Today is National Voter Registration Day. I am an expert in the weird world of voter registration in the United States. AMA about your state laws, the weirdest voter registration quirks, or about your rights at the polls.

What would you most like to tell us that no one asks about?

Lots of folks don't know that 1 in 8 voter registrations are invalid. That means you could've registered, but still been removed from the voter rolls. Even if you think you're registered, it's always good to double check your status due to voter registration purges.

​

Source here: http://www.pewtrusts.org/~/media/legacy/uploadedfiles/pcs_assets/2012/pewupgradingvoterregistrationpdf.pdf

This happened to me, i registered to vote weeks before the presidential election (really wanted to vote for hillary) but when i got there they couldnt find my name on the list, and spent 10 minutes on the phone with me standing like an idiot in front of everyone. I eventually just left as i was getting embarrassed.

The literal day after trumps victory was announced, i received a letter saying i am now registered to vote, really pissed me off.

You should have asked for a provisional ballot. Sure it will only be counted in certain cases, but its better than not getting to vote at all.

Provisional ballots (“challenge ballots”) are tricky and a band-aid solution required by the Help America Vote Act of 2002, which is why we try to make sure everyone is registered before the Election.

Your vote was still probably counted if you confirmed with the local Board of Elections that you were registered. If it wasn’t you could have filed a lawsuit to get your vote counted. States vary how they do provisional ballots, so for New York as long as you casted it within the right precinct (and you verified you registered with the local board) it should have been counted.

What does it mean to be "removed from the voter rolls"

Are some peoples vote getting thrown away?

There are many states that have purged inactive voters (people who don’t vote in consecutive elections). For example, in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, they purged more than 34% of its voters a few years back.
Actual votes aren’t being thrown away, but registrations are, which stop people from voting. It’s always good to double check your status before showing up to the polls to ensure this hasn’t affected you.

What do you make of the fact that a voter ID card is sufficient proof of identity for I9 employment verification, but not sufficient ID for...well...voting?

Are there any states that recognize voter ID as proof of identity? Would creating a combined credential be a goal of your organization?

Heard that....Voter ID laws are pretty messed up, and super inconsistent state-by-state in terms of what counts as "valid ID."

​

Some states require a photo ID, others a non-photo ID, and some don't require an ID at the polls. You can find the full list of states here: http://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/voter-id.aspx

We focus on helping people navigate this (messed up) system to ensure they're able to register and get to the polls in the existing framework. We're for anything that would make it easier for first-time voters.

Im registered, but I moved from Travis County to Tarrant TX. I submitted a new voter registration form and got a notice from Travis that I was no longer registered there, but when I looked online Im also not registered in Tarrant. What can I do?

It really depends on when you re-registered at your new address. Per county it varies how long they take to process a new registration. Since you received a notice from Travis that you were no longer registered there, you should be registered in Tarrant. You could do one of two things to ensure your registration:

1. Call your local board of elections (really nice people, who care about voting!)
2. Re-register again

Why isn't every state like Oregon? [Oregon automatically registers you to vote when you sign up or renew a driver's license or any other ID card]

Yes! 8 states and DC have automatic voter registration. 32 states have proposals to implement. Since states get to administer their own elections, the progress is slow, but we're getting there. We're excited for anything that would make it easier for people to register.

I moved to a different building in the same apartment complex where I am already live and am registered. Do I have to re-register at my new address even though my polling place/district will likely not change?

Yup! Super annoying, but you need to update your address still. Even if you’re just moving from 1A to 2B.

[deleted]

You're right, it's SO complicated.

For a bit of context on how we got here, voter reg laws started in MA in 1800 when the election officials could no longer recognize all the eligible voters on sight and really expanded after that to the rest of the country. And since states have the power to administer elections, there's a great deal of variance and complexity with voter registration laws.

North Dakota doesn't have voter registration. California just implemented automatic voter registration and more states are moving toward a better system for all voters. Again, it just comes down to states being able to make their own rules.

I live in Indiana, but am attending college in another state. Which do I register to vote in?

It’s really your choice. You can either vote in your home state (by absentee), or in the new state you’re spending the most time in.

With college students, we see they prefer to register to vote in their home state versus absentee 2:1, because they feel more of an affiliation to their home state than the new state they go to school at. But, the choice is yours, as long as you’re registering at a permanent mailing address.

Do you think voter registration and participation numbers are skewed by people not being unregistered when they move across states and register somewhere new? If so, how much of an impact does this have?

It definitely has an effect.

