A CSU student’s guide to voter registration for the 2024 election – The Cauldron
Registering to vote can be a tricky and daunting process for new voters, especially for college students amid their full schedules. With voting season right around the corner and numerous races on the local, state and national level, many young people are stepping into the polling station for the first time in their lives for what could be a momentous election cycle.
For the Nov. 7 election, voters must be registered by Monday, Oct. 7, thirty days prior. There are a few different options for voter registration to choose from, including online, by mail or in person.
Many CSU students do not live at the residential addresses where they are registered to vote. That being said, if an Ohio voter moves to a new county, they are required to change their addresses in their voter registration. This change can be made online at their respective county’s Board of Elections website or at the in-person location. The deadline to change an address to any respective Board of Elections is also Monday, Oct. 7.
Online registration
For students who cannot physically register to vote in their hometowns, registering online may be one of the best options.
Voters must have a valid driver’s license and the last four digits of their social security number ready in order to register. Filling out the form takes less than 10 minutes, making the online process the fast and most convenient out of the three.
Register by mail
Another alternative for students far from home is registering by mail.
Voters in Cuyahoga County can download, print and fill out the voter registration form on the Board of Elections website in either English or Spanish. Once printed, the form should be mailed to the physical Board of Elections building at 2925 Euclid Ave. in Cleveland, OH.
In-person registration
Registering to vote in-person is another way to sign up to vote. Voters can register to vote at the Board of Elections office of their respective county. The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections is roughly a nine-minute walk from CSU campus and is open until 9 p.m. on Oct. 7.
Voting dates and deadlines
There are some important deadlines for voters to keep in mind for the following month.
Early in-person voting will be held from Tuesday, Oct. 8 through Sunday, Nov 3. Absentee ballot malling will also begin on Oct. 8 and will close on Monday, Nov. 4.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5 and that day, voters will be able to vote in-person from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m.. Any absentee ballots that were not mailed out before Nov. 4 can be turned in to the Board of Elections until 7:30 p.m. on Election day.