Frequently Asked Questions

Registration Information

• What Are the Steps of Voting?
• Am I eligible to vote?
• How and when do I register to vote?
• I just moved away to college. How do I vote here?
• What is absentee voting and how do you do it?
• Here's how you can request an absentee ballot
• Once I register for the first time, do I have to do it again?

Primaries, Caucuses, and Conventions

• How does a candidate become his/her party's nominee for the presidential election?
• What is the difference between a primary, a caucus, and a convention?
• If I want to vote in the primary elections, when do I have to be registered?
• Why do the dates for the primaries keep changing?
• What are the main political parties?

Election Day

• When is the presidential election?
• In a federal election, what will I be voting on?
• How will I find out where to vote on Election Day?
• What should I bring with me to my polling place?
• What if I never got my voter ID card in the mail or I lost it before the election?
• What time do polling sites open and close?
• Can I still vote if I'm in the armed forces or living abroad?
• Do I have to register with a political party?
• Is there anything else I need to know or do?

Registration Information

What Are the Steps of Voting?

Step 1: Register to vote.
Step 2: Find out where to vote. You'll receive your polling place information in the mail after you register.
Step 3: Become an knowledgeable voter. Visit www.registertovote.org for all the information you need.
Step 4: Get ready for election Day!

Am I eligible to vote?

According to the Federal Election Commission, you must:
Be a citizen of the United States
Be a resident of the state in which you're planning to register (If you just moved to a new state for school, click here to find out more about absentee voting.)
Be at least 18-years-old at the time of the next election
(Most states require a person to be 18 at least 30 days before the next election. Click here for your state's information to see if you'll be eligible.)
In addition, most states have the following two requirements. You must:
Not be imprisoned or on parole for the conviction or a felony
Not currently be judged mentally incompetent by a court of law
(Click here for your state's information to see if you'll be eligible .)

How and when do I register to vote?

Before you can vote, you have to register to vote (except in North Dakota). Each state has a different deadline for voter registration, but in most states, you need to register at least 30 days before Election Day, November 4, 2008.
Simply click here to download a voter registration form. Follow the directions for completing the form and then mail it to the address that's listed for your state's chief election official. Remember that this form is for use by people who live in or have an address within the United States. (So, if you just moved away to college, you need to be a resident (have a lease, energy bill, etc.) in order to register to vote in that state.
Click here to find out the voter registration deadlines and first vote rules for your state.
Make sure you understand the rules for your state. Some states have same-day registration while some states require your first vote to be in person. Click here to see the latest on your states rules to make sure your vote counts in the upcoming election!
Don't forget your ID: If you register for the first time in a state by mail, you must present ID at the polls. Just keep that photo ID with you when you go to vote, because you just might need it.

I just moved away to college, how do I vote here?

If you just moved to a new county or state for college, you can still vote in the upcoming election. You just have to do things a little differently... If you're a resident of the town you live in (have a lease or bill in your name, etc.) you can register and vote where you currently live. If you live in on-campus housing you most likely still have residency in your home state (the address on your driver's license or ID card) and you can vote absentee. See below for more information on absentee voting.
A little about voting and living on campus:
If you live in a dorm with a school mailbox address or get your mail at a Post Office Box address you need to do things a little differently. If you receive mail in a Post Office box you can sign an affidavit or get a letter from your college's Residential Life office, asserting that you live at your dorm address.
If you have a Post Office Box as your permanent address, your voter registration form will not be processed. There is a section on the voter registration form to put your mailing address, in addition to your physical address.

In both cases you can also register to vote absentee using your home state address.

What is absentee voting and how do you do it?

If you can't make it to the polls on Election Day, you may be qualified to vote absentee. Absentee voting is conducted by mail, and sometimes in person, before Election Day. Contact your local election officials to request an absentee ballot application. Click here to find their contact information.
Some states allow voters to vote early, even if they are able to make it to the polls on Election Day. This practice is often referred to as early voting or no-excuse absentee voting. Click here to see if this is available in your state!
Many college or university students temporarily living away from home need to vote absentee. To request that an absentee ballot be sent to the address where you are physically planning to be on Election Day, you must fill out an absentee ballot request application for your home state.

Here's how you can request an absentee ballot:

Make sure you register to vote FIRST!
Click here to download an absentee ballot request application . Follow the directions on the form and mail it in to the appropriate contact and address.
If you a member of the military serving overseas, or you're a U.S. citizen or military dependent living overseas, visit the Overseas Vote Foundation for detailed information on registering and voting.

Once I register for the first time, do I have to do it again?

You must re-register (complete the whole form all over again), or provide a written note to your election official, every time you move or change addresses; make sure you register in the state in which you are a resident. You must also re-register or provide a written note to your election official if you change your name.

Primaries, Caucuses, and Conventions

How does a candidate represent his/her party's nominee for the presidential election?

It is up to the members of a political party to choose the candidate to represent their party in the general (presidential) election. The remaining candidates focus on a concentrated period of primaries and caucuses, which peaks with close to two dozen races on Super Tuesday, February 5, 2008, but can continue through the Spring. The goal is to win enough delegates in each state to get their party's nomination.

