Voting for College Students: Get the Facts Straight

Inside HigherEd ran a recent story highlighting tactics used in Montgomery County, Virginia, home of Virginia Tech, to discourage students from registering to vote. In a memo to students, the office of elections stated that students who registered to vote would be changing their permanent residence, and thus have to become independent from their parents for tax and healthcare purposes and would also have to file for a new driver's license. The Obama Campaign has been the lead in voter registration drives on many campuses, including Virginia Tech. They have found that according to a federal law, students can maintain dependent status will residing away from home. They also have contacted leading healthcare institutions to inquire whether students would be dropped from health plans if they registered to vote in another state. Each provider explained that students would not be dropped from their parent's plans.

While such a case has not occurred (yet) in Maryland, this issue in Virginia raises significant questions for us as students in Maryland. The important thing is that you register to vote somewhere and exercise your right to do so. Below are a few links that will be useful for you to register to vote and to find out more information (thanks for UMBC SGA Advisor David Hoffman for providing some of this information):

Maryland Voter Registration Application Form (last day to register in Maryland to vote in the general election is Tuesday, October 14, 2008).
Maryland Absentee Ballot Information and Application (last day to request an absentee ballot in Maryland for the general election is Tuesday, October 28, 2008).
National Voter Registration Form (works for all states except North Dakota, Wyoming, New Hampshire)
Information about all states' election deadlines (from Rock the Vote)
Contact information for all states' election offices (from Rock the Vote)
Maryland State Board of Elections (Phone- 410-269-284; info@elections.state.md.us)

If you have more questions or concerns, please email me and I will help you get your question answered.

Power to the people! Vote!