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New to the American political process? Want to
know more about the issues that affect Asian & Pacific Islander
Americans?
Welcome to Voter Ed 101.
Please contact us if you would like to see additional questions
added to this list!
Who may register to
vote?
A person who is a:
- U.S. Citizen, and
- 18 years old on or before election day.
Many states also have eligibility requirements that disqualify
citizens for felony conviction or mental incompetence. These eligilibilty
requirements are listed on your state voter registration application
form.
How can I register
to vote?
Fill out the voter registration form
online. It's fast, safe, and easy.
Are there deadlines for registration?
Yes. The deadlines vary by state, though most states require you to register 30 days before Election Day. To find out the deadline for your state, click here.
I'm a college
student living away from home. Where should I register?
You can register either at your home or school address. It is important
to update your registration each time you move. If you are registered
at your home address while you're at school, remember to request
an absentee ballot at least 30 days before the election. Check with
your state
election board for the exact deadline.
Know Your Voting Rights!
Residency requirements for voting vary in different voting jurisdictions.
However, many students have been unjustly denied the right to vote
by local election officials. To find out more about discrimination
against student voters, contact Peter Maybarduk of the Student Voting
Rights Campaign at petesystem@yahoo.com. If you feel your voting
rights have been violated, please visit: Rock the Vote's website
here
to share your story.
What must I do
if I've changed my address since I registered?
If you have moved within the same city or town, notify your local
election office of your new address in writing. You will need register
to vote again when:
- You move to a new city or town, or
- You change your name, or
- You change your political party affiliation.
To register now, click here. It's
fast, safe, and easy.
I have
a friend who is a U.S. citizen who doesn't speak English. Where
can I get assistance for him/her?
Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act requires local election
officials to provide bilingual voter registration applications,
ballots and language assistance when a certain percentage of the
population of the jurisdiction is comprised of a language minority
group.
Section 203 covers Asian Pacific American voters in sixteen
counties. To see if your county is covered by Section 203, please
click here.
(You must have
Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this list.)
Even if your county is not covered by Section 203, some states independently
provide election materials in a language other than English. Contact
your State
Election Office to see if these resources are available.
Are there other
ways to vote besides going to the polls? Can't make it to the polls
on election day? Vote Absentee or for some states take advantage
of early voting.
Find your state's deadline to request an absentee ballot
and links for more information. All states are required to
have an absentee ballot (vote by mail) programs to allow citizens
with disabilities and overseas military personnel to vote. However,
many states do not restrict absentee voting to these groups.
Contact your local election officials for information on absentee
voting in your area. If you are registered at your home address
and want to vote while you're attending college, remember to request
an absentee ballot at least 30 days before the election. Check with
your state election board for the exact deadline.
To find your local elections office, contact your State
Election Office. The deadlines for the 2006 elections are listed
below.
What if I am unsure
if my voter registration was received and processed correctly?
You should receive a confirmation letter within 2 to 3 weeks of
registering to vote. We recommend you contact your local elections
office to confirm that you are registered.
To find your local elections office, contact your State
Election Office or refer to www.canivote.org
How do I figure out
where to go vote on election day?
After you mail in your voter registration application, you should
receive a confirmation letter within a few weeks from your local
elections office. This confirmation letter should indicate where
your polling site is located.
Check out www.mypollingplace.com
or www.canivote.org to
get the details on your polling site.
Who is running for
office in my district and what initiatives are on the ballot?
For
information on candidates, elections and ballot initiatives check
out Project Vote Smart, a citizen's organization
dedicated to providing access information about elections or www.vote411.org
an election site run by the League of Women Voters.
Learn how your vote can make a difference. Learn what
is at stake for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community?
Information
on Major Political Parties in the United States:
To learn about more political parties in the US, visit Project
Vote Smart's website.
I would like
to understand how the federal government impacts my life on a daily
basis. How can I learn more about how the government is supposed
to serve me?
Refer to www.firstgov.gov.
This is a one-stop shopping site for government services to help
Americans across the country and around the world find the information
and resources they need at a click of a mouse — quickly and
easily. Learn more about it here.
What issues affect
Asian & Pacific Islander Americans (APIAs)?
This year, the National Council
of Asian Pacific Americans created the Call
to Action: Platform for Asian Pacific Americans National Policy
Priorites 2004, which discusses numerous policy issues that
affect the APIA community.
To read an overview on the issues, please click here.
You must have
Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this document.
What do I do if I think
I've been treated unfairly on election day?
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