Supporting Voter Registration and Mobilization
This State-By-State Absentee Voter Guide was created by undergraduate students from the Institute of Politics at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Under the guidance of Leslie Pope, a sophomore at Harvard College, students Tara Fisher, Mumu Xu, Josh Patashnik, Daniel Stolz, Jocelyn Da-Shing Hsu, Kate Gluckman, and Russell Graney spent hours visiting websites, interviewing election officials, and dissecting information from each state to find basic information about how college students can vote absentee.
The need for this guide was illustrated by an Institute of Politics national survey of college students in the fall of 2003, which noted that 39% of college students who intended to vote in upcoming elections would vote absentee, and 10% were not sure if they would vote at the polls or by absentee ballot. Over one-third of those who said that they were voting by absentee ballot said that they did not know, or were unsure about how to vote by absentee ballot.
At Harvard University, as well as other colleges and universities across the country, students and administrations are conducting voter registration and mobilization drives. This guide is intended to support those efforts. In one easy, understandable guide, organizers can provide information for each state’s deadlines, voting process, and contact information. This guide will be updated each year to reflect changes in state and federal law, and to reflect new information.
Help America Vote Act of 2002 — Voting Identification Requirements
In 2002 the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) made several changes to the rules of voting. One of the most important aspects of HAVA is the requirement of identification for first-time voters, which means most college students!
For first time voters, when you first register or when you actually vote (in person or by mail) you must provide identification that includes your name and the address at which you are registered.
The easiest identification is your driver’s license. But, if you do not have a driver’s license or the address on your license does NOT match your voting address (say you registered at your school, but didn’t change your license), you can use identification with your name and the address at which you are registered—a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, etc.
In some states (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia), there may be additional state requirements or additional forms of identification. Please refer to your Secretary of State or local town/city clerk for additional requirements.
Voting In Person (at the polls)
Individuals voting in person (at the polls) should be prepared to present:
- 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 the name and address of the voter.
Voting by Mail (Absentee Voting)
In the case of an individual who votes by mail, voters should submit with the ballot:
- a copy of a current and valid photo identification; or
- a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, govern-ment check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the voter.
The Institute of Politics
The Institute of Politics was established in 1966 as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy by his family and friends. The Institute’s dual mission is to inspire young people into lives of politics and public service and to bridge the worlds of academia and practical politics.
In 2003, the Institute, under the direction of Director Dan Glickman, created the National Campaign for Political and Civic Engagement to work with colleges and universities across the country to encourage students to become more politically and civically engaged in their communities and their country. The National Campaign focuses on three key areas of interest: elective politics, civic education, and careers in public service.
Contact Information
If you have any questions or concerns about this guide, please contact Laura Simolaris at 617-495-9320 or Laura_Simolaris@harvard.edu. We appreciate your feedback to continue improving our material.
