Election Day is a month away but voting begins Oct. 5. Here's how to do it.

Election Day is officially Tuesday, Nov. 3, but with mail-in ballots, voting can begin after your ballot hits your mailbox. This year ballots began arriving as early as Thursday, Oct. 1, continuing through Monday, Oct. 5. Ballot dropboxes go live Oct. 5, as well as in-person early voting opportunities.

Once a ballot is filled out, it can be dropped in at any of the 23 secure dropboxes located throughout the county. A complete list is available on the Monterey County Elections website.

As for mailing the ballot, it’s postage paid so no need for stamps, but don’t wait until the last minute to mail it in—officials are recommending the last day to mail a ballot is Oct. 27. It can still be dropped in a dropbox up until Nov. 3, or in person at Monterey County Elections Office dropbox at 1441 Schilling Place, North Building, Salinas.

Ballots that are mailed will still be considered valid as long as they’re postmarked on Tuesday, Nov. 3, and received by Nov. 10. (If waiting until the last day, it’s best to take it inside the Post Office and have it postmarked by a clerk, not left in a mailbox.)

As the elections department has done for the past few years, a temporary satellite location will be open Monday, Oct. 30 to Tuesday, Nov. 3, at the Embassy Suites, 1441 Canyon Del Rey Blvd., Seaside. Hours are 8am to 5pm, Friday, Oct. 30 and Monday, Nov. 2. On Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, hours are 9am to 5pm. On Election Day the hours are 7am to 8pm.

Ballots can always be dropped off at your local polling place by 8pm on Election Day. A complete list of polling locations is available on the County’s website.

In-person early voting is available from Oct. 5 at the Monterey County Elections Office, but there will also be opportunities throughout the county on select dates beginning Thursday, Oct. 15. Check the list of dates and locations on the Elections’ website.

If you’re not registered to vote, or need to update your registration, the deadline to register is Thursday, Oct. 19, although provisional ballots will be available up until Election Day. You can register online through the California Secretary of State’s website, registertovote.ca.gov. You can also check the status of your registration at voterstatus.sos.ca.gov.

And if you want to make sure your ballot is received and being tallied, you can sign up at WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov, offered by the California Secretary of State. You’ll receive email, texts or voice call notifications, it's your choice.