According to research by Pew in 2012, more than 1.8 million deceased individuals are listed as voters and approximately 2.75 million people have registrations in more than one state. It’s likely the problem persists to this day on a similar scale, but it’s fairly small (out of more than 200 million registered voters).

So, about 1.3% of folks are registered in more than one state, but you can only vote in one state.

[deleted]

Wow, that's super unfortunate that the person running the table tried to sway you when you registered, and in many states, that's actually illegal. We work with thousands of young people around the country who run similar voter registration drives in their schools, and many orgs, who are all very strict on keeping people non-partisan when registering people to vote. So, it's not as prevalent as you might think, as there are very clear laws by the State Board of Elections that prevent this bias from happening.

Is today the last day to register? I hope the holiday isn't on the last possible day. 4 years ago I registered on the last day. I filled out the form with a local candidate who was canvassing the area who said he would get it in for me. My registration didn't make it in. I casted a provisional ballot on election day and heard back later that I wasn't registered.

That sucks that you weren’t able to vote. I’m sorry -- sounds so frustrating.

Today isn’t the last day to register (...but if you want to do it today, it just takes 2 mins). It’s still possible to register today for the midterms in all 50 states. You should check your local states registration deadlines since some of them are coming up soon. In fact, the majority of deadlines are coming up in the next 21 days.

You can make sure you’re registered here: Vote.dosomething.org/thinkso

Hey everyone! It's Michaela, I'm here to answer any of the weird questions you have on voter reg. Let's go!

North Dakota has no voter registration at all. How is that possible?

Hi! North Dakota has no voter registration, but they verify voters by proof of ID and residency at the polls. In that way, they still make sure that only eligible voters that live in North Dakota vote.

2016 I went to my local polling place to vote. Was told there was no record for me and voted by absentee ballot (or whatever it was called... Provisional ballot maybe?)

Went ahead and filled it out, but I felt pretty miffed that my right to vote didn't seem to be ensured. That same day, I went down to my local city hall and talked to the voters registration headquarters people. They assured me I was registered and my vote would be counted, and gave me a little signed piece of paper saying so.

I've since heard that I should have received notification that my vote was on fact counted, or why it wasn't. I didn't receive it.

What are the chances my vote was counted, and if it wasn't what kind of recourse do I have? What should I have done instead of what I did?

This was in Brooklyn.

Provisional ballots (“challenge ballots”) are tricky and a band-aid solution required by the Help America Vote Act of 2002, which is why we try to make sure everyone is registered before the Election.

Your vote was still probably counted if you confirmed with the local Board of Elections that you were registered. If it wasn’t you could have filed a lawsuit to get your vote counted.

States vary how they do provisional ballots, so for New York as long as you casted it within the right precinct (and you verified you registered with the local board) it should have been counted.

I have a new lease starting in October, but I don't have to be out of the old place until the end of November. I'll probably be moving gradually over the course of the two months. At what point am I required to switch my registration?

Congrats on the new lease! Technically, you can be registered anywhere that you have a permanent mailing address, but can only be registered at one location.

You should switch your registration to your new place as soon as you move out. Most registration deadlines aren’t until mid-October (depends on state) so you should be able to update your reg after the move.

https://www.dosomething.org/us/voter-registration-deadlines-2018

At what point am I legally considered "moved out?"

As soon as your lease ends at your current address, or your new lease begins. Whichever comes first.

Thanks all for your Qs! I’m trying to get to as many as I can, while making sure I'm cross-checking answers with specific state laws to give you the most accurate & up-to-date info! If you have specific questions about what it takes to register to vote in your state, you can register to vote & update your address here. Think you're registered? You can check your registration status here.

Should we be able to register to vote when we get our drivers license?

That makes complete sense, alas, they don’t make it that easy for everyone.

In some states you can actually pre-register when you get your driver’s license, and lots of young people get registered to vote for the first time at the DMV. We surveyed our members a couple of months ago and around 38% of them got registered to vote for the first time at the DMV.

I am an American living abroad in Germany, I was registered for last years elections in San Diego but I am wondering how I can vote in this upcoming election.

Any information you could point me to? Thanks

Yup! The Federal Voting Assistance Program makes it easy for overseas citizens to vote. You can do that here: https://www.fvap.gov/

You’ll be asked to register in California, since that’s the state of your residence before you moved, but then it’ll help you fill out your updated registration, and get your absentee ballot in time for the 2018 midterms.

I'm from California. There's pretty much a 0% chance my state flips Red. Thanks to the electoral college, it really feels like my vote is worthless. A popular vote would give my vote impact, as it would count towards that total, but California goes blue no matter what I do, so why bother? I know there are many 20-somethings in California that feel the exact same way. What would you say to encourage young Californians to vote? Why do our votes matter in a state that doesn't swing?

