There will be a bevy of big issues on the ballot in November facing Mercer Island voters. If you haven’t yet registered to vote, get it off your to-do list now.
Today is National Voter Registration Day, and thousands of local, state and national organizations have mobilized to make sure millions of people don’t miss the chance to cast their vote in this year’s elections.
“If you haven’t yet registered, today is your opportunity to join thousands of citizens across the country who are honoring our democratic process by registering to vote,” said Sherril Huff, King County Elections Director in a press release.
State law in Washington requires voters to maintain a current address in order to vote, and residents who move must re-register or risk removal from voter rolls. The state is known for aggresively monitoring its voter rolls.
According to Secretary of State Sam Reed, in order to register to vote you must be:
- A citizen of the United States;
- A legal resident of Washington State;
- At least 18 years old by Election Day;
- Not under the authority of the Department of Corrections; and
- Not disqualified from voting due to a court order.
Six million people didn’t vote in the 2008 elections because they either did not know how to register or because they missed the voter registration deadline.
Here's how NOT to be that group of six million non-voters:
The voter registration deadline for Washington is Oct. 6 for mail-in registration and updates and Oct. 8, 2012 for online registration and updates.
Here’s information on how you can register in time for the Nov. 6 elections:
- Not sure if you're registered to vote in Washington? Click here to double-check.
- Fill out a voter registration form in person at the King County Elections office: 919 SW Grady Way in Renton, WA 98057-2906.
- Download a voter registration form from the Board of Elections web site and mail it to 919 SW Grady Way, Renton, WA 98057-2906.
- Register online, 24-hours a day by visiting the Secretary of State's web site.
- Connect with Washington Elections on Facebook for the MyVote App, which allows you to register through your Facebook account. Haven't heard about this yet? Click here to read more about this new service.
