Today is National Voter Registration Day. Following are voter registration and voter issue tools to educate yourself and help engage others to get out the vote.
Make sure you are registered to vote! Ask your friends, relatives, and random strangers to check if they are registered to vote, too. Many states are purging their voter rolls, so don’t assume – check! Use one of these web sites to find out: https://www.vote.org/am-i-registered-to-vote/ or: https://votesaveamerica.com/verify
If you are not registered, register! You can do so at Vote Save America https://votesaveamerica.com/.
Registration deadlines
Below is a list of voter registration deadlines by state
| What is the deadline for registration? | Which state is this deadline for? |
| Friday, October 5 | South Carolina (in person) |
| Sunday, October 7 | Alaska, Rhode Island; South Carolina (online or by fax) |
| Monday, October 8 | Arkansas, Mississippi (in person); Washington (by mail or online) |
| Tuesday, October 9 | Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Nevada, New Mexico, Tennessee, Texas |
| Deadlines if by mail: Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, South Carolina, Utah | |
| Wednesday, October 10 | Missouri |
| Friday, October 12 | Idaho, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma |
| Saturday, October 13 | Delaware |
| Monday, October 15 | Virginia |
| Tuesday, October 16 | Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, West Virginia; Maine (by mail or voter registration drive) |
| Deadlines if in person: Louisiana, Nevada | |
| Wednesday, October 17 | Wisconsin (by mail) |
| Thursday, October 18 | Nevada (online) |
| Friday, October 19 | Nebraska (by mail); Wisconsin (in person) |
| Sunday, October 21 | Illinois (online) |
| Monday, October 22 | Alabama, California, South Dakota, Wyoming |
| Saturday, October 27 | Iowa |
| Monday, October 29 | Colorado; Nebraska and Washington (in person) |
| Tuesday, October 30 | Connecticut; Utah (online) |
| November 6 – Election Day! | Vermont; Maine (in person at town office or city hall) |
North Dakota – No registration required.
New Hampshire – Varies county to county. Please check online: http://sos.nh.gov/HowRegVote.aspx.
Now that you are registered:
Learn about the issues and races. Once you are registered, you can use Vote Save America as a voter education tool. An interactive map takes you to each states’ voter registration deadlines and requirements, key races, and legislative issues/initiatives.
Once your state’s ballot is finalized, the site will be updated with what will be on the ballot and provide easy-to-understand language expanding the ballot initiative.
Make a voting plan.
- Determine your polling place.
- Make a plan to get there to vote.
- If you need time away from school or work, get permission in advance. Most states have laws allowing for employees to vote.
- Ask if your friends and family members have a voting plan. Simply saying “Hey, when are you going to vote?” or “How are you getting to the polls?” can make a huge difference. Asking helps people develop a plan and eliminates excuses for not voting.
- If your friends or family aren’t sure if they’ll vote this year, but have voted in previous elections, remind them of their past voting. Ask, “You usually vote, don’t you?” and maybe follow up with, “Do you think the last election was more important than this one?” Pointing out their inconsistency can work by calling into question their motivation not only in this election, but for past elections, too.
- If most of your friends or family are voting, say so. “I talked to Sarah, Eliza, and Michael, and they’re all voting. What about you?” Knowing that others are voting will make those who are on the fence more likely to vote as well. This strategy—one of the most widely used in all of the behavioral sciences—makes people feel compelled to vote because it establishes that voting is the norm and is expected in your circle.
- Hold people accountable. Tell friends and family you will follow up with them about whether they voted. For example, say, “I’m looking forward to hearing about your experience at the polls!” In a recent study, this approach increased the impact of an already-effective get out the vote letter by 50%.
Please share this blog! Remember, Native voices matter, and your vote matters! #Vote2018
