Are you really registered to vote in Columbia County?
Young voters are expected to make their mark on this year's presidential election with a recent Rock the Vote poll showing a "very favorable" student opinion of three major party candidates: Democrats Barack Obama (38 percent) and Hillary Clinton (17 percent) and Republican John McCain (10 percent).
Columbia County Commissioners David Kovach, William Soberick and Chris Young, along with Joanne Reichart, the county's voter registrar and elections coordinator, want to make sure that every BU student who plans to vote locally is properly registered.
Students and other residents of Pennsylvania who plan to vote in the Tuesday, April 22, primary may register to vote or change their party affiliation or address until Monday, March 24. Registered voters who live on campus will cast their ballots at Kehr Union, where seven voting machines will be available for the primary. The polls will be open across the state on April 22 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Each state sets its own voting regulations, Reichart said. In Pennsylvania, only registered Democrats and Republicans may vote in primary elections and they may only vote for the candidates affiliated with their party - Democrats vote for Democrats; Republicans vote for Republicans. Voters registered as Independents or members of other third parties cannot vote in the primary election and, under Pennsylvania law, must wait until the general election in the fall for their voices to be heard, she added.
"In order to vote in Columbia County, one must be registered in Columbia County," Reichart said. "Registrations from other Pennsylvania counties cannot be honored. To vote here, students must register here and we will cancel their registration in their home county, as that is the law."
She also reminded first-time voters and others who are voting at a new location to be prepared to show identification when they arrive on Election Day. Acceptable forms of ID include voter registration cards, drivers licenses, student IDs or, even, envelopes from utility companies delivered to a voter's current address.
Commissioner Young said the actual voting can be completed quickly, but sign-in can take longer. He encouraged voters to be sure they are registered to vote locally and have IDs ready when they arrive at the polls to keep the process moving smoothly. Students who plan to vote in the April primary but want to keep their registration at their permanent home address may apply for absentee ballots from Monday, March 3, through Tuesday, April 15. To obtain absentee ballots, registered Pennsylvania voters should apply to their home counties in person or by completing, signing and mailing an application available for download at www.dos.state.pa.us . Reichart reminded students that absentee ballots must be returned to their home counties no later than Friday, April 18, at 5 p.m.
BU students and Columbia County residents who have questions about registering to vote or who wish to volunteer on Election Day, April 22, should contact Reichart at (570) 389-5640 or jreichar@columbiapa.org .