Google search now shows you where to vote or drop off your ballot

It’s more important than ever to know where to vote given the pandemic and a highly passionate 2020 election, and Google believes it can help. The internet giant is rolling out tools in search and Google Maps that help you find US voting and ballot drop box locations. Look for terms like “early voting locations” or “ballot drop boxes near me” and you’ll get both places to cast your vote as well as requirement reminders (such as a completed and sealed ballot for drop-offs) and details like voting hours.

Google Assistant will soon speed this up by letting you ask “where do I vote?” to get nearby voting locations. The finder should cover over 200,000 voting locations across the US, Google said.

The option is the result of a team-up with the Voting Information Project, itself an alliance between state election officials and the nonpartisan Democracy Works group.

Google is no stranger to helping people vote, but the very existence of this tool underscores the added urgency this year. Many are concerned about safety or even whether their vote will be counted, and a search option like this could make all the difference for some voters. Ideally, this helps you vote on time and on comfortable terms.