***Be sure to check out the voter registration tool on the Her Campus homepage***
For many of us, November’s presidential election will mark the first time we’ll be able to vote. While national statistics about our age group’s predicted voter turnout are still murky, there’s no doubt that many collegiettes intend to cast a ballot.
But hold on! Before you can even vote, you need to register! Voter registration processes may vary state by state, but there are some general guidelines that you still need to be aware of before you head out to get registered.
What do I need to register?
The best way to figure out what you need for voter registration is to check your own state’s election website, which you can do by simply entering key terms into a search engine. Make sure you read the site carefully for specific requirements as each state differs from the others! But even before you even ask for a voter registration form, there are some requirements that are demanded all across the board.
An American citizenship
First and foremost, you must be an American citizen to vote in a federal election. Sure, that seems obvious, but there have been cases where some permanent residents have either mistakenly thought they could register or have falsely claimed citizenship in order to cast a ballot. That is illegal, collegiettes! Permanent residents who have done so have been fined, faced prison sentences for up to a year, or even deported.
Prove that you live in the state!
It’s not enough to just hold American citizenship, you need a registered address as well! Voter registration centers will normally ask for a utility bill, government documents, bank statements, or paychecks with your address to make sure that you’re a resident in the area. If you live on campus, don’t worry! As long as you can prove that you do attend a college in the area, you shouldn’t have too much trouble registering.
Do you know the registration deadline?
This can be tricky, especially because some states like Iowa and New Hampshire allow for Election Day Registration, meaning that you can register on the November 6 election date. To make things even more confusing, some states will let you register less than a month before an election while others demand that you register at least a whole month in advance. So please, please, please check your state’s election websites and then mark your calendars!
An ID number
Some states need your Social Security Number (SSN), some states only need it in case you don’t have a state driver’s license. Either way, be prepared to provide some sort of ID number for security reasons! States normally don’t mind which one you choose, but some states like Alabama make a point of only asking for one (in this case, your SSN), so come ready.
A photo ID
Just as you would for any other occasion, bring a government-issued ID with a clear picture of yourself. Whether it’s a driver’s license, a passport, or some other form of ID, you need to prove that you’re the collegiette who’s applying in person.
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So I’ve got all my documents, where do I go to apply?
When you register to vote, your main goal is to get your hands on a voter registration form that you will also need to turn in. There are three main ways you can complete the process: in person, by mail, online, and with voting drives.
In-person
One of the things the “Motor Voter” act of 1993 did was expand the number of locations that were legally permitted to register voters. What does this mean for you? It means that you have no shortage of voter registration locations! There’s no need to worry if your state election board offices are far from you, as you’re actually allowed to make a quick trek to other state agency offices, drivers’ license registration centers, schools, libraries, and more to register. All you need to do is look up where these official voter registration centers are located and you can head to any of them.
If you’re thinking about physically making your way over to a voter registration site, make sure to bring all of the documents you need! That’s the only way you can get a form, which you’ll need to fill out and hand in to be registered. You can definitely get the form at a voter registration site and turn it in once you’re done, or you can take it home and bring it back another time. Just make sure it’s in before your state’s registration deadline!
Kick it old-school with mail
Unless you live in Wyoming, you’re also allowed to mail the form to your local election official! If you don’t feel like going to a voter registration site to get a form, most voting sites like RegisterToVote.org will let you either download one at home, or fill it out online to print. But because you haven’t provided your required documents yet, you’re going to have to mail some extra papers along with your completed form.
Just as though you were applying in person, slip your photo ID and proof of residence into the mail with the form. If you don’t feel comfortable sending over your original documents, don’t worry! You’re allowed to send copies of your required documents, but note that you can’t send both original documents and copies at the same time. Choose one and stick with it, though you’ll probably want to send in copies if you’re worried about your original documents.
Voter Registration Drives 101
As the election draws closer, you may also want to keep your eyes peeled for voting registration drives popping up around your city! Run by political and non-political organizations, voting registration drives are huge events that aim to register as many unregistered voters as they can. They’re usually held in a designated area besides those normally used for voter registration, and people can come from all over to register to vote. So if you’re thinking of voting, look around for a local voter registration drive as well! If you pass one by on your way somewhere, there’s no harm in stopping to get registered.
Should I register with a political party?
Most states give you the choice to affiliate with a political party when you register to vote, and it’s definitely an option you can consider should you choose!
When you register with a party, you’re not a full party member but you still get certain rights, with the big one being that you’re able to vote in the party’s state primaries. However, some states allow every registered voter to cast a ballot in their primaries, and in that case the affiliation becomes a sort of vocal support for the party. Because you’re simply a party affiliate you also don’t have to vote for the your party’s candidate come federal elections, meaning that you still get to exercise your voting freedoms and take advantage of your choices!
While the two main parties you can choose to be affiliated with are the Republican and Democratic parties, make sure to check out the other parties operating within your state as well. There are other political parties besides the big two, though their existence really depends state-by-state. So before you choose to affiliate with a party, be sure to research what other parties are active in your state and what their platforms are so you can make an informed decision.
But in many cases, you may actually choose to register as an independent. As Chrissy Faessen, vice president of communications and marketing at Rock the Vote points out, many young first-time voters register as independents because they’re not entirely familiar with the parties. So if you’re on the fence about who to vote for this November, you may want to identify yourself as an independent, a status that you can definitely change once a future election rolls around.
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I’m going to be out of state during the election, but can I do anything if I still want to vote?
So let’s say you’re studying abroad or you’re not going to be in your college or home state when the elections happen. What should you do then? Fortunately, you have two options: absentee voting and early voting. Some states only have one or the other, which means that you need to really check your state’s voting guidelines to make sure!
Casting an absentee ballot
If you choose to vote in absentia, it’s always a good idea to still register first before you request the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) and to check whether or not you need to provide a reason for an absentee ballot. The FPCA is a formal request for an election ballot, and most states will need you to register as a voter first before obtaining it.
Some states, like Michigan, don’t allow first-time voters to vote in absentia, but most states should be able to hand you a FPCA without a problem. From there, mail your FPCA to the same address you mailed your voter registration form (so your local election official) and wait around for a ballot. But if it’s 45 days before the election and your ballot still hasn’t arrived, call the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) because it means something’s up!
Early voting
But you may also have the choice to vote early! Known as early voting, 32 states in total including Washington, D.C. allow voters to submit a ballot before the election date. You’ll still need to register as a voter, though, so make sure you start the process as early as possible! You can either ask to submit a mail-in absentee ballot or an Early In Person (EIP) ballot at a polling station, making it a worthy alternative to absentee voting.
Now get out there and vote!
Voting is often seen as a rite of passage in this country, and young people all over are being encouraged to exercise this privilege. So if you’ve spent years eagerly following political campaigns and wishing you could have a say in the country’s politics, now’s your chance! Just remember that the very first step is getting yourself to a registration center, and completing your voter registration.
***Be sure to check out the voter registration tool on the Her Campus homepage!***
Photo Sources
http://www.progressivestates.org/sync/images/dispatch/FillingOutBallot.jpg
http://www.memphisflyer.com/binary/e0be/1343846334-vote-here-signs.jpg
http://obama.net/wp-content/uploads/Republican-and-Democrat-symbols.jpg
http://resources2.news.com.au/images/2012/05/30/1226373/163686-teen-vote…