Voting is a rite of passage that many Americans take to heart when they reach the age of 18. So while some register to vote shortly after they make the transition into legal adulthood, others don't register to vote right away.
Many people aren't registered to vote simply because they don't know how to go about becoming a registered voter. Fortunately, the voter registration process is fairly simple and relatively quick, as is the process of actually casting a vote at the polls or by absentee ballot.
How to Register to Vote
In order to vote in the United States, one must be an American citizen who is at least 18 years of age.
Citizens can register to vote at the office of the City Clerk or Town Clerk. Voter registration can also be done at the Registry of Motor Vehicles in some states, like Massachusetts.
The voter registration process takes just a few minutes, as the soon-to-be-voter is required to provide their full name, address and other personal information. A photo ID is usually required when registering to vote.
When a person registers to vote in the U.S., a political party designation (i.e. Republican, Democrat, etc.) must be selected. In some elections, there is a Republican ballot, a Democratic ballot, etc., so a voter's party enrollment will determine which ballot the voter receives.
An "independent" or "unenrolled" designation enables the voter to pick which party's ballot they'd like to use for each election.
For a citizen who wishes to vote in a particular election, he/she must register to vote in advance of the election. In some states, the voter registration deadline is 21 days before the election. Whatever the case, it's important to keep this voter registration deadline in mind.
In addition, if a citizen moves to a new address, this address change must be reported to the City or Town Clerk's office in the community where the voter is currently residing.
How to Vote on Election Day
On election day, registered voters can go to their designated polling location to cast their ballot.
Each city or town is split into voter precincts and each precinct has a designated polling location, often a school, church or community center. When a citizen registers to vote, a voter registration confirmation card is mailed out and this card will include information like party affiliation, precinct number and polling location.
Anyone who does not know where to go to vote on election day can call the City or Town Clerk's office, usually located in the local City Hall or Town Hall.
When a voter arrives at the poll, they must check in with a poll worker by providing a name, address, and in some cases, a photo ID. The voter is then given a paper ballot or they're directed to a computerized polling machine - the precise voting method varies from community to community.
How to Vote by Absentee Ballot
If a voter is going to be unavailable on election day, they can fill out an absentee ballot. Absentee ballot applications are available from the City or Town Clerk and they can usually be submitted up until the day before or even the day of the election.
Acceptable reasons for requesting an absentee ballot include:
- The voter is out of the town/city/state or otherwise unable to visit the polls on election day.
- The voter is unable to leave the home on election day due to religious beliefs.
- The voter is physically unable to visit the polls due to physical disability or illness.
Once a voter's absentee ballot application is approved, an absentee ballot will be mailed out (or given to the voter in person when visiting the City or Town Clerk's office). The ballot must then be filled out and returned to the City or Town Clerk by election day.
Notably, a voter who is permanently unable to visit the polls due to a physical disability, illness, etc. can request to be added to a list of voters who automatically receive absentee ballots by mail when there's an election.
Early Voting
Early voting is available in some elections, particularly when a large voter turnout is expected.
The early voting option helped to reduce the length of lines at the polls for the November 4, 2008 election when voters cast ballots in the historic Presidential race between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain.
Early voting for the November 4, 2008 election took place from October 21 through October 28.
Mia Carter - Mia Carter - Journalist, Producer/Editor & Web Writer. Carter's work has appeared on CBS and CNN.com.
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