How to Register to Vote

by poonam bisht

How to register to vote? On Election Day on November 8, 2016, millions of voters will select the next President of the United States. However, to exercise that right, the…


How to register to vote?

On Election Day on November 8, 2016, millions of voters will select the next President of the United States. However, to exercise that right, the first step is to register as a voter.

Eligibility

To be able to vote in the US presidential elections, the voter should be a citizen of the United States.

The voter should be 18 years of age on the day of the election.

However, some states do provide an exception where a person can vote in a primary election at the age of 17. However, he or she should turn 18 by the time the general elections are held.

The voter should be a resident of the state in which he or she votes.

The voter should not currently be serving a prison term.

He or she should also not be currently on parole. The person should not be under post-release supervision.

Registering online or by mail

A person can also register online. As of June 2014, there are 20 states in the country that allow residents to register to vote online.

There are states which do not allow voters to register online. Many voters also prefer to fill out a form rather than going online. In such a case, the voter can fill out the National Mail Voter Registration form.

The voter can also register in person at his or her designated location in the state.

Important Facts on Voter Registration

Prior to 2011, only two states in the country required voters to show their photo IDs that have been issued by the government at the polls. However, after 2011, strict new ID laws were passed by nine states. These nine states includeVirginia, North Carolina, Alabama, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Kansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas Some of the states accept state-issued student IDs while others do not. Some of the states make it easier for people to obtain the necessary IDs.

Many of the states also offer early voting which works quite well. However, since 2011, eight states have cut back on early voting and days. The eight states —Florida, Georgia, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin – had witnessed recent increases in minority early voting usage.

Related Maps