By: Leyah Jackson
Midterm elections are Tuesday, Nov. 3, but if you’re not registered and don’t know what’s on the ballot, don’t fret!
The state of Virginia allows for same-day voter registration. Hampton University students can use their campus address to register to vote. Be sure to include the name of the residence hall along with the street address on the form, as this is how you will be assigned the correct polling location.
However, if you live off-campus, you are not eligible to vote at the convocation center.
“We are the first HBCU in Virginia to have a polling location—and we have seen the other HBCUs with polls under attack. For example, NCAT recently had their location taken away because of a lack of engagement from student voters voting there. So, it is very important that university students take advantage of this location so we can keep it,” said President of HU Voters of Tomorrow, Kevin Jones.
Eligibility
To register to vote in the state of Virginia, you must be:
Resident of Virginia
A U.S citizen
At least 18 years of age
Not registered in another state
Not currently incarcerated for any felony conviction
Not currently deemed to lack the capacity to understand the act of voting by a court of law
Not convicted of a disqualifying felony
Where to Register
Local voter registration office
Public libraries
Virginia Department of Elections office
Department of Motor Vehicles offices
Same-Day Voter Registration
The state of Virginia does allow same-day registration. Voters will complete their registration at their polling precinct and receive a provisional ballot. Provisional ballots are subject to approval by the local electoral board prior to the ballot being counted.
What You Need on Election Day
All voters must present identification on Election Day. Acceptable forms of identification include a Virginia driver's license, valid student ID, or a valid U.S. passport or passport card.
Out-of-state driver’s licenses and IDs from a high school outside of Virginia are not accepted forms of identification.
If you forget your ID or do not have proper identification, you can still vote! You can affirm your identity by signing an ID statement.
“If you are living in the campus dorms or in the campus apartments, all you need is your student ID to know what your address is, as well as your Social Security number so you can register to vote in Virginia and vote at the convocation center,” Jones continued.
For more information, visit the Virginia Department of Elections website and check out HamptonUvoters of tomorrow on Instagram.
