How to Register to Vote

So you have decided to get involved this year and vote. Or you have moved recently. Registering to vote is not difficult and the advent of the Internet has made it even easier. Remember, if you don't vote, you're not entitled to gripe about the results. Read on to learn how to register to vote.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Identification
• Qualifications for voting in your state

1. The Twenty-Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution establishes the voting rights of every American citizen who is over the age of 18. The amendment was passed in 1971 when young people returning from military service in Vietnam complained that they could not vote but that their country expected them to die in its service.

2. Other than the age limit settled by constitutional amendment, states determine requirements for voting. There is usually a residency requirement of some sort which may be simply that you have a permanent (primary) residence within the state or may be that you have resided in the jurisdiction for a certain number of days. Many states require registration be completed a certain number of days before the election (most are from 10 to 30 days). Most states prohibit convicted felons from voting unless their civil rights have been restored by the courts. Many states also have requirements regarding mental competence. Some have miscellaneous requirements. It's a good idea to check the voting requirements before its time to register. The League of Women Voters' voting website has a listing of current requirements and also lists links to state election board sites.

3. Registering is as easy as filling in your name, address, birth date and some other basic information which varies from state to state. Many states allow registration by mail. The Federal Election Commission publishes a register-by-mail form that can be used in all but a few states. Many voters register, as did their parents, at their local city hall or county courthouse. Most states also have mail-in registration to accommodate modern work schedules.

4. Some states allow voters to register at the polls on election day. States have differing requirements on what type of identification is required to vote. New national security regulations may also apply. Generally, a photo ID such as a state driver's license and one other form of identification with your current address is required. Check your state's website or ask you local registrar, because form of identification requirements are changing.

Tips & Warnings

• Some states allow registration at the polls on election day and many allow unregistered voters who appear at the polls on election day to vote "by affidavit" or cast a "provisional ballot" that will be counted provided their qualification to vote can be confirmed. These accommodations are for people who, for one reason or another, have missed the registration deadline. But it's always a better idea to register on time.
• Many people won't register to vote because they are afraid that doing so will put them in the "jury pool"--the list that is maintained by county clerks to call people to jury duty. This is mostly myth. Clerks assemble these lists from a number of sources, including property owners/taxpayers and utility customers as well as lists of voters in the last election. In most places, registering to vote makes you no more eligible to serve on a jury than paying your taxes or water bill.

Resources

• League of Women Voters
• Federal Election Commission
• Rock the Vote Website