By Sheryl Swingley—
MUNCIE, IN—The deadline for citizens to register to vote and for voters to check their voter registration status to see if it is still active is 11:59 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5.
Voters who believe they are registered to vote are being asked to check their voter registration status because the office of the secretary of state has purged some Hoosiers eligible to vote from the voter registration rolls.
“The first step in our democracy is to register to vote and then vote because your vote counts,” said Linda Hanson, Indiana League of Women Voters president and spokesperson for the Muncie-Delaware County League. “Elections in Indiana have been won by a few as three votes.”
Citizens can check to see if they are registered to vote by going to VOTE411.org.
Citizens not registered to vote may use VOTE411.org to register to vote.
In addition, the VOTE411 award-winning site, maintained by the national headquarters of the League of Women Voters and local Leagues, also provides easy access to information about candidates that citizens need to participate in elections. When going to this site, citizens will be asked to provide their first and last name, date of birth and county of residence.
Another way to register to vote is to go to the voter registration offices in respective counties Monday through Friday. Hours are usually 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. In Delaware County, citizens may register at the Delaware County Building, 100 W. Main St., in the Voter Registration Office, Room 104. Finally, citizens can register at their local branch of the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
To be eligible to vote a resident must:
–Be a citizen of the United States.
–Have a valid government ID, which are Indiana driver’s license; Indiana state identification, which can be obtained at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles; U.S. military ID; or U.S. passport.
–Be at least 18 years old on the day of the next election, which is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
–Have lived in a precinct for at least 30 days before the next election; this does not apply to military voters.
–Not currently be incarcerated after being convicted of a crime.
“People with criminal records in Indiana even have their right to vote restored after being released from jail or prison,” Hanson said. “In addition, individuals on parole, probation, home detention or people who are in jail awaiting trial can vote. People who are in a community corrections program also can vote.”
Indiana is one of 16 states in the U.S. that restores voting rights to people who have been incarcerated or have felony convictions.
The League, since its founding in 1920, strives to empower voters and defend democracy through advocacy, education and litigation at the local, state and national levels.
In addition, the League never supports or opposes political parties or candidates. Instead, it takes positions on issues that affect voters. Positions might align with a party or a candidate at times but diverge at other times. The League’s focus is always on policies and measures that serve the public interest – not party affiliation.
The League of Women Voters Education Fund and local leagues work to register and inform voters through the election resources of VOTE411.org and candidate forums.
People of all different governing beliefs are eligible to join local chapters of the League of Women Voters. No invitation is needed. To join the Muncie-Delaware County League, go to https://www.lwvmunciedelaware.org/.
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