With less than a week to go before what many are calling the biggest election in US history, everyone needs to ensure their vote is valid when it comes to the count.

Follow live the US elections 2024

There are various slip-ups that people can make without realising, so check out the list below to make sure you’re fully prepared to fill out the card in the correct way.

How to get prepared to vote

First of all, if you haven’t registered, get a move on. Visit edf.org/vote or the website of your state‘s secretary of state or local board of elections to confirm your registration. This is an obligatory requirement for anyone who is eligible. You can’t just turn up at the voting station.

Also, search online using the National Association of Secretaries of State for your nearest polling station so you’re not scrambling for a cab when the time comes.

Top tips to vote in the US election

1 - Don’t be late

One of the most common reasons mail-in ballots are rejected is because they arrive too late. The deadline for returning ballots by mail varies from state to state, so it‘s not a great idea to assume that sending yours off with 48 hours to go because your postman is a lovely fella will be sufficient.

Postal delays are common and this is a busy time, meaning it’s imperative you know your state’s specific deadline and mail your ballot well in advance. Remember, if that’s not a possibility, there are other alternatives for early voting.

2 - Check if you need a postmark

This is something that catches a lot of people out. Some states require a postmark - the dated stamps applied to envelopes by the USPS. A recent survey showed that hundreds of mail-in ballots in Wisconsin’s primary election did not receive postmarks and were not valid.

These problems are being checked out by officials, but the risk remains, so it’s best to check with the nice lady with her hair in a bun who sits behind the desk.

3 - Fill the piece of paper out correctly

I shouldn‘t have to tell you this, and neither should your mother have to remind you to use your best handwriting, but here we are: make sure another person can read your ballot slip. Don‘t scribble, don‘t spell things wrongly and please ensure that you have ticked/crossed the correct box. Trump‘s the Republican and Kamala is the Democrat. This is your warning.

You‘d be surprised at how many people forget about step 3 and, in the hazy excitement of voting, end up writing something akin to what happens when my cat walks over my keyboard. If you do make a mistake, ask the officials present what the procedure is to rectify it, don’t assume the person counting the votes will know who you really wanted to vote for.

4 - Sign the ballot properly!

We all know our signature, we’ve been practising it since we were 12. Seriously, don’t think that choosing your preferred president is the final step.

Sign the ballot paper, making sure it matches to your signature the State has on their files, not the one you invented last week. Studies show that nearly 500,000 ballots get rejected for simple errors such as a missing or ‘wrong’ signature, so get it right.

5 - Not voting

Whatever you think about politicians, however ‘out of touch’ they are, however much they don‘t help you, care about you, support you and your family, only look after the rich and themselves, however much they are all the same, please GO OUT AND VOTE in the elections.

It‘s your right that, if you’re not a white male, has been given to you after years of struggle and every single vote counts in an election that will undoubtedly see the country swing one way or the other.

Don’t forget to keep these points in mind when it comes to voting, and go outside and make your mark on American history.