Politicians aren't just looking at what party you vote, but also what groups of people vote.

If 75% of voters over the age of 65 vote consistently in every election, politicians will tailor their policies to placate them first and foremost. If 15% of voting-eligible twentysomethings vote, then there's no indication that pushing a policy that might benefit the younger electorate will actually achieve anything. And worse, it could backfire against the older voters who want the politician to cater to them. Politicians who don't cater to their largest groups of constituents don't get re-elected.

If you and your friends care about a particular issue above others, then voting in every election will prove to future candidates that you're serious about it. Making noise in social media doesn't sway actual policy. Consistently voting does because it proved to candidates that you're an informed group demanding action from your representatives.

+1 to this.

Additionally, once you vote, you’ll be on the voter file (which is public information). That means, when you contact your elected officials to advocate for an issue, they will also check whether or not you turn out to vote. If you are a consistent voter (you turn out regularly for elections) your voice actually matters more to elected officials.

Lastly, local elections can definitely be impacted by your vote (things like mayors, school boards, important ballot measures on social issues, etc). So many elections have been decided by one vote. A state election last year was tied, so the winner was selected by drawing names out of a hat.

What is it about voter ID laws that many people, specifically on the left, think are so cynical?

This will probably get downvoted, but I frankly don't understand why people think requiring an ID is racist. The notion that a certain group of people can't get an ID seems to be racist to me. Is there any proof whatsoever to back up these claims statistically?

Thanks for this question -- an important topic to discuss.

A bit of context:

- Voter ID Laws have spread rapidly around the U.S. Before 2006, no state required photo ID on Election Day. Today, 10 states require this. Now, 33 states have some version of voter ID rules.

- What you're getting at here is the heart of a national debate on the merits of these new laws. Those who are pro claim these laws help reduce fraud, and critics who claim these serve as effective barriers that limit the legitimate participation of racial and ethnic minorities and other disadvantaged groups.

Research conducted by the Washington Post demonstrates that these laws lower turnout for people of color, and benefit the Republican Party. You can check out more research here.

How do florida elections determine whether a signature is legit or not? My ballot by mail wasn’t counted last time around because someone decided my signature was forged, when in fact it was mine (they sent it back).

They compare the signature to the one you provide on your voter registration form (or the one you provided at the DMV when you got your permit/driver's license). I'd recommend calling your local Board of Elections to get this resolved.

If I remember right, there is a website out there to help you verify where you are registered to vote. Does it still exist? If not, can you provide some info on the best way to verify that someone isn't on the rolls in 2 places.

Yes! You can check where you're registered to vote here: https://vote.dosomething.org/thinkso

Do you want as many people to vote as possible?

Yes! I firmly believe democracy only works for the people, when as many people in our country are involved.

In the last 2014 midterms we saw incredibly low voter turnout (reaching levels we haven't seen since WWII). Without as many people possible turning out to the polls, we won't have a government that's representative of our citizenship.

Thank you for putting this together! I just registered to vote thanks to your 2 minute disclaimer as well! Do you have a resource you recommend to learn about the different candidates we’ll vote for in our state? I remember seeing a site that showed candidates and their stance on important topics, but it’s hard to tell which sites are unbiased.

Ballotready and WeVote.us are super helpful.

I’m a big fan of WeVote because you get to choose organizations that are important to you and it shows you the candidates they support.

I'm going to vote R's down the line. We cool?

DoSomething.org is non-partisan and we believe that democracy works only if everyone is involved. So we cool! :)

https://media3.giphy.com/media/111ebonMs90YLu/200.gif

Hey Michaela,

What can we do to encourage young people to register and vote? What sorts of tactics have you seen the most effective?

Hey, pal!

For first time voters, the two big categories of barriers to voting are informational (i.e. When do I need to register? Can I vote absentee? Where is my polling location) and motivational (i.e. My vote doesn't matter; how does my vote make a difference?).

So to address these, we need to share accurate, digestible information about the voter registration process, and demonstrate to young voters how voting impacts backyard issues they care about (i.e. How does voting affect my school? My community? My neighborhood?)

​

What do you think about the pool tax on students in New Hampshire?

The new law in New Hampshire is making it so much more difficult for young people to vote. The process is really intimidating and New Hampshire doesn't have a great record for making it easier for students to vote. We aren't fans.

