September 18, 2000

Information on Voter Registration

Why register to vote on campus?

Here are just a few reasons we've come up with to register to vote on campus and in the Maryville community.

  • Maryville College has very convenient a polling place – right on campus (Cooper Athletic Center).
  • You spend nine months out of the year here.
  • The issues that the city council tackles affect you.
  • You cancel out a College Republicans vote.

It happens every election year. Students go to the polls and forget where they’re registered to vote, or think that they can vote anywhere. Don’t let this happen to you. Register to vote on campus!

Some myths about student voting:

MYTH #1: “You can’t register where you go to school. You must vote absentee from your home address”.

REALITY: You are legally allowed to vote wherever you are domiciled. What that means is that if you consider the town where you go to school to be your home, you can register to vote from that address.

MYTH #2: “You can’t register to vote if you live in a dorm”.

REALITY: Any student living in a dorm is entitled to the same rights as any other student. To imply otherwise is illegal. If you receive mail in a Post Office box you can sign an affidavit (or, in some cases, get a letter from your college’s Residential Life office) asserting that you live at your dorm address.

MYTH #3: “You might lose your financial aid if you change where you are registered to vote”.

REALITY: There are many different sources of financial aid. Only in state grants consider your residency status.

Don't let anyone tell you that you can't vote on campus for these reasons! The Supreme Court has upheld decisions by lower courts insisting that college students deserve the opportunity to vote in state and local elections.

I’m ready to register to vote!

Excellent! Just go here and use your campus address for on campus registrations.

Remember, if you register to vote by mail and it is the first time you have registered to vote in your jurisdiction, you must submit a current and valid photo identification or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows your name and address with this application or present it the first time you vote in a federal election to the appropriate State or local election official.

Still wanting to vote at home?

We understand, but please request an absentee ballot to make sure your voice is heard! Again, you can only vote by absentee if you registered to vote in person, or have already voted in your jurisdiction.

More Voting Resources:

Register to Vote http://electionimpact.votenet.com/dnc/

New Voter Project http://www.newvotersproject.org/voting_101/

Rock the Vote http://www.rockthevote.com/

Project Vote Smart http://www.vote-smart.org/