Show Notes

 

Set the table

It’s an election year. (yea.) If you are of age, you’ll want to vote. Life so much life admin, registering to vote is usually easy, if you know how, but takes a little time. 

 

Segment 1: It’s about your state

• We mostly think, well hear, about national elections, but politics is local. It’s all about your state. Each has it own rules. Some registration is automatic with a drivers license. Some states you have to fill out a form. Various ID may be required. Check with your state government’s website for details specific to you. 

• Voter’s registration transfers vary like regular registration. Can only be registered at one address. So if you are young and nomadic, maybe keep your registration at your parents. Remember this official address will also be where you pay taxes. 

• Need lead time. New registrations and changes take a few weeks. Can often do at the voting booth but then placed on a provisional ballot to be counted if the race is high and they cross check your old address. Better to do the changes weeks before. 

 

Segment 2: Going to Vote

• Options to vote

  • Early voting, pros and cons. Convenience vs community day

  • Mail-in, absentee voting pros and cons. Lots of lead time needed. 

  • Day of voting. 

• Place of voting. See state requirements. Usually very local. 

• Items needed. Again see state requirements. TX is typical. Photo ID. The poll workers have a record of who is in that area. 

• Can take kids but otherwise enter alone. Private voting is essential. You can tell someone, but no one can follow or pressure you at the booth. See also, rules about picketing polling places

• Booth depends on the state. Ours are click wheels. Party line voting no longer available. Scroll though and vote on what you know. 

 

Segment 3: Other voting tidbits

• Remember your local elections, not always on the 4 year US presidential cycle and not always in November. Local governments, MUDs, and school districts are notorious for having off-time elections, insuring that turnout will be low.

• Primaries and runoffs

  • what are they

  • Political parties can limit who votes in primaries, but for the final election, you are not bound.

• You can volunteer to be a poll worker. See state websites. See party websites for being a poll watcher.