Voter and Civic Engagement

Student Activities

“Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves, and the only way they could do this is by not voting.” -Franklin D. Roosevelt

Upcoming General Election: Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Keep up with Presidential Election press by visiting 2012 Election Central.

Lewis and Clark College does not endorse any political candidate or political group. As part of a longstanding tradition of exploring, learning, and working together, Lewis & Clark and the Associated Students of Lewis & Clark (ASLC) values and protects the freedom of students, faculty, and staff to express political views, to exercise their right to vote, and to participate in the electoral process.

The information below is provided as a non-partisan resource to aid new voters in:

registering to vote in their state
updating registration
understanding registration deadlines in their state, and
how to get involved in voter advocacy

Please remember to keep your voter registration updated with your current contact information. When you move from living in the residence halls at the College to a new location it is important that you register to vote in your new district if you were previously registered to vote with the College as your voting address. If you are voting absentee from your home district you need not make any change.

United States Election Assistance Commission

Help American Vote Act

Voter Advocacy Groups:

Rock the Vote: national, nonpartisan movement “to engage and build political power for young people in our country.”

The Bus Project: grassroots, nonpartisan, Portland-based.

Our Time: national, nonpartisan movement to “combine the voting and purchasing power of young Americans so that politicians and businesses represent our needs better.”

Know of a non-partisan voter resource that you’d like to see listed on this site? Send it to activity@lclark.edu!

Oregon

For Oregon residents, the deadline to register to vote in the upcoming national election is October 16, 2012.

Find your federal and state Oregon elected officials and district maps

In addition to voting for President of the United States, there will be nine measures on the Oregon ballot this November. For Portland voters, you will also be able to cast your vote in the Mayoral race.

Oregon voter Bill of Rights

Visit Secretary of State Kate Brown’s website for general information regarding voter registration, upcoming elections, voter resources, and updating your registration in Oregon.

To be eligible to register in Oregon you must:

be a resident of Oregon,
be a U.S. citizen, and
be at least 17 years old (must be 18 to vote).

For FAQs, a link to a secure form to register to vote, forms in Spanish, to check registration status, and to request a registration card, please go to: Oregon Votes.

Voter assistance is provided by the Secretary of State for Oregon residents with a disability who require assistance with: registering to vote, voting, and returning their ballots.

If you encounter an issue registering to vote online, please see the video tutorial.

You can also register to vote at any County Elections office, the office of the Secretary of State or the DMV by downloading and completing the voter registration form and mailing it to the appropriate address or dropping it by the appropriate office.

When you register to vote in Oregon, you can choose to declare a political party affiliation. There are a variety of registered political parties in Oregon.

To sign a petition in Oregon, you must be a registered voter.

Washington

Do you need information regarding obtaining an absentee ballot for Washington?

For Washington residents, the deadline to register to vote in the upcoming national election is October 8, 2012.

October 8, 2012, is also the deadline to update registration for registered voters. Please check other deadlines for upcoming state and national elections.

Visit Secretary of State Sam Reed’s website for general information regarding civic participation in Washington.

You can also access information regarding candidates for the upcoming 2012 election.

You have many options when registering to vote in Washington. You can mail in a completed registration form. The registration form is offered in many languages. You can also register in person. Finally, you have the option of registering to vote online.

California

Do you need information regarding obtaining an absentee ballot of California?

New voter registration must be post-marked no later than October 22, 2012, in order to vote in the upcoming national election.

In California, the deadline to register to vote for an election is 15 days before each local and statewide Election Day, so please register early!

To register to vote in California, you must be:

A United States citizen,
A resident of California,
18 years of age or older on Election Day,
Not in prison or in county jail (serving a state prison sentence or serving a term of more than one year in jail for a defined “low-level” felony), or on parole, post release community supervision, or post-sentencing probation for a felony conviction (for more information on the rights of people who have been incarcerated, please see the Secretary of State’s Voting Guide for Currently or Formerly Incarcerated Californians), and
Not found by a court to be mentally incompetent.

You will need to re-register to vote when:

You move to a new permanent residence
You change your name
You change your political party choice

To find out if you are currently registered to vote, visit the Secretary of State’s Check Status of Your Voter Registration web page.

For additional information regarding elections in California, elected officials, ballot measures, programs and reform, please visit Secretary of State Debra Bowen’s web site.

Find voter and election information in your home state:

Alabama

Alabama Absentee Voter information

Alaska

Alaska Absentee Voter Information

Arizona

Arizona Absentee Voter (Early Ballot) Information

Arkansas

Arkansas Absentee Voter Information

Colorado

Colorado Absentee Voter Information

Connecticut