<p>Hey Parents,
I’m currently a high school senior in California, and I’m going to college out-of-state next year. When registering to vote, should I register with the state of California or with the state I’ll be going to college in? I’m assuming it’s the state I’m going to college in, but if that’s the case then should I register as a Californian first (I have all the CA voter registration forms) and then simply change my address?</p>
<p>I’m confused, as you can tell. Any help would be appreciated!</p>
<p>it all depends, are you a democrat and want to help turn some country bumpkin state blue, or an orange county repub? do you think your local elections are important in your college town (will you have a car and want to vote on issues like parking or street rebuilding?) Is it a swing state your moving into and think your vote is more important (i.e., if you’re going to OSU, register there since it’s a state that has much to do with the presidential election). every vote counts, so think it through. absentee is a great way to vote too.</p>
<p>Didn’t get around to that voter registeration before leaving. Wouldn’t you think most colleges would have a big push for voter registration soon? There’s no problem with registering where you go to school, right?</p>
<p>If you register on line or by mail, you will have to show government issued I.D. when you vote the first time. Check the website for the state where you will be voting.</p>
<p>In Oregon, we are all absentee voters. Doesn’t matter if you are spaced or grounded. All that matters is that the signature matches the computer image.</p>
<p>If you register in California, check the “vote by mail” (permanent absentee) option and list your school address for the mailing, if you know it, along with your parent’s address as your registration address – or make absolutely sure that your parents will mail your ballot to you right away if you have the ballot sent to your home. </p>
<p>If you are attending school in a “battleground” state, then you may feel that your vote for President counts for more if you vote there. (Example: Oregon, Colorado, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Ohio). You can legally register in your college town. If you are planning to do that, then there is no need to register in California sooner – just make sure to register in your college town soon after you get there.</p>
<p>In Cook County, we have three weeks of early voting. If you are a registered Chicago voter, you can vote in any Chicago ward during early voting. You must show a government issued photo I.D. </p>
<p>I think the deadline to register is thirty days before the election.</p>
<p>The issue in Illinois is that your first time voting you can’t vote absentee or some sort of thing. Early voting is a statewide thing. I live in suburban Cook County, but I can early vote anywhere in the county.</p>
<p>My daughter, a sophomore at Carleton, recently switched her registration from her red home-state of Kentucky to Minnesota, where she can vote for both Obama and Al Franken in the upcoming election. :)</p>
<p>Your first time voting (Cook County) can’t be absentee if you registered by mail or on-line. Obviously if you vote early (once!) you can’t also vote on Election Day.</p>
<p>Sorry for resurrecting an old thread. It’s between Ohio and PA, both with close races. I’ll try to get son to register online, as that seems easiest.</p>
<p>I never thought about first time voter as an absentee being a problem. I hope that’s not the case in PA, because that is exactly what D is planning to do.</p>
<p>Does it affect financial aid at all, if a student who was already registered in their home state (MD) registers again and votes in their college state ¶?</p>
<p>mamabear, has she requested an absentee ballot? When is the deadline to request one?</p>
<p>Swatmom: I cannot see why financial aid would be affected by where student is registered to vote. You are only registered in one place. If she registers to vote at school location, she is no longer registered to vote at home.</p>
<p>If you moved, you are not registered to vote. You have to register with your new address. It’s not like a magazine subscription that follows you around.</p>