The Soultown! Volume III: Issue 10 OCTOBER 2019 | Page 19

PUPTOWN STORIES Diquan Richard ARTIST • MUSICIAN • POET Diquan Richard is a Bay Area Native who is currently pursuing an education at San Francisco State University. He is majoring in Studio Art while minoring in Computer Animation. Since the age of 13, Diquan has always had a passion to express himself creatively through his art, music, poetry and his global humanitarian work. He has dreams of gaining employment at Pixar Animation Studios as a computer animator. He hopes to help change the lives of children via animation, just as his life changed after viewing Toy Story for the first time. When Diquan is not hitting the books, or drawing another comic strip, you can find him donating his time to helping those less fortunate. Contact Diquan: [email protected] VOTING CHANGES • WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW The Iowa Legislature passed a new voter identifica- tion bill in the spring 2017 session. Hereʼs what it means for all voters, according to the Black Hawk County Auditor's office. Be Prepared: 1. Register to vote in the precinct where you live at least 10 days before the election. 2. Always take your driverʼs license/non-operatorʼs license with you to vote. Voter Law Changes • Beginning Jan. 1, 2018, registered voters must show a driverʼs license or non-operatorʼs ID before voting. If you do not have your ID, in 2018 only, you will be asked to sign an oath that you are who you say you are. You can then cast a regular ballot. In 2019 and on, a registered voter can verify/attest for two people. • If you do not have one of those IDs, you will automatically be issued a free Voter ID card. The state started mailing Voter ID cards in December 2017. • If you did not receive the Voter ID card or lost it, the BH County Auditorʼs Office can re-issue one. Call 833-3007. Absentee Voting An absentee ballot may be requested 120 days before the election. Absentee ballots will be mailed starting 29 days before an election (used to be 40 days). Absentee ballots must be received 10 days before a general election and 11 days before other elections. Absentee ballot voters must include their Iowa driver's license/non-operatorʼs ID number or their Iowa voter ID card's PIN number on the absentee ballot request form. Registering to Vote If you are already registered, you do not have to do anything unless you move within the county or outside of the county. Online: - https://mymvd.iowadot.gov/Account/Login? ReturnUrl=%2fVoterRegistrationRegister By mail: Print the form, fill it out completely in pen, and mail it to: Black Hawk County Auditor Election Department, 316 E 5th St., Waterloo, IA 50703 Register In-person: Black Hawk County Courthouse, 316 E 5th St., Waterloo, IA Cedar Falls City Hall, 220 Clay St., Cedar Falls, IA Other locations listed at: http://www.co.black- hawk.ia.us/208/Registration-Locations No straight party voting is available in Iowa now. Be sure to vote for all of the offices/ballot issues listed on the front and/or back of the ballot. Special Groups: High School Students - If you are 17, but will be 18 years old by the general election, you can register to vote. College Students - If you are going to school in Cedar Falls or Waterloo, you can vote there. You must have an ID that has an expiration date on it. A college/university ID cannot be used. Returning Citizens - Those convicted of a felony can request restoring their voting rights after their sentence is discharged. Complete the form on the Iowa Governor's web sit under Services/Executive Clemency (https://governor.iowa.gov/constituent- services). Frequently asked questions about restoring voting rights are on that same page. INTERESTED IN JOINING THE NAACP? Monthly Meetings: 2nd Thursdays 515 Beech St. Waterloo, Iowa 50703 • President - LaTanya Graves Blackhawk County Branch waterloonaacp.org Email: waterloonaacp @gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/ waterloonaacp P.O. Box 304 Waterloo, Iowa 50704 Oct. 2019 • The Soultown International Magazine • Celebrating 2 years • Connecting Our Cultures to Our Cyber & Conscious Communities • thesoultown.com 19