I understand. But this student once 18 has the right to vote as a U.S. citizen regardless of where they live…at least for presidential elections.
This kid will be residing in Massachusetts. I agree, discussing this with someone at the college might be helpful.
I think people are making this too complicated.
To me it’s no different than when I move to PA from CA for school.
Your kid has a set of primary ID: Passport and a Social Security Card. If you you need a social security card, then just go to a local SS Office with passport / birth certificate and apply for one.
Go to a local bank and open an account with passport / SS Card.
Most places will rent / lease to a student with just these ID. Sometimes parents will need cosigning. But cash talks.
If your kid knows how to drive, then go to a local DMV office and apply for a drivers license. DMV does a document search to make sure there is not already an existing DL in another state. If there is, you will need to surrender it to get the new one.
You are basically looking for a place to live and set up life and not setting up “residency” for voting or tax purposes. No business will turn down good money from people with proper ID. But a Passport and SS card is a must to get things started.
Although your child can probably register to vote using her dorm room as her address, it appears she won’t be able to get MA drivers license or official state ID using her dorm address.
Voting for US president is actually voting for a slate of electors in a state, so which state the voter is considered a voter in is important even for this purpose.
Then please explain how my expat relatives who are not residents of ANY state but ARE US citizens are permitted to vote in all presidential elections.
@hebegebe your thoughts?
They presumably have registered to vote in a state where they vote for the presidential elector slates, even if they do not live in the state.
Here is a helpful site that explains how citizens who are no longer resident in the US or have never resided in the US may vote in Federal elections. (Overseas Citizen Voters) This is probably OT relative to the OP’s original question, but it’s important.
If I read your linked document correctly, it appears that the dorm address can be used, as long as mail is received there, or through a letter from the school. Did I miss something?
I am not an expert on this, but I believe an overseas voter is a resident of the last state they lived in.