How to Register to Vote
If you haven’t registered to vote yet, now is the time to do so. Yes, there is a big presidential election coming up in November, but there is an opportunity to vote in local elections at least once a year, and you should not miss them. But how exactly do you register to vote? The good news: it’s actually much faster and easier than most government forms (we’re looking at you taxes). Here’s what you need to do:
First check if you are already registered
Even if you haven’t voted for a while, you can still register to vote in the previous election. There are several ways to check this, but the easiest one is through Google: “Am I registered to vote.” As Thorin Klosovski previously explained on Lifehacker :
Google uses your location and displays a direct link to check your voter registration status. If you are not in your home state, enter the search query “Am I registered to vote in [state] instead ? “. Once you’re at your state’s website, enter your name, address, and other information as needed to double-check your registration status and voting preferences.
If you are already on the roster and listed as an active voter, congratulations – you are ready to vote! However, if you have not voted for four or more years, your voting status may be listed as “inactive”. If you fall into this category, take a look at your state election office website for how to activate your voting status (it differs from state to state).
Also, be sure to check with the US Voting Fund or your state or territory’s electoral office for the deadline for registering your state for the upcoming elections.
How to register to vote
Once you confirm that you are not yet on the voter register, it’s time to change that. Here’s what to do:
Online registration
Currently, 39 states and the District of Columbia allow online voter registration. If your state is one of them, the process should be relatively straightforward. You can either go directly to your state electoral commission website, or visit Vote.gov and enter your state to be redirected to the correct site. Again, the registration process can vary from state to state, but, for example, people registering to vote in New York State need the following:
- a driver’s license, permit, or non-driver’s license issued by a New York State DMV (this must be your last document issued and you will need an ID number and document number)
- zip code currently registered with the DMV
- the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number (SSN)
Registration by mail
If your state does not offer online voter registration (or even if it does, but you want to do it the old fashioned way), you can register to vote by mail. Start by uploading your voter registration form via national mail . You can fill it out on the screen and print the completed form, or print a blank form and fill it out manually. Just make sure you remember to sign the form before mailing it to the address listed for your state. Also, follow any instructions on the state-specific form (they start on page 3 and are listed alphabetically by state). This form is available in 15 languages.
Register in person
Under normal circumstances, you can also register to vote in person at your local electoral council. In the midst of a global pandemic, you’d better register online or by mail. But as soon as (if?) Everything returns to some version of normal, you can go to the local election commission during business hours, fill out the voter registration form and send it on the spot. Then you will be ready to fulfill your civic duty.