How can I register to vote?

slaughtermouse@lemmy.world to No Stupid Questions@lemmy.world – 54 points –

My US residency is a mess.

I was in state A for a long time, where I voted last time. I had to renew my drivers license from state B, because I was temporarily there for a contract before going back to school when my license expired. So I have a license from state A with an address at state B. I intended to return to state A after grad school but life changes and that's no longer the plan.

I've been a student in Canada for years now with no ties to my original address or even the state B address from my license. My parents live in state C, but I don't have anything current tying me there, either. I haven't had a state C license or address since high school.

Where/how can I register to vote with everything currently tied to my canadian address?

Thanks for any advice... This has been bothering me and my last midterm ballot for state A was rejected because I think I was purged.

6

This page appears to describe the standardized process for registering to vote as an overseas absentee voter: https://www.fvap.gov/citizen-voter/

It states that whether or not you just want to vote for federal offices, the important criteria is to establish your "voting residency", and then the elections office of that county would send you a ballot for what you're eligible to vote for. Your last US address appears to be the predominant determinator, even if you have no more ties to it.

I can't imagine this will be simple to navigate, but I applaud you for seeking to exercise your important civil right to vote. Good luck!

Thank you so much! I see ads for so many different routes but I'm wary these days because I know at least some of them are fraudulent

US citizen voting from Canada here myself, voted in the last election. You register under the last address you lived in the states. That county will be the county you vote in.

Okay thank you! I will try that address as a fallback after trying to register at my parents. Last known is a business address so I don't want to get removed on a technicality. Cheers

Every state is different, so it's hard to say what you can or can't do. I live in PA, and they pretty much keep you registered forever, but my daughter goes to school in MI and from what she told me, she has to reregister every year.