, the last four digits of a social security number, and a driver's license number.
But those who miss the Oct. 7 deadline are not necessarily disenfranchised. Grace period registration and voting starts the very next day, and runs longer than ever before: up to, and including, Election Day.
Those who are registered don't have to wait until then to vote; absentee ballots can be obtained without giving a reason.
And early voting begins Oct. 20. Look for the already-prolific campaign ads and candidate appearances to ramp up even earlier, and run right through the election on Nov. 4.
