5 People Reveal The Lengths They Went Through To Vote In Person — And They're Wild

It's Election Day, and for many voters, casting a ballot is not just a simple stroll to their neighborhood polling station.

On TikTok, people are sharing a new kind of "Get Ready With Me" video: a behind-the-scenes look at the long journeys some individuals are taking to cast a vote in person. These TikTokers have shared how they drove for nine hours or flew across state lines ― all because they felt voting in person was worth it, or necessary.

Everyone wants to make sure their vote counts, whether it's recorded via a mail-in ballot or at the polls. In most states, you can track the status of your mail-in ballot. In two-thirds of states, there is also a process for voters to " cure " the denial, which is the official election term for addressing mistakes in time for a ballot to be counted. This way, you can make sure your vote was received and accepted.

And if you are determined to vote Tuesday at your designated polling place, take heart ― you're not alone in this journey. HuffPost talked to five people who traveled to vote in person about what motivated them to do so in spite of the transportation costs. (Interviews have been lightly edited for clarity and length.)

'I just knew it was really important to show up and just do my civic duty.'

"I did not submit to vote absentee in time. My fiancé right now is in D.C. voting via ballot, and just this morning when he was walking to the ballot box, it was roped off, and there were police officers everywhere. So I know that there's all these situations going on ... or there's also ballot boxes being lit up on fire . And I was like, 'Even if my ballot comes in time, I would just rather go to a polling station.'

I just knew it was really important to show up and just do my civic duty and speak for plenty of women who live in Pennsylvania who maybe they don't feel comfortable voting blue.

I represent several things. Being a woman, I'm from a family of immigrants. My mom's from Puerto Rico, my biological father's from Haiti, so yeah, I just really wanted to do it. I was at work all day on Monday, and then I told my boss, 'I'm driving tonight to Pennsylvania from Washington, D.C.' With all the traffic, it made the drive about three and a half hours. Got here around 9:30-10 p.m., because there was a lot of traffic building up. Got up this morning, woke up my brother. It was his first time voting ― he's 20 ― and got to walk with my dad, my brother and vote.

I'm from Lancaster County. Lancaster County is a city with a lot of immigrants in it, but it also has a lot of people who are very proud to be Republican and wave their Trump flags very proudly. This is a city that can be a little bit more 50-50 so I know just having one more vote in here really matters.

Sixty dollars [for driving to vote] kind of affected me a little bit ... but this amount for a tank of gas felt minuscule compared to the effects that it would have on me long term by not voting."

― Betsey, who asked to not share her full name, who drove from Washington, D.C., to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

'Big storms were rolling in, and so the first few hours of my drive were very stressful.'

"I live in Arkansas, but I'm temporarily living in Texas, so I needed to drive to Arkansas to come vote because that's where I'm registered. That's my permanent address. Had to wait until I got off work yesterday. By that point, big storms were rolling in, and so the first few hours of my drive were very stressful. I couldn't see anything with the rain pouring down ... I was just praying. I had the Christmas music going in the background to lighten the mood.

But hopefully, it's definitely worth it to be able to vote and make sure my voice is heard and hopefully make some history.

I could have requested to vote absentee, I am just very passionate and wanted to vote in person and just be part of that experience. I'm hoping that me and my mom are voting for the first woman president."

― Savannah Henthorne, who drove from Allen, Texas, to Greenbrier, Arkansas

'I got to my polling place right at 5 a.m.'

"I was actually registered in Fulton County, Georgia, and I asked for a mail-in ballot to be sent to my mother's house in the middle-end of September. She lives in Charleston, South Carolina; I'm going to be up there helping her renovate a house that she just bought. I never received a ballot. I've been very patient. I've waited, and I kind of knew after a certain point, 'I'm going to have to probably make a drive down there if it doesn't show up in the mail.' I started around 11:30 p.m. and I got to Fulton County around a little after 4:30 a.m. and then I stopped to use a bathroom ... I did want to take a nap. I couldn't for a couple reasons. One was the energy drink just had me awake. But two, I was afraid that I would be so tired, because I've been up for almost 24 hours at that point, that I wouldn't hear an alarm on my phone.

I got to my polling place right at 5 a.m. I was the first voter there. I felt like I needed to be there and my vote would matter more than me being like, 'Oh, it's too long of a drive.' I also used to drive trucks, so I'm used to long drives anyway.

I could have used that $200 [round trip for gas and snacks] to go somewhere else. I kind of needed it to go somewhere else, but I'm like, 'I can make the $200 back later.' So it's definitely worth the cost.

It is very special to me to see Kamala Harris win the race. I truly do believe she'll win, and she'll take the necessary steps to make this a progressive country again."

― Zyereri Jackson, who drove from Charleston, South Carolina, to Fulton County, Georgia

'It's going to be [around] $90 total, which as a broke college student was a lot.'

"I have ADHD, so I have a little bit of issues with procrastination. The closeness of the election was about the time when I started to get a little nervous about it.

I'm living in Colorado currently, and I tried to remove my registration in Washington and I tried to register in Colorado. However, I couldn't request an absentee ballot, because it was too close to the election at that time. So I couldn't vote in Grand Junction where I go to school, so I had to come to Denver to vote in person where my license is registered. I took a six-hour [and a half] bus ride to be here today to vote. It was a lot. And I don't like bus rides.

Pretty much from the time that I got that letter [informing me I was too late to vote by mail], there was no hesitation on my end. The only concern was finding the money for the bus ticket. It was like $45 each way. So it's going to be [around] $90 total, which as a broke college student was a lot. But once I was able to obtain that, I essentially never thought about anything other than going ― I just felt it was that important to me."

― Lena Conn, who traveled from Grand Junction, Colorado, to Denver

'I'm very conscious of the fact that I'm financially privileged enough to be able to do this.'

"I'm an opera singer, and I live in Atlanta, Georgia ... I got very lucky with my schedule. I just happened to be in between performances at the Metropolitan Opera in New York right now ... I had to ask for a release from the Metropolitan Opera, and they very graciously gave me one to be able to travel.

I decided that I was going to fly back to vote for two reasons. Number one: I feel it's very important. And number two: Quite honestly, the Postal Service in the state has been just absurdly slow in the last couple of years.

I figured, if I have the option of flying from New York and I can just be here to make sure that my vote is counted, then that's probably the best thing. And so that's why I chose to fly back. I remember the flight cost being above the $500 mark. I'm very conscious of the fact that I'm financially privileged enough to be able to do this and not worry about the cost of it so much.

Your Support Has Never Been More Critical

Other news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone.

Would you help us provide essential information to our readers during this critical time? We can't do it without you.

Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.

You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.

Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all.

You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.

Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all.

Support HuffPost Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.