The election is approaching, and there are rules to voting students at the University should know.

Like many things, there are qualifications and rules to being able to vote. People must be at least 18 years old before the election, be registered to vote 30 days prior to the election, be a resident of Ohio 30 days prior to the election and must be a citizen of the United States, according to the Wood County Board of Elections website, www.co.wood.oh.us/boe/.

There are three types of ballots available to registered voters. There are regular, provisional and absentee ballots, said Debbie Hazard, deputy director for the Wood County Board of Elections.

“A regular ballot is cast, and once the ballot is cast you can’t take it back or anything,” Hazard said. “Provisional ballots are paper ballots that we hold until we can prove that the voter is indeed registered to vote or confirm their information in whatever way.”

Absentee ballots are cast before the election and can be requested by mail, according to the board of elections website.

Students not registered to vote in Wood County but want to vote here would have to change registration to Wood County, Hazard said.

“If they want to remain registered from their home county, they could always vote an absentee ballot from that county,” she said.

Junior Courtney Froehlich said she plans to use an absentee ballot because she is registered in her hometown.

“I chose to register with my hometown because I wanted to be involved with the issues that affect myself, my family and my friends at home,” Froehlich said.

However, sophomore Elizabeth Sampson said she is voting in person as she is registered to vote in Wood County.

“[Voting is] a privilege,” Sampson said.

Voting has the same rules throughout the state, therefore as long as a student is registered in Ohio, the same rules apply throughout, Hazard said.

On the day of the election, voters must bring a valid form of identification, according to the board of elections website.

The identification can be in the form of a photo ID issued by the state, military ID, copy of current utility bill, bank statement, government check or paycheck or another form of a current government document that shows the name and address of the voter, according to the board of elections website.

There is also a deadline for registering to vote, Hazard said.

“The deadline to register to vote in Ohio is 30 days prior to the election which is Oct. 9, 2012,” she said.

Students can learn more information regarding voting rules, polling locations and the different ballots at the Wood County Board of Elections website at www.co.wood.oh.us/boe/.