In 42 days (or fewer), people from all around the country will experience a rude surprise: they thought that they were registered to vote, but — thanks to voter purges, failures to vote previously, returned mail, and the like — they aren’t. They will head into the voting booth like they’re walking blindly through the doors to an elevator — only to find that the elevator isn’t there.
Thankfully, there’s now an easy way to check before you plunge terrified and screaming towards … hmmm, on second thought, I’m going to abandon that simile. You don’t want a rude surprise, do you? Then click this link.
http://www.nationalvoterregistrationday.org/register-to-vote
Wherever you are — especially important for your out of state friends and relations, many of whom have taken steps to “cull the herd” of voters that California has not — that link will tell you whether you appear to be registered to vote.
And if you still need (or finally want) to register to online in California, we have that covered too! Online voter registration has just come online! Here’s that link:
https://rtv.sos.ca.gov/elections/register-to-vote/
What do you think: better WITH or WITHOUT the text?
We’re actually pretty sophisticated here in Orange County. For those of you registered as permanent absentee, you can track the status of your returned ballot here: http://www.ocvote.com/voting/vote-by-mail-voting/vote-by-mail-status-lookup/
This is a great tool to make sure that your vote is counted!
Show-off!
*Our suggestion is to follow our lead and vote early at the Registrar of Voters office.
Downtown Jerry Brown just signed the same day voter law – so you can simply go to the Registrar’s Office and either renew, change or sign up for the first time and then just vote – right on the spot.
Early voting usually begins several weeks before election day. Check with the ROV
for the date this year.
Early voting starts on Monday, October 22, thru Tuesday, October 30.
Almost a dozen different locations found at
http://www.ocvote.com/voting/current-election-info/2012-presidential-general-election-info/early-voting-locations/
*Wow…..that isn’t much time this year…..only 8 days……are you sure?
rw
Even less than 8 days as most are closed on the weekends, and some on Fridays as well.
Check your specific location at the link above.
California’s new voter registration database — whose creation the federal government once called a model for other states — may prevent thousands of eligible voters from casting ballots
For example, 14,629 out of 34,064 voter registration forms — or 43% — were “kicked out,” or rejected, in Los Angeles County between Jan. 1 and March 15. Such results have election officials statewide fearing that the new registration system will bump eligible voters from the voter rolls.
Same-day registration will be permitted once the Secretary of State certifies California’s new statewide voter database
…………………..
If the SoS certifies the database before this Nov. the polling places should packed with people have to write long hand on provisional ballots.
As a longtime and enthusiastic elections worker, Cook is one of the most valuable members of the Orange Juice community around this time of year.
And after that, he can play Santa, without much of a costume.
Thanks Greg for this very useful information. A couple of friends have already used the links you posted.