Citizens who want to participate in one of the most historic US elections ever have to make sure they’re registered soon, as the October 6 deadline to secure a ballot approaches.

Registering to vote is easy, but remains one of the biggest obstacles to turning out big numbers on election day.

Some basic questions about getting registered are answered here:

How do I register to vote?

You can register by mail, or by visiting any Secretary of State branch or your county, city or township clerk’s office.

After your Voter Registration Application is processed by your clerk, you will receive a Voter Identification Card that will list your polling place location and your voting district.

If you’re not sure if you are registered or if you lost or haven’t yet received your Voter Identification Card and don’t know where to go to vote, you can find out by visiting www.Michigan.gov/vote, and entering your name, birth date and zip code. If you don’t live in Michigan, visit www.canivote.org.

How can I register to vote by mail?

A copy of the Michigan or National Mail-In Voter Registration Application can be downloaded from the same websites, www.Michigan.gov/vote or www.canivote.org, and printed from your computer. The applications list the appropriate addresses to mail the forms to.

Who is eligible to register to vote?

To register to vote you must be:

-A citizen of the United States of America -At least 18 years of age (by election day) -A resident of the city or township where you are applying to register to vote -Not serving a sentence in jail or prison

I moved and need to update my voter registration record. How do I do that?

Whenever you move to a new home, you must re-register to vote or update your address by visiting your local clerk’s office, a Secretary of State branch office, or through another Mail-In Voter Registration Application form.

Michigan law requires that the same address be used for voter registration and driver’s license purposes. If the residence address you provide when registering to vote differs from the address shown on your driver’s license or state identification card, the Secretary of State should automatically mail you an address update sticker for your license or ID.

Do I have to show my Voter Identification Card in order to vote?

No. As long as you are in the correct polling location, your name will appear on the registration list supplied to your precinct.

But voters will be asked for photo ID. If you do not have ID, you can still vote by signing an affidavit affirming your identity.

How do I register as an absentee voter?

Absentee voter ballot requests can be downloaded at www.Michigan.gov/vote or www.longdistancevoter.org, where much more information on voting absentee is available.

If you have never voted in Michigan and register by mail, you must appear in person to vote in the first election in which you wish to participate. This restriction does not apply to overseas voters, voters who are handicapped or voters who are 60 years of age or older.

How do I know who I should vote for?

Again, check out www.Michigan.gov/vote. The site will provide a sample ballot showing all the candidates for all the offices you’ll be voting for. If you don’t have access to a computer, call the office of the City Clerk in your city.

After you check out your sample ballot, you can access analyses of candidates from nonpartisan organizations like the League of Women Voters, which offers comprehensive voter information for each state at www.lwv.org or www.vote411.org. Other organizations like the Arab American Political Action Committee, www.aapac.org, also endorse candidates and release information for each election. The Arab American News and most other newspapers also usually make detailed endorsements.