Questions and Answers for College Students

The right to vote is fundamental in a democratic society. The following information will help make it easy for you to exercise this right.

To be eligible to vote, you must be a U.S. citizen who will be at least 18 years old on Election Day, and you must also have registered to vote.

If you are in college, the following information will help you to decide whether to vote in your prior district/state or at your college address. There are many good reasons for registering and voting at either residence, but keep in mind, in most cases the final choice is really yours.

Am I really a resident of my college community?

Yes. Students live in their college towns anywhere from nine to twelve months of the year, for at least four years. This means that students are no more transient than the average American family, which typically moves once every four years. Moreover, the U.S. Census Bureau considers students to be residents of their college community. Federal funds are distributed to municipalities based on figures that include the student population.

Students contribute to the college community in many valuable ways. They work as volunteers in a host of civic organizations, help to create jobs in the community, bolster the local economy, and pay sales and gasoline taxes.

Should I register and vote in my college community?

You do have a vested interest in the local issues of your college community. Issues such as off-campus housing and zoning restrictions, the environment, taxes, transportation and personal safety all affect your quality of life. Voting in your college community is more convenient and relieves you of the need to apply for and return an absentee ballot.

Registering and voting at college can give you the opportunity to become involved with, and informed about, the local issues in your college town or city. Becoming involved in the issues, and learning about local politics, are some of the ways in which you can begin to build a relationship with other residents of the community. If you consider the college community your primary residence, you should vote in the community.

Every voter needs to have information about the issues and candidates. The websites listed on the back panel will provide nonpartisan information about issues and candidates.

I am currently registered at my prior address. Am I allowed to reregister in my college community instead of voting by absentee ballot?

In Massachusetts, you have the right to vote in your college community, but you cannot be registered to vote in both locations.

Should I register at my prior address?

If you don't consider your college community your primary residence and/or you have a special interest in the local issues at your old address, you have a good reason for voting there. Also, the people and issues you vote for will have a more lasting impact on you if you intend to return to that location to live.

It is also possible that you are still subject to taxes and student loan/scholarship regulations at your prior address. If you have a scholarship funded by the state, or a privately funded scholarship designated for a local student, be sure to check the terms of your scholarship before registering in your local college community. You could lose your eligibility.

Remember, if you want to vote at your prior residence, you must be registered at that address and be aware of absentee ballot regulations and procedures.

How do I know how, when and where to register and vote?

In Massachusetts, your college must provide registration opportunities where you register for class. Also, mail-in registration forms may be found in public places, such as libraries, and you may register to vote at the office of the city/town clerk in your college community. (You must vote in the community where you are registered.)

Contact the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts 800-882-1649, the Secretary of the Commonwealth 800-462-VOTE, or your local election office to have a voter registration form sent to you.

You may not use a downloaded voter registration form in Massachusetts. Go to www.fec.gov for a list of states that accept downloaded voter registration forms.

How do I get an absentee ballot?

Procedures for obtaining absentee ballots are different for every state. Write to the election office in the community of your primary residence either in a letter or by filling out an application form. The letter should include your name, address as registered, ward or precinct if you know it, address to which you want the absentee ballot sent, the party ballot sought (if the election is a primary), and your signature. If you wish to vote absentee for more than one election in a calendar year, you may make one application and ask that ballots for all elections that year be sent to you.

If your address changes within a calendar year you must submit a new application for an absentee ballot. This is especially important for college students who are usually focused on an academic year and not a calendar year.

The parent of a student who is a registered voter in Massachusetts may apply for an absentee ballot on the student's behalf to the clerk or election commission of the city or town where the student is registered.

If you will be sending your ballot through the mail, allow enough time for your application to get to your city or town clerk and for the ballot to come to you by mail (at the address you have specified). The ballot must be received in the clerk's office before the close of the polls on Election Day.

What are the deadlines for voting absentee?

The deadlines vary in each state. In Massachusetts the deadline for applying for an absentee ballot is noon on the day before an election, if you are both applying and voting in person. Absentee ballots are generally available three weeks before an election.

If you are returning your ballot by mail, the ballot must be received in the clerk's office before the close of the polls on Election Day.

Must my absentee ballot be witnessed?

No. With the implementation of the National Voter Registration Act, it is not necessary to have your absentee ballot witnessed.

Election and voting information on the Web

www.lwv.org
The League of Women Voters is a grassroots organization that has been providing nonpartisan information about elections and voting for over 80 years.

www.fec.gov
Federal Election Commission monitors elections, receives campaign finance reports, compiles election results and voting demographic statistics and has information on voter registration requirements for every state, including which states accept downloaded registration forms.

www.rockthevote.org
Rock the Vote is dedicated to helping young people realize and utilize their power to create change in the civic and political lives of their communities.

www.vote-smart.org
Project Vote Smart is a nonpartisan organization staffed mostly by college student volunteers who compile voting records of national and state officials, candidates' biographies, campaign finance information, and positions on issues.