A ballot can be several pages long and filled with confusing legal language. Feeling prepared before you enter the voting booth is the key to confident voting.
Ballots are usually organized from top to bottom, starting with the most prominent offices (like President) and moving down to local positions (like soil and water conservation district members).
Your local elections office will almost always provide a "sample ballot" online several weeks before the election. Print it out and do your research at home. You are often allowed to bring your research or even the marked sample ballot with you into the voting booth.
Pay attention to the instructions for each race. Some races may say "Vote for One," while others may say "Vote for no more than Three." If you mark too many, your vote in that specific race may not be counted.
Some offices (like judges or school board) are nonpartisan, meaning no party affiliation is listed next to the name. You'll need to research these candidates ahead of time to know their platform.