The process has become especially important this year because of the unprecedented amount of mail-in and absentee ballots, which require signatures or other validation before they can be counted.
But when a signature is missing or doesn’t match the one on file, or there is another issue with how the voter completed the ballot, some states require officials to contact the voter so they can correct the mistake, a process known as “curing.”
Most states allow you to check the status of your ballot online. Do that to see if officials flagged it because of an issue with the signature part of it or another portion. If there is one and you haven’t been contacted by election officials, reach out to them to see about “curing” your ballot.
Here’s a list of the ballot “curing” deadlines for the key states that allow voters to correct their ballot.
Georgia: Friday, November 6 (Track your ballot here)
Arizona: Tuesday, November 10 (Track your ballot here)
Nevada: Thursday, November 12 (Track your ballot here)
North Carolina: Thursday, November 12 (Track your ballot here)
In Pennsylvania, another key state, rules surrounding the process vary by county, so you should still check your ballot status if you voted there and contact officials if you’re worried about an issue.