On August 13, the first group of students will move into their dorms on App State’s campus. As they wander around and get familiar with their new surroundings, one man said he wants to meet as many as possible.
Bill Ellis, 64, lives in Watauga County and has been actively involved in voter registration efforts across the country since 2000. Most recently, he helped App State students with voter registration.
“It’s no longer enough for people like me to just sit back and vote,” Ellis said. “That’s why I do it.”
For many students on campus, Nov. 5 will be the first presidential election they can vote in. The voter registration deadline is Oct. 11 at 5 p.m. Volunteers from across Watauga County said they will be on campus until the deadline to help students register to vote.
Who can register to vote?
Eligible voters must be U.S. citizens and be 18 years old on November 5, Election Day. They must be registered to vote and reside in the county in which they plan to vote at least 30 days before Election Day.
How do I register?
Voters can register online or in person at their local DMV or by post.
In Watauga County, volunteers from the county Democratic Party will be on campus during the registration period to help students register to vote. Forms to register or update registration by mail in North Carolina can be found at English And Spanish.
“Voter registration is especially important because it is often the first step toward political engagement for potential voters,” said Bricca Sweet, volunteer director of the Watauga County Democratic Party.
To register to vote, voters must sign a form certifying the truth of certain personal information, including:
- The voter’s legal first and last name
- The voter’s date of birth
- The voter’s driver’s license number or social security number
- The voter’s residential address
- The voter’s postal address
Voter registration forms require both residential and mailing addresses to be included, especially if the two addresses are different. For students who live on campus, their residential and mailing addresses are usually different and must be included on both.
Matthew Snyder, election supervisor for the Watauga County Board of Elections, said both addresses must be provided to confirm eligibility to vote.
“By voting in your hometown, you know where to vote and what ballot you will receive,” Snyder said.
The mailing address can be anywhere in the country where the mail is deliverable, Snyder said. The Watauga County Board of Elections will contact registrants if the mail is returned as undeliverable.
As part of its App Votes campaign, the Office of Community-Engaged Leadership maintains a list of the residential addresses of all residence halls on the App State campus.
- Appalachian Heights Hall: 536 Bodenheimer Drive
- Appalachian Panhellenic Hall: 949 Blowing Rock Road
- Belk Residence Hall: 207 Stadium Heights Drive
- Cone Residence Hall: 135 Brown Street
- Doughton Residence Hall: 222 Hardin Street
- Frank Dormitory: 199 Stadium Heights Drive
- Dogwood Dormitory: 230 Hardin Street
- Laurel Creek Residence Hall: 212 Stadium Heights Drive
- Living and Learning Center: 301 Bodenheimer Drive
- Elkstone Residence Hall: 170 Locust Street
- climber residence Hall: 71 1 Poplar Grove Road
- Mountain laurel residence Venue: 949 Blowing Rock Road
- Newland Residence Hall: 243 Stadium Heights Drive
- New River Residence Hall: 161 Stadium Heights Drive
- Raven Rocks Dormitory: 176 Jack Branch Dr
- Summit Residence Hall: 240 Locust Street
- Thunder Hill Dormitory: 228 Stadium Dr
- White Dormitory: 140 Brown Street
Ashley Vinson, assistant director of the Office of Community Engaged Leadership, said it’s important to have lists like this to give students the information they need to vote.
“We want to make sure all students have the information they need to create a voting plan,” Vinson said.
Voters can also provide demographic information about themselves, including race, gender, ethnicity and political party affiliation., However, these are not required elements for registration.
Previously registered voters can update their registrations if they move or change their address.
To update their registration, voters must sign forms confirming their name, address and party affiliation.
When can I register to vote?
Voters can register during early voting if they complete same-day registration. Voters registered on the same day must provide documentation showing proof of residency.
“We make voting as easy, seamless and straightforward as possible for our students so they can be lifelong participants in their democracy,” Sweet said.
Ellis said he looks forward to educating and informing as many students as possible on App State’s campus.
“If we do this every day, we will achieve our goals,” Ellis said. “There is no doubt about it.”
Editor’s note: The Appalachian reached out to the Watauga County Republican Party to ask about its efforts to register voters in the area, but did not receive a response.
