Election Day Nov. 7, 2006

Registering, voting, having your say!
from Staff reports

News
stories the past few years have told of ways some people try to keep
minority groups, the elderly, or the disabled from voting.

In
2004 elderly, poor, and minority voters in Ohio were told that
registered Democrats were not to vote on Tuesday, election day, but on
Wednesday, the day after election day.

Western
North Carolina has been free of voter intimidation for many years (see
Voting Rights: A Brief History, p. 3). Let’s keep it that way. Every
citizen has the RIGHT to vote guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. If
you are a registered voter, you can vote in the next election, Tuesday,
Nov. 7, or you can vote absentee in advance.

If
you’re not registered, you cannot vote. If you want to vote, get
registered. That’s the most effective way to make your voice heard in
the political process.

Registration is easy

You
can pick up a registration form at the Buncombe County Board of
Elections at 189 College Street
(www.buncombecounty.org/governing/depts/Election/) or any public
library. Fill it out, sign it, and bring it back in. If you’re disabled
or cannot get out of the house, someone else can bring it to you to
fill out at home. You can then mail it in.

Registration is permanent

Once
you register to vote, your name cannot be removed from the voting rolls
unless you move and do not reregister at a new address; die; or are
convicted of a felony. (If you move, you might have to reregister; see
page 6.)

You
don’t have to answer privacy questions. When you register, you are not
required to fill in questions about race, ethnicity, gender, or
telephone number. The information is requested, but not required.
Registration cannot be denied because you choose not to include that
information.

You
must sign your registration form. You may mail the form in, deliver it
in person, or fax it to the Board of Elections office. Your electronic
signature on a fax is valid.

First-time
voters do have to show identification. First-time voters who register
by mail must provide proof of identity at some point in the process:
•    At the time of registration
•    When you vote in person
•    When you vote by mail

You
do NOT have to show a birth certificate, marriage license, driver’s
license, passport, or other government-issued identification. Accepted
identification is:
•    Current valid ID
•    Copy of Bank Statement
•    Paycheck
•    Utility Bill
•    Other government document showing name & address of voter

You
may receive a registration card (if authorized by the county and
approved by the state board of elections). You do NOT have to present
the card to vote. You CAN use the card as evidence that you are a
registered voter, but an election judge can still challenge you. Even
if you are challenged, you can still vote.

Need
help voting? If you are a registered voter who is physically disabled,
unable to read, or blind, you have the right to help from a near
relative. He or she can help you get to and from the voting booth and,
if you can’t see or read well, can help you mark your ballot.

If you’ve moved

When
you move within a county, you should complete an in-county change of
address.  This can be completed on your voter identification card, a
signed letter to your local board of elections or on the form available
on the state BOE website (www.sboc.state.nc.us/).

When
you move from one county to another, you will need to apply for voter
registration in your new county. Note that when you move within the
State, the law requires that you change your address on your driver’s
license within 60 days. When you change your address on your drivers
license, whether it is in person or on the Internet, you can change
your voter registration as well.

If
you have moved more than 30 days before the election you will need to
be registered and may only vote at your new polling place. If you have
moved fewer than 30 days prior to the election, you have to vote in
your old polling place.

How to Register

To register to vote in North Carolina a person must sign a voter declaration attesting that:
•    I am a U.S. citizen
•    I will have been a resident of North Carolina and this county for 30 days before the election.
•    I will be at least 18 years old by the next general election (Nov. 7)
•    I am not registered and I will not vote in any other county or state.
•    If I have been convicted of a felony, my rights of citizenship have been restored.