Registering to vote while away at college can be a confusing and intimidating experience for students.
To ease the process, networks such as Kent State Votes, a university-wide coalition of students, faculty, and staff, tackle the challenge of communicating clear information about how students can vote and work on generating voter enthusiasm.
With the Tuesday, Oct. 10, voter registration deadline for the November election right around the corner, students don’t have much time to seek out the correct information about voter registration.
The League of Women Voters and Kent State Votes have joined University Libraries to encourage students, faculty and staff to register to vote. Staff will be available in University Libraries' lobby from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on the dates and times below to assist those who are registering and requesting absentee ballots.
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Monday, Oct. 2
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Tuesday, Oct. 3
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Wednesday, Oct. 4
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Monday, Oct. 9
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Tuesday, Oct. 10
Registration forms and absentee ballots are available at the University Libraries' first-floor service desk through Oct. 10.
If voters do not complete their registrations before the deadline in Ohio and other states, they will not be able to vote in the November election and there are no do-overs, said Craig Berger, associate director of Kent State’s Community Engaged Learning.
“Registering to vote with some time left before the deadline allows voters to ask questions about their registration, get assistance with registering, receive confirmation from their county’s Board of Elections that their registration at their current address was processed, and then troubleshoot any issues that might arise.”
Kent State sophomore Virginia Doherty, an art history and history major from Pittsburgh, talks about the importance of voter registration in this video:
The question of where students can register to vote and cast their ballots tends to be confusing for many. The Kent State Votes coalition has worked with University Libraries to create a comprehensive guide to the voting process.
Here are some other voting tips for students based on their status:
Ohio Students
· If you vote on Election Day or in person during early voting, you must take your Ohio driver’s license, state-issued ID, or passport to the election site.
· The address on the card does not need to match the local address as long as the ID is from Ohio.
· You can also vote by mail by filling out a voter registration form (if you are not already registered) and an Absentee Ballot Request Form, which allows voters to provide the last four digits of your Social Security Number in place of a photo ID. You can print one of these online at voteohio.gov, pick it up from the University Library, or ask for one from the voter registration volunteers on campus; doing this as early as possible is critical to ensuring you’ll be able to cast your vote on time
Out-of-State Students:
· You can only vote in person if you have a passport OR if you choose to get an Ohio-issued ID at the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
· You can vote absentee by filling out both the voter registration form and an Absentee Ballot Request form providing the last four digits of your Social Security Number. Doing this does NOT jeopardize your out-of-state driver’s license.
· If you are planning to vote out of state and not here in Kent, be sure to check right away for the relevant dates in that location.