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Voter registration
SEEDS, in conjunction with other organizations both on and off campus, helps coordinate efforts for voter registration, voter education, and a get-out-the-vote push during elections. Part of the SEEDS mission is to work towards positive social change. Helping students be active in the political process is critical in this regard.
To register in any state or get more information, you can visit Building Votes. Email SEEDS if you would like voter information or want to help coordinate the efforts on campus.
Before you decide where to register, you might want to consider the following:
Trying to decide where to vote? Here are some helpful hints.
Provided by Building Votes • www.buildingvotes.org
- What state’s candidates do you want to vote for? Voting in Portland means you can directly participate in the political process where you live most of the time. However, if you do choose to register in Portland you can no longer vote for local candidates (e.g., mayor or State House of Representatives) from your home state or county. For Oregon residents, this means you will still be able to vote for your two Senators, but the other representatives you will be voting for will change.
- Which issues do you want to vote on? Registering in Portland will mean you vote on ballot measures that affect you here, but you will no longer be able to vote on local ballot measures in your home state. Most ballot measures are voted on at either a state or county level. When you change your registration you will be voting for the ballot measures that are specific to your current county and state.
- How does my registration location affect voting for President? Because of the electoral college system, it matters what state you vote in. If you are currently registered in a state that has been dominated by one of the two parties in the Presidential elections you might want to vote in Oregon. Oregon is considered a “swing state,” or state that does not always vote one way or the other. Some people say voting in a swing state counts more because your vote could tip the scales one way or the other. However, if you are currently registered in another swing state you might want to stay registered there.
- Do I live in a state with laws that might encourage or discourage me from voting in Oregon? If you plan to go to grad school in your home state and hope to pay in-state tuition, especially in California, stay registered in your home state. Also, Alaska residents who enjoy oil stipends need to stay registered there if they wish to continue to do so. If you receive grant money from the state of Pennsylvania, you should stay registered there. If you are from Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, New Mexico, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Texas or Wyoming and would prefer to vote there, do NOT register on the national form – if you prefer to vote in those states, wait until you return to register. Also, if you are from Illinois, Michigan, Lousiana, Nevada, Tennessee, or Virginia, you need to vote at least once there before you can apply for an absentee ballot. It would probably be easier for residents of those states to just register in Oregon.
- How does voting at Reed work? Oregon is all vote by mail. Therefore, you can register at your Reed mailbox and receive your ballot in the mail for the next four years at Reed, regardless of where or whether you live on campus. Then you can mail it in anytime before Election Day.
- Do I have to register with a party? Oregon has a closed primary system. That means that in order to vote in a party primary to choose who runs in the general election for governor, president, etc., you need to be registered with that party. You can vote in the primary regardless, but if you are not registered with a party, it will be for nonpartisan offices like judges. So, feel free to register without a party, but know that you will have fewer options on your primary ballot.
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