Who Can Vote

WHO CAN VOTE?

In order to participate in this election, you must:

• Be 18 years of age before November 3, 2020
• Be a citizen of the United States
• Be a registered voter in the state where you will vote (please note: each state has its own voter registration deadlines)

If you are an international student or a permanent resident (green card holder), you are not eligible to vote, even if you may have received a voter registration card in the mail by mistake.

SHOULD I VOTE IN MICHIGAN OR IN MY HOME STATE?

Many out-of-state college students wonder whether they should vote in their home state or in the state where they go to school. The short answer is that the choice is legally yours. However, here are a few things to keep in mind.

• Michigan requires that you reside in the state at least 30 days before registering to vote.
• You can register in your home state or in the state where you go to school, but you may not register to vote in both states.
• Registering in your home state often requires requesting and submitting an absentee ballot. Rules and deadlines for absentee voting vary state by state.
• If you have scholarships that require residency in a particular state, you should check with your financial aid advisor before registering to vote in a different state—just to ensure that it will not affect your scholarship. However, where you vote will not affect your federal financial aid.
• Students sometimes think that registering to vote in a different state from their parents will make them lose their dependency status. This is not true. Where you register to vote will have no effect on your parents’ tax status.

I MAY ALREADY BE REGISTERED TO VOTE. IS THERE A WAY TO CHECK?

Yes! If you would like to check if you are already registered to vote in Michigan (or another state), you can do that here.

HOW CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT VOTING?

Two great resources for college students who are deciding where to register and how to vote are Rock the Vote and the Campus Vote Project. These sites link you to important information about registering and voting in all 50 states.

WHEN AND WHERE DO I REGISTER TO VOTE?

Should you choose to register in Michigan, the voter registration deadline is Monday, Oct. 19, 2020—53 days away. Registered Michigan voters have until Friday, Oct. 30, to request an absentee ballot. You can start either process online by going here.
You can also go to the Oronoko Township Office and register in person. This is also the place where you can drop off your absentee ballot in person instead of mailing it in.

• The office address is 4583 E Snow Rd, Berrien Springs, MI 49103.
• Michigan’s voter registration form asks for your Michigan driver’s license or Michigan ID number OR the last four digits of your Social Security Number. Be sure to provide one of these numbers.
• You should also bring one of the following documents: a driver’s license or state-issued ID (from any state), a U.S. Passport or your birth certificate.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at michaeln@andrews.edu or my colleague Steve Yeagley, associate vice president for Campus & Student Life (yeagley@andrews.edu). We want to assist every eligible student to exercise this important democratic right.