Dorm students may vote in Jefferson County
The election season is approaching, and with that come preparations for voting. There are many different ways to vote, including voting in person on Election Day, voting by mail ballot, and early voting. According to votetexas. gov, any registered voter is allowed to vote early by personal appearance, starting Oct. 21 through Nov. 1.
“The most important thing with early voting is to make sure people are registered to vote in the county,” Jefferson County Clerk, Roxanne Acosta-Hellberg said. “Anyone can vote in the county where they’re registered. If people are not registered here, they still have the ability to vote, but on a federal position, not local.”
Students at Lamar University are allowed to register on campus. Any voters wanting to do so can update their voter registration card with the school’s address. The last day to register to vote for the Nov. 5 election is Oct. 7.
On Election Day, the Montagne Center will be open for casting ballots. Texas early voting requires individuals to present one of the following: a state drivers’ license, an Election Identification Certificate, a Personal Identification Certificate, a Texas Handgun License, a United States Military Identification Card, a United States Citizenship Certificate and a United States Passport. According to votetexas.gov, any forms of identification except for a U.S. Citizenship Certificate for voters aged 18-69 must be current or have expired no more than 4 years before arriving at the polling location. Voters 70 or older are permitted to use any one of the seven, even if they’ve been expired for any length of time, as long as the form of identification is otherwise valid.
“Voting is always important, but there is a lot at stake in whatever position you take,” Hellberg said. “Right or left, Republican, Democrat, I just ask people to make educated choices. There’s a price to pay and so it’s important to be informed, and based on where you’re at in life, choosing someone who’s going to support what you’re interested in.
“Local elections are also very important, because these are the people who locally implement the laws, and some of the laws have gray areas. So, you want to make sure that you know you’re confident in who you’re putting in those offices.”
To find early voting locations, visit votetexas.gov and click on “Am I Registered?” which has a list of popular locations in the area, contact any local county election clerks, or check local newspapers for early voting and election day polling locations.
The last day to vote early is Nov. 1. To register to vote in any state, visit usa.gov. To register to vote in any county in Texas, visit votetexas.gov.