If you aren't registered yet, you can still vote in the presidential election. Rhode Island offers same-day registration for the presidential race. Click here for a list of same-day registration sites. In Providence this option is offered at the Dunkin' Donuts Center. In most other localities it takes place at the town hall.

2. How to vote. We aren't going to tell you. But we do recommend you make full use of the many election guides available online. FairVote's 2008 candidate survey should be particularly useful for General Assembly candidates. Common Cause of Rhode Island has a legislative scorecard. Project Vote Smart has information for both local and national candidates.

3. What to do if you run into problems. You can call the Secretary of State's help line at 401.222.2340. You may also call your local Board of Canvassers (here's the statewide list)--just don't be surprised if you're greeted with a busy signal.

If you run into irregularities at the polling place, you can call 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683). This number, run by the nonpartisan coalition Election Protection, is good nationwide. Election Protection has signed up thousands of lawyers to assist voters with urgent legal questions.

4. How to stay informed. Voting isn't just a one-day event--it's part of a complicated tangle of local and federal election laws and practices that have evolved over decades, and have continued to mutate after the 2002 Help America Vote Act.

The national FairVote is, of course, an indispensable resource for people looking to become more informed about elections. Our director, Rob Richie, has just written a great editorial in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution summarizing the proposals we're making for elections administration. Also take a look at our presidential campaign tracker, which shows just how seriously the current Electoral College system distorts the presidential campaigns. (Maybe you've heard about our suggestion for changing this).

The Brennan Center and Demos are two prominent think-tanks, both of which do well-respected work on registration and election practices.

Rick Hasen, a professor at Loyola Law School, is on fire with his Election Law blog. For another legal perspective, visit OSU's Moritz College of Law Election website. Want to watch the cases in front of courts right now? Visit Moritz's pending litigation tracker.

Wired magazine online's Threat Level blog is focusing almost entirely on elections these days, with a special technological perspective. And I'd also recommend dropping by FiveThirtyEight.com for Electoral College projections. It's run by an Obama supporter, but political junkies of all stripes should take a look at its detailed and often provocative analysis of the way the campaigns respond to the current Electoral College system.

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FairVote RI || fairvote.org/ri/ || 145 Wayland Avenue || Providence, RI 02906

Local environmental advocacy groups have strongly endorsed this bond issue, it is vital to save our green and natural spaces from  rampant development, click here for more info, and don't forget to VOTE on TUESDAY!

Time is running out.... soon our suspense will be over, and we'll have an idea what to expect for the next four years. With record turnout predicted for Election Day, voters need to be prepared.

Because this is our third election this year, you may be headed to your third new polling place since March. Go to the state's online Voter Information Center to confirm the location of your polling place ahead of time. You can also see a sample ballot for your neighborhood. Review your choices now so you are ready to vote when you get to the poll.

We added 42,000 new voters since February. It's a good idea to check the accuracy of your voter registration info now. That will give you time to resolve any discrepancy with your local board of canvassers now rather than at a busy polling place on Election Day.

Turnout will be heaviest from 7-9 a.m. and from 5-7 p.m.  Vote during off hours so you can get in and out of the polls quickly. Any eligible voter in line when the doors close at 9 p.m. will be allowed to cast a ballot.  And you are allowed to bring a marked sample ballot or other material to help you in the voting booth.

If your name is not on the voter registration list at your polling place, you are eligible to vote a provisional ballot. Your ballot will be counted if election officials determine that you are properly registered. And even if you are not registered, you still can vote for President. If you are at least 18 years old, a U.S. citizen and a resident of Rhode Island, you can register to vote and cast a ballot in the presidential race on the spot, and you will be officially registered for future elections. Go to RIFuture for the details about how to do that. Click here for more info about where and how to vote in RI, and what to do if you run into problems, from FairVote RI.

Click here for info from NNN about the open-space bond issue and local candidates who have been endorsed by environmental advocates.

While everyone's attention is focused on the national race coming up next Tuesday, let's not forget there is also an important local issue on the ballot. If you want to see our state continue to be green, with woods and fields and open space for wildlife, clean rivers, and local farms, then VOTE YES ON QUESTION 2. This modest bond issue, just $2.5 million, will help to provide permanent protection for the open spaces that we treasure.

Vote to APPROVE QUESTION 2:  OPEN SPACE AND RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT BOND! Click on "More..." for much more detail about the issues and the bond, from the RI Land Trust Council and the Environment Council of RI.

For more info about why you should vote YES, check out this Peter Lord story from the Oct. 31 projo, and this recent post on Chip Young's blog.

For more info about our local races, check out these recent NNN posts:

RI Senators Get "A" Grade on the Environment

ECRI Gives General Assembly a "B"

Clean Water Action Endorses Local Candidates

Everyone knows this is an important election, and there is just no excuse for not voting. Our future depends on it!

And to encourage you a bit, some of our favorite local coffee shops will offer you a reward. At Little Falls Cafe in Pawtuxet Village, stop in with your "I Voted!" sticker on next Tuesday and Jeff will gladly you offer you a free cup of coffee from his wide selection of flavors. Or up on Thayer Street, stop in at Blue State Coffee with your sticker on, and Alex will fill your cup for free all day long. Blue State will also be showing the latest election news all day on their projection screen.

So be a part of your community and your country, and get out and VOTE!

The national election has been soaking up a lot of our attention, but not to forget, we will also be voting for our local reps in the General Assembly on Nov. 4. These choices are vitally important -- when it comes to environmental action, most of the important stuff gets done at the local level. So when it's time to make that choice, having an endorsement from our local eco groups can be an important factor.

This week, Clean Water Action released its list of endorsed candidates for the General Assembly, click on "More..." for the details.

You can also find out more at this Thursday's Electoberfest, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Trinity Brewhouse in Providence. A $25 donation is suggested for this fundraising event, proceeds will benefit Clean Water Action’s work both to elect pro-environment candidates and to pass and enforce laws to protect Rhode Island’s environment. To RSVP or for more information, call Clean Water Action at (401) 331-6972. Call today to be an event sponsor listed on the invitation and in the program book for $50-1000.

Here in Rhode Island, the national election race is getting a lot of attention, but let's not forget that when it comes to our local environment, local votes can make all the difference.

A key bond issue will be on our local ballots next month, and the RI Land Trust Council wants to get the word out -- VOTE YES ON  QUESTION 2 - OPEN SPACE BOND!! To ensure that our farms and forests will be preserved for the future. Click on "More..." for more details about this issue from the Land Trust Council.

On the last couple of weekends, teams of volunteers have worked across South County to label hundreds of storm drains on the URI campus and in Narragansett, to help deter the public from using the drains as dump sites. The labels ensure that everyone knows these drains empty directly in the Bay and have an impact on our local coasts and water quality.

The volunteers were organized thanks to efforts by URI, Save The Bay, The Audubon Society of RI, the Surfrider Foundation, and the Town of Narragansett.

 Click on "More..." for more photos. Thanks to Vanessa Venturini of URI for the pix!