Imprint 2020 September/October 2020 September/October | Page 24

Voting is a Vital Right and Duty — Nicholas Fullmer In the United States , American citizens enjoy many liberties that people in other nations do not . One of these liberties is the right and duty to vote in fair elections to ensure a peaceful transition between elected leaders . In every state , except North Dakota , citizens need to register before they can vote ; in North Dakota , voters need to present stateapproved identification at the time of voting or when requesting a ballot for mail-in voting .

To register to vote , go to www . vote . gov . On the website , you can select the state or territory where you live , be linked to the state ’ s election website , and find out when and how to register to vote .

Depending on your state , the registration deadline could be as much as a month before an election . Check the U . S . Vote Foundation website at https :// www . usvotefoundation . org to find your state ’ s deadline for registering . You can also check USA . gov at www . usa . gov / election-office to link to your state or local election website for detailed information .

In many states , it is now possible to register online . As of July 2020 , 40 states plus the District of Columbia allow online voter registration , according to the National Conference of State Legislatures ( 2020 ). For online voter registration , you can download the National Mail Voter Registration Form at the U . S . Election Assistance Commission ( 2019 ) website . You can fill out the form onscreen , submit it electronically , and print the completed form for your own files , or you can print the blank form , fill it out by hand , and submit it by postal mail . It is important to remember to sign the form before mailing it to the location listed for your state .

If you are a new voter , you can view the short YouTube video called First Time Voter ( 2018 ) produced by USA . gov . The video highlights the basic requirements for voting in the U . S . and explains why it ’ s important to know your state ’ s specific rules for voting .

By Nikule Abel , Nicholas Fullmer , & Andrea Romano

Innovative Virtual Drives Can Help Increase Voter Registration — Nikule Abel As we have come to notice , we are in unprecedented times due to a plethora of events that have unfolded during the year 2020 , one of those being the COVID-19 pandemic . Among the negative consequences of COVID-19 has been the inhibiting effect on voter registration . For many Americans , the usual places to register — for example , the department of motor vehicle ( DMV ) registration ,

22 NSNA IMPRINT n SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2020 n www . nsna . org