{"559681":{"#nid":"559681","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Tips for First-Time Voters","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFor many colleges students, this is the first year they are eligible to vote for the next president of the United States.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStatistics from the U.S. Census Bureau show the significant impact of America\u0026rsquo;s youngest voters.\u0026nbsp;Still, voters between the ages of 18 to 24 continue to vote at lower rates than other age groups.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis November, eligible students have the opportunity to let their voices be heard in the 2016 presidential election. Here are a few tips to prepare first-time voters for Election Day, which is Tuesday, Nov. 8:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERegister to Vote\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe first step is to determine where you should be registered. If you are from Georgia (and hold a valid driver\u0026rsquo;s license or ID card), then you will register as a Georgia voter. If you are an out-of-state student, you can choose between registering in your home state or in Georgia, depending on your residency. Depending on your state, registration can be done online, in-person, or by mail. Visit \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/vote.usa.gov\/\u0022\u003Evote.usa.gov\u003C\/a\u003E to select your state and register online if it\u0026rsquo;s available; if not, mail in the provided voter registration form on the site. Be sure to register at least several weeks before election day, as it may take time to receive confirmation. After registering, voter registration status can be checked \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mvp.sos.ga.gov\/MVP\/mvp.do\u0022\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn Georgia, the deadline to register to vote is the fifth Monday before the election \u0026mdash; for the presidential election, that\u0026rsquo;s Tuesday, Oct. 11. All mail should be postmarked by this date. Registration dates differ in each state, so check your applicable \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rockthevote.com\/get-informed\/elections\/voter-registration-deadlines.html?referrer=https:\/\/www.google.it\/\u0022\u003Eregistration deadline\u003C\/a\u003E well in advance.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbsentee Voting \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOut-of-state students who are registered in their home state and do not plan to go home to vote in person Nov. 8 will need to submit an absentee ballot ahead of time. Other voters who cannot make it to their poll location on Election Day are also given the opportunity to submit an absentee ballot. Absentee ballots can be applied for as early as 180 days before the election. The ballot must be submitted to the appropriate \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/sos.ga.gov\/cgi-bin\/countyregistrarsindex.asp\u0022\u003ECounty Board of Registrars Office\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt is recommended that absentee ballots be requested at least one month before Election Day, and the Georgia deadline for submission is the close of polls on Election Day. Out-of-state students planning to submit an absentee ballot to their home state should check their absentee ballot deadline, as they vary by state.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn Georgia, any registered voter can request an absentee ballot. Some states require voters to provide an excuse in order to request an absentee.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia voters interested in checking the status of their absentee ballots can log in and view the status \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mvp.sos.ga.gov\/MVP\/mvp.do\u0022\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEarly Voting\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEarly voting in Georgia starts Oct. 17. Early voting gives voters the flexibility to vote in-person on a day that may be more convenient than Election Day. This option was created to increase voter participation. Find your early polling location and times \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mvp.sos.ga.gov\/MVP\/mvp.do\u0022\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEarly voting will be available on campus for voters registered in Fulton County, on Oct. 18-19 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Wardlaw Center.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EElection Day\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EElection Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8. Anyone who plans to vote in person must vote at their designated polling location. To check your Georgia polling location, visit \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.mvp.sos.ga.gov\/\u0022\u003Emvp.sos.ga.gov\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAt Georgia polling locations, voters are required to bring a form of ID. Here are the types of accepted identification:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EA Georgia driver\u0026#39;s license.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EA photo ID issued by a state or federal government agency.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EA valid U.S. passport.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EAn employee ID card containing your photograph and issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority, or other entity of Georgia.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EA valid U.S. military ID card.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EA valid tribal ID card.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EIf you do not have one of the above forms of ID, the State of Georgia offers a free Voter Identification Card.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003EAdditional Resources\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003EOverview of Important Dates in Georgia\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESept. 20, 2016\u003C\/strong\u003E: Earliest day for a registrar to mail an absentee ballot (also recommended date to request absentee ballot if not done so already).\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOct. 11, 2016\u003C\/strong\u003E: Last day to register to be eligible to vote in the November election.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOct. 17, 2016\u003C\/strong\u003E: Early in-person voting begins.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOct. 29, 2016\u003C\/strong\u003E: Absentee ballots should be submitted as soon as possible.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENov. 4, 2016\u003C\/strong\u003E: Deadline for requesting absentee ballots in Fulton County.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENov. 8, 2016\u003C\/strong\u003E: Election Day.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003EGet Informed and Involved\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor those interested in learning more about politics and the upcoming election, here are a few Georgia Tech student organizations that can provide additional information through upcoming events and meetings:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/GTCRs\/\u0022\u003ECollege Republicans at Georgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u0026nbsp;Dedicated to educating students about the ideals of the Republican party.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TechDems\/\u0022\u003ECollege Democrats of Georgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E: An official chapter dedicated to Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s democrats, liberals, and progressives.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.yaliberty.org\/chapters\/georgia-institute-of-technology-main-campus\u0022\u003EYoung Americans for Liberty\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E: Student group in support of ideals mainly held by the Libertarian party.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo increase the number of voters on campus, the College Democrats and College Republicans are joining together to register students to vote on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Student Center. These hours may be extended in the future. Representatives will also be stationed near Tech Green to hand out flyers and encourage students to register to vote.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026quot;Every day, members of both groups will be available handing out informative flyers and encouraging students to register to vote,\u0026quot; said Matthew Bowling, vice chairman for College Republicans.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe College Democrats generally hold meetings every other week, and College Republicans meet weekly on Mondays at 7 p.m. in D.M. Smith. If students are interested in getting involved with either organization, they should visit their Facebook sites linked above for more information.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERight now, registration is the main goal of both groups.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003E\u0026quot;The College Republicans, College Democrats, Student Government Association, and Residence Hall Association are all working to get more students registered to vote,\u0026quot; said Jacob Orvis, president of the College Democrats.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003EVoting from Abroad\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMembers of the Georgia Tech community who will be out of the country during the voting process can request an absentee ballot through the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.fvap.gov\/\u0022\u003EFederal Voting Assistance Program\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELearn when to register, where to register, and where and when to vote in this November\u0026#39;s presidential election.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Learn when to register, where to register, and where and when to vote in this November\u0027s presidential election."}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2016-09-19 10:05:26","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:22:16","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-09-19T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2016-09-19T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"570111":{"id":"570111","type":"image","title":"Vote 2016","body":null,"created":"1472563018","gmt_created":"2016-08-30 13:16:58","changed":"1475895379","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:19","alt":"Vote 2016","file":{"fid":"207059","name":"vote2016.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/vote2016.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/vote2016.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":942361,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/vote2016.jpg?itok=FGoECKH7"}}},"media_ids":["570111"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/elections.mytimetovote.com\/dates\/georgia.html","title":"Georgia Election Dates"},{"url":"http:\/\/rockthevote.org\/","title":"Rock the Vote"},{"url":"http:\/\/college.usatoday.com\/2015\/09\/25\/why-college-students-arent-voting\/","title":"From USA Today: Why College Students Aren\u0027t Voting"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4065","name":"election"},{"id":"3177","name":"politics"},{"id":"3717","name":"voting"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:kristen.bailey@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EKristen Bailey\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}