I currently live in one town in California but my mom lives in the next town over but I use her address on all of my forms since I was living there my last semester, and over there pretty often (it’s like a 20 min commute). How does that affect my voting since I have my ballet mailed to me? Also how should I help get more young people and my friends registered to vote and actually get them to vote?

You can be registered to vote at your permanent mailing address or your mother’s. Young people are 3.75 times more likely to move than adults aged 40+, so it’s very common for young people to be registered at home over their new address (even if you get an absentee ballot mailed to where you live).

Love that you want to get your friends registered to vote! You can run a voter reg drive IRL in your school, or run a voter reg drive online. More here: https://www.dosomething.org/us/campaigns/online-registration-drive/action

What are the most important rights to know you have at the polls? What are rights that most people don’t realize they have at the polls?

The ACLU has a great resource on this as well as a hotline to call if you feel your rights have been compromised at the polls: https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/what-do-when-faced-voter-intimidation

Harassment in line is the most common form of voter intimidation and not many voters do anything about it.

Is it true that in the US you can't just show up on voting day with an ID card or passport and vote?

Correct. In most states in the US, you must register to vote prior to voting day. Only 17 states currently offer same-day registration (where you can just show up on voting day with your ID card).

What can you tell a resident alien who knows nothing about voting or registration? Can I even vote?

It depends on where you live. As a permanent resident, you have the right to vote in local (but not federal) elections where U.S. Citizenship is not required. There are a few jurisdictions where permanent residents may vote in local elections. You can obtain information regarding voting qualifications in local elections from your local voting authority.

What would you think of federal voter ID? Why doesnt the US have it but a country like India does?

Not super familiar with India, but for the United States, it goes back to states' rights and the fact that elections are administered on a state-by-state basis. Strict voter ID laws make it difficult for people to actually vote, so in my personal opinion, I'd be interested in seeing how the process can be secure, but easier for disenfranchised communities.

I'm registered to vote in Connecticut, but I'm currently in school in New York. What do I do?

You have two choices: (1) Vote in your home state (by absentee) or (2) register to vote in NY.

With college students, we see they prefer to register to vote in their home state versus absentee 2:1, because they feel more of an affiliation to their home state than the new state they go to school at. But, the choice is yours, as long as you’re registering at a permanent mailing address.

Request your absentee ballot here.

I know people who've had their voter registrations purged without receving any notice. How is this possible (or even legal)?

Lots of folks don't know that 1 in 8 voter registrations are invalid. That means you could've registered, but still been removed from the voter rolls. Even if you think you're registered, it's always good to double check your status due to voter registration purges. There are many states that have purged inactive voters (people who don’t vote in consecutive elections). For example, in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, they purged more than 34% of its voters a few years back.

Source here: http://www.pewtrusts.org/~/media/legacy/uploadedfiles/pcs_assets/2012/pewupgradingvoterregistrationpdf.pdf

Actual votes aren’t being thrown away, but registrations are, which stop people from voting. It’s always good to double check your status before showing up to the polls to ensure this hasn’t affected you here: vote.dosomething.org/thinkso

I live in Georgia. My question: Is it legal/ethical/allowed to have a voter registration area set up (heavily foot traffic area) and have the workers that are trying to get individuals registered yelling to groups of people to vote for a particular party/person running for office?

Edit: wow, thanks for the downvotes.

If an individual is running a voter registration drive, it is illegal for those working the drive to be swaying new registrants to vote for a particular party or candidate. These drives are required by law in many states to be non-partisan. You can report this behavior to your local board of elections.

I live in Illinois, but still have an out-of-state ID (Delaware) because my license doesn't expire until 2020 and I have been too lazy to go to the DMV. I want to register in Illinois, but keep getting conflicting information about whether or not I need an Illinois ID. Can I register here with an out-of-state license?

Sorry for the conflicting information you've been getting! In order to register in Illinois, you can either use your Illinois driver’s license number OR the last four digits of your social security number.

I have a drivers license in Florida and a state ID in North Carolina, I’ve lived in NC for three years and recently registered to vote here. Will my Florida drivers license impact my voter eligibility?

Nope! You should still be able to register, but you’ll have to print out the form and mail it in. North Carolina does not require ID at the polls.

I live in CA and have just turned 18 recently. What do I need to know or have when I register to vote?

You just need your driver's license number (if you have one) or the last four digits of your Social Security Number. It takes two minutes to register and you can do that here! https://vote.dosomething.org/

I'm from PA, why do I have to jump through so many hoops to get an absentee ballot? I don't have time to wait all day long at the polls, but I still want to vote.

