Election time is just around the corner, occurring on November 5. Those eligible to vote will find 33 issues and 28 candidates in both state and county races on the ballot.
Students should also consider their voting options.
“As a student you need to make a decision to be registered to vote in Wood County, or your home town if you are planning to vote there. You can’t be registered to vote in more than one place at a time, Deborah Hazard,” director of the Board of Elections, said.
“If you want to vote for issues at home, you must register there to vote, and when the next election comes around here, you must cancel your voting registration there and re-register in Wood County,” Hazard said.
The final day to register to vote was Oct. 7.
Though the date to register to vote has passed, it is not too late to obtain an absentee ballot.
By writing or faxing the Board of Elections office and providing your name, address and reason for the request, you will receive a ballot if necessary.
The final deadline to request an absentee ballot is Saturday, Nov. 2 by noon.
According to Hazard, it is possible to request an absentee ballot if you are 62 years of age or older; you will be out of the country on the day of the election, you are personally ill or physically disabled; or you are in the hospital on election day.
“If you want to vote for issues at home, send for an absentee ballot, fill it out and send it back,” Hazard said.
Check with the Wood County Board of Elections if you are not sure of your voting location. Students living on campus may vote at Anderson Arena.
When you enter your polling location a table will be set up with volunteer workers. State your full legal name to the workers at this table. They will look up your name and then ask you to sign your name on a registration list. You will be given a ballot and instructed on which voting booth you may use.
In the booth you will insert your ballot into the appropriate slot in the voting device. The pages located in the booth will have all the names of candidates running for office and any issues for your area. Bowling Green has four main issues affecting the Wood County area.
In 2001 city offices election, only 2,454 students were registered to vote, and of that number, only 141 students voted. Presidential voting in 2000 was more than doubled with 4,540 registered student voters and 1,028 partaking in the vote.
