Quick Guide to National Voter Registration

Find the National Voter Registration form online at http://www.fabnit.com/nvra-update-09-12-06.pdf

Who Can Register
To register to vote you must:

1. Be a citizen of the United States
2. Live in the state where you want to register
3. Be at least 18 years old on election day
4. Some states say that you cannot vote if you are in jail or had the right to vote removed by a judge in a guardianship hearing

Remember that you need to fill out a new voter registration form if you

1. Have a new address, even if it is in the same city
2. Change your name on your voter registration card
3. Register for a new political party (You can leave this blank if you do not know what political party you want to join. In some states you have to choose a political party to vote in a Primary Election.)

The National Voter Registration form cannot be used in New Hampshire, North Dakota, and Wyoming.

Every state has different rules about how far in advance that you must register to vote. Most states say that you must register to vote at least 28-30 days before the election if you are registering to vote for the first time.

Contact your county election board to find out when you need to register. Or you can find the registration deadline for your state on the Rock The Vote website at http://www.rockthevote.com/voting-is-easy/important-dates/

When you register to vote you need to list an ID Number. Each state wants a different type of identification (ID). Common types of ID are

1. a valid driver’s license number;
2. a non-driver Department of Motor Vehicles identification number; or
3. the last four digits of your Social Security Number.

If you do not have these forms of ID then write “none” in the space provided and the Board of Elections will assign a voter ID number to you. When you go to vote at the polls you will need to show some identification (ID). If you don’t have a picture ID then sometimes you can show a letter with your name and address on it. For a list of different types of ID for each state go to The PEW Center on the States website at http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/uploadedFiles/voterID.laws.6.08.pdf

Bring your ID and your voter registration card with you when you go to vote at the polls.

You need to sign the registration form before you mail it to your elections office.

You do not have to be able to sign your name to be able to register to vote. You can register to vote and vote in an election even if you cannot read or write.

1. If you can’t sign your name then you can make a mark or ask someone to help you sign the registration form. If someone helps you to sign the form then they will need to list their name and contact information in box D of the National Voter Registration Form.  

Voters have the right to:

1. Ask for and get help from anyone you choose, including a poll worker;
2. Learn how to operate the voting equipment;
3. Vote by yourself at a polling place, regardless of disability;
4. Get a new ballot if you make a mistake before casting your ballot;
5. Fill out a Provisional Voting Ballot, if your name is not on the list of voters in your precinct
6. Vote without being bullied or threatened by election officials or any person.