Presidential elections are when most voters head to the polls, but having a plan can help avoid long lines, avoid mistakes and help fellow voters.

All polling places in Pennsylvania are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, November 5. Anyone who is in line before 8 p.m. can vote.

Here are five steps to prepare for in-person voting.

Step 1: Check your voter registration

Pennsylvania voters can check their registration online by providing their name, Pennsylvania driver’s license or PennDOT ID card number, or by phone by calling their county elections office.

The deadline to register to vote was October 21, so anyone who is not currently registered cannot cast a vote.

If you are an inactive voter, that is, someone who has not voted in two federal elections, you must complete a form at the elections office to reactivate your registration. You may need to identify yourself, but you can vote normally.

Step 2: Confirm your polling place

Polling stations sometimes change so it is important to check you know where you are going.

Greg Monskie, York County’s chief operations officer and chief clerk, said there are many reasons why polling places change.

“It may be that the person organizing the polling station chooses not to do it. There could be a conflict on election day,” Monskie said. “We will periodically make changes to polling places if we do not believe they are large enough to accommodate the voters we expect to come through – especially in presidential elections.”

He said voters affected by these changes should have received a notice in the mail notifying them of their new voting location.

The Department of State has an online resource where voters can enter their address to find a polling place.

Step 3: Schedule a time to vote

Presidential elections typically attract the largest number of voters. The polling stations are open on November 5 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m

The busiest times are generally early morning, around lunch and after work.

By voting mid-morning or mid-afternoon, when lines are typically shortest, voters can avoid lines and keep wait times shorter for those who need to show up during busy hours.

Step 4: Know what to bring

Some voters may need to bring additional identification to vote.

Anyone voting in a district for the first time must show proof of identity.

This could be a driver’s license or PennDOT ID card, an ID issued by the state or federal government, a U.S. passport, a U.S. military ID, a student ID, an employee ID, an endorsement issued by the County Voter Registration Office, a firearms permit, or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck or government check, showing your name and address.

If a voter cannot provide proof of identity, he can vote via a provisional ballot. Once the province confirms that they are eligible to vote, the votes will be counted.

Step 5: Vote

Research the candidates who will appear on your ballot and put your plan into action. Voters can take notes or use their phone while filling out a ballot.

Have you requested a ballot, but do you want to vote in person?

Those who requested a mail-in ballot can still vote in person, with some additional hurdles.

These voters must take their ballot and return envelope to their polling place, turn in their ballot and fill out some paperwork, and then vote in person. The process will take a few extra minutes depending on how busy the polling station is.

Potential voters who do not return the ballot paper and envelope can only vote provisionally at their polling station. Before the provisional ballot can be counted, the county elections board will verify that the person did not vote by mail.

This story is part of an explanatory series focused on the Pennsylvania elections, jointly produced by WITF in Harrisburg and The Associated Press.