If you want to vote, you must register first, so that your local polling place will have your name and address on file. Registering to vote is simple and quick, and you don’t need to do it again, unless you move. Once you’re a registered voter, you can participate in local, state, and federal elections. You can easily change your party affiliation, or not list any affiliation at all.

There are several ways to do it.

ONLINE: Easiest, if you have Internet access, is to register online. You can do it right here. Click the box below to start the registration process. Follow the instructions, step by step. First type your E-mail address, then choose your state from the pull-down menu, since each state has different eligibility criteria, and proceed to fill in and submit the form.

To vote, you must be at least 18 years of age and a U.S. citizen. If you are registering for the first time, you need to submit valid proof of U.S. citizenship, in compliance with Federal law. You must fill in your personal information, such as complete name, address, and date of birth. You can enter a party affiliation, or none at all. If you choose a party affiliation, you can vote only in that party’s primary elections. For example, if you declare your party affiliation as Democratic, you can’t vote in the next Republican primary unless you first switch your affiliation to Republican. But even if you’re a registered Democrat, you can vote Republican in the Presidential election.

One very helpful organization is the League of Women Voters (www.lwv.org). You can contact them for help in finding information on how and where to register to vote, or do it online.

BY MAIL: You can also register or vote by mail. You can obtain a mail-in form by clicking the appropriate link on your state’s voter-registration site. You can also use your TTY to make a toll-free relay call. The Federal Election Commission has a Website (www.fec.gov), which contains information on how to obtain a National Mail Voter Registration Form.

IN PERSON: To register in person, go to any registration location and fill out an affidavit of registration. You must fill in the questions truthfully under penalty of perjury. For example, it is illegal to use another person’s ID, a false name, or a fake address.

WHERE TO GET IT? You can get a voter-registration form at colleges, universities, high schools, and vocational schools. If you’re attending a school for the deaf, the main office should be able to provide you with a form. If you don’t know where to get one, contact your local public library.

You can register to vote at the Registry of Motor Vehicles.

There should be a County Clerk’s Office or Board of Elections office in your town or city hall, and you should be able to register there. The location and telephone numbers are listed in your local telephone book, with other governmental addresses and numbers. You can obtain a form at a designated voter-registration agency.

You can also register to vote at special registration events sponsored by your Board of Elections. For example, they may set up a table in a shopping mall or library, and you can fill out the form right there. Be sure to have acceptable ID with you.

THEN WHAT? A few weeks after registering, you should receive a notice in the mail confirming that you’re now a registered voter, and telling you where the nearest polling (voting) place is located. Hold onto this notice.

If you don’t receive any notice after registering, contact your local Board of Elections office.

We the Deaf people

Deaf Political Action Committee

Deaf People United