It only takes 2 minutes to request your absentee ballot, and you're right that it saves a lot of time you would have had to spend waiting in line. Here are the steps you can take.

1. Request your ballot here: https://vote.dosomething.org/request. Fill in the paper absentee ballot application.  Mark the reason why you cannot get to the polling place on election day.
2. Send your absentee ballot application to the County Election Office. The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot is 1 week before the election. (Members of the military can apply at any time!)
3. Within a few weeks you will get an absentee ballot with instructions from the County Election Office. You fill out your ballot, mail it back to your election office, & you've officially voted!

The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot for the November 6, 2018 general election is 5pm on Tuesday, October 30, 2018.

As many states allow citizens/campaigns/organizations to purchase the full state voter registry - are there any organizations that monitor and track potential voter purges?

If not, is there a legal roadblock stopping something like that from existing? I know not all states have this available, but some (Pennsylvania, Florida, etc) have that data available and audits of that data would be helpful in understanding legal and illegal voter purges, rather than expecting states to be honest.

There isn't an organization that I know of that in real time tracks and alerts citizens of potential, upcoming, voter purges. The Brennan Center does a great job conducting analysis on voting rights and elections following incidents such as these, but I don't believe in real time ahead of a purge.

​

​

Stupid question- I'm in ky. If I'm registered to vote for the presidential election then I'm registered for other votes as well, correct? Also, what should I do if I've moved since the last time I voted?

No such thing as a stupid question! Once you register to vote, you are eligible to vote in all elections (except primaries if you don't register with a party!)

If you've moved, you need to re-register! You can update your address in 2 minutes here: https://vote.dosomething.org

I'm U.S. military, current Texas resident, stationed in New Mexico. How do I know if I'm registered, where do I go to register, and where do I actually vote?

The Federal Voting Assistance Program makes it easier for service members to vote. You can update your registration here: https://www.fvap.gov/

Since you are stationed away from home, you'll have to vote by absentee ballot. You can request it at the link above.

How do I register to vote in the primary elections?

I want to declare myself a Democrat but don’t know how.

You can register to vote here (takes 2 mins).

In Oregon we vote by mail which is AMAZING. Our ballots come with the booklet with all the info so you can read and vote at your leisure and then drop your ballot in any mailbox or voting box (usually outside police/fire/city hall)

Is this something that more states can adopt and how can the average joe help make that happen?

Oregon is AMAZING! 8 states and DC have automatic voter registration. 32 states have proposals to implement. Since states get to administer their own elections, the progress is slow, but we're getting there. I'm excited for anything that would make it easier for people to register.

My wife is getting citizenship sometime in October (interview date is at the start of the month)

Is she allowed to register for to vote before becoming a citizen, assuming she would get citizenship, and of course not voting if she didn't get citizenship?

I know 17 year-olds can register in advance of their 18th birthday so I'm wondering if there is a similar allowance for new citizens?

Congrats! Exciting news for your family.

Unfortunately, she cannot register to vote before becoming a citizen. However, depending on your state deadlines, she may still be able to register to vote in time following her confirmation.

​

Check your state voter reg deadlines here.

Is it true that jury duty selection is tied to voter registration?

Partly, yes! But to be clear: If you pay your taxes, have a up to date driver's license, or do anything with the government, they'll be able to select you for jury duty. :)

I'm in NJ and I registered 2 years ago. Do registrations expire?

As long as you haven't changed addresses, your registration should still be up to date!

You can double check here: https://vote.dosomething.org/thinkso

I'm a college student that registered yesterday, actually, in my (technically, though not legally) home state of Florida, instead of NY.

However, if I'm paying in-state tuition, even with a Florida ID, and usually live in NY or at least not FL, can I still legally register in FL?

You can register to vote wherever you have a permanent mailing address. If you live for the most part in NY and live at a dorm, you can register to vote in NY. If you have a home in Florida that you can list as a permanent mailing address, you can register to vote there.

I live in Massachusetts. My younger sons will turn 18 in July 2024. Will he be able to vote in the federal primary as he will be 18 by the general election? When will he need to register to vote?

Your sons will need to register to vote before the registration deadline in 2024. In Massachusetts that's 20 days before the Election! If they turn 18 before that, they can register then.

Hi! I live in WA but am moving to Texas (military) and will be down a week before November 6th.

My dilemma is I think I will not be able to register to vote in time for the Texas election. And I technically won’t be a WA resident anymore.

What should I do?

Hi!
The Federal Voting Assistance Program makes it easier for service members to register to vote and vote by absentee.

You can find all the information you need here: https://www.fvap.gov/