What is the difference between a primary, a caucus and a convention?

Primary: In a primary election, registered voters may participate in choosing the candidate for the party's nomination by voting through secret ballot, as in the general election. The number of votes a candidate receives determines the number of delegates they are awarded. Primaries can be either open (you can vote for a candidate outside of your party) or closed (you must be a member of the party to vote for that party's candidate).
Caucus: In a caucus, party members join together in their precinct to pledge their support for a favorite presidential candidate, thereby awarding delegates to the candidate. The delegates usually publicly state who they are going to vote for, and so people can vote accordingly.
Convention:The series of primaries and caucuses culminate in a national convention in which a party's nomination for president is formally announced. During the week long convention, the elected delegates cast their vote for a party candidate and the candidate with the most delegates gets the party's nomination. The end of the convention marks the beginning of the general election season.
Democratic National Convention: August 25th-28th in Denver, Colorado
Republican National Convention: September 1st-4th in St. Paul, Minnesota
Libertarian National Convention: May 22nd-26th in Denver, Colorado
Green Party National Convention: July 10th-14th in Chicago, Illinois
Constitution Party National Convention: April 23rd-27th in Kansas City Missouri

If I want to vote in the primary elections, when do I have to be registered?

It depends on your state and the deadlines vary. Your registration deadline may be 30 days before the day of the primary, or you may you may be able to register the day you vote.Click here for your state's information.

Why do the dates of the primaries keep changing?

Traditionally Iowa holds the first caucus, which is then followed by the New Hampshire primary. Some have argued that this gives those two states an unfair advantage in determining which candidates will continue their campaign. Since there are few formal rules regarding the primaries, most of the dates are chosen out of tradition. For the 2008 primaries, however, many states are moving up their caucus/primary dates in an attempt to exert more influence over the candidate selection process. As a result, according to the current schedule, more than half of the primaries will be over by February 6, 2008. This is why it is never too early to register!Click here for your state's primary/caucus date.

What are the main political parties?

Constitution Party: www.constitutionparty.com
Democratic Party: www.democrats.org
Green Party: www.gp.org
Independent American Party: www.usiap.org
Libertarian Party: www.lp.org
Reform Party: www.reformparty.org
Republican Party (Grand Old Party): www.gop.com

Election Day

When is the presidential election?

Tuesday, November 4, 2008.

In a federal election, what will I be voting on?

Because 2008 is a federal election year, you'll be voting to elect a president and vice-president, all members of the U.S. House of Representatives, as well as one-third of the U.S. Senate. But there's usually more on the ballot. You may be voting for a governor of your state or for members of the state legislature. You'll also likely be voting on other candidates and issues in your state, like a "ballot measure(a proposed law). You may also be voting on a proposition, an amendment to your state's constitution, an initiative and/or other local issues.

How will I find out where to vote on Election Day?

The location where you will vote on Election Day, also known as your "polling place,is determined by your address. After you've registered to vote, you will receive a notification in the mail from the elections office. In some states, this notification will be a "voter ID card.This notice will confirm that you are now a registered voter (congratulations!). The notice may also include information about where your polling place will be, so make sure you hold on to it.
In some states, you will receive a "sample ballotas Election Day nears. This booklet or paper may include your specific polling place for your home address, so you should definitely save it. You may want to mark your "sample ballotwith your voting choices and bring it with you on Election Day.
Polling places can change until the last minute, so make sure to double-check your polling place online (Click here to check your individual state's Secretary of State to find your polling place! ) before election day.

What should I bring with me to my polling place?

Every state is slightly different in its Election Day ID requirements. In all cases, you should bring a driver's license with you just to be on the safe side. (Again, if you don't have a driver's license, just contact your local election official listed in the phone book or online to check on other acceptable forms of ID.) Some states require you to bring a "voter IDwith you. Your "voter IDcard will come to you in the mail after you register to vote. In addition to your "voter IDyou will receive information telling you where your polling place is and what you need to bring with you on Election Day. Also, if you marked your "sample ballot" make sure to bring it with you! It will not only help you remember who and what you want to vote for, but it will save you a ton of time in the voting booth.

What if I never got my "voter ID cardin the mail or I lost it before the election?

This is nothing to worry about! Remember, not all states send out voter cards, so if you don't receive something in the mail you can always call your state's office and double check you are registered. Click here to find the contact info for your state's Secretary of State office . Again, because this card includes your polling place address on it, make sure to double check your polling place the night before the election!

What time do polling sites open and close?

In all states, polling places generally open between 6 and 9 a.m., and they close between 6 and 9 p.m. But each state varies slightly in its polling hours. Click here to check on your state's Secretary of State Web site for this information.

Can I still vote if I'm in the armed forces or living abroad?

All eligible Americans have the right to vote and you can too! While you still can vote, the rules for people in the armed forces or abroad are different than people living in the United States. For information about voting abroad, contact the Federal Voting Assistance Program (http://www.fvap.gov or 800-438-VOTE.) Also visit the Overseas Vote Foundation for detailed information on registering and voting overseas.

Do I have to register with a political party?

In some states you can't vote in the primary election if you are not registered with a party. Click here for your state's information.