Making Your Voice Heard: 3 Steps to Becoming a Voter
There may have been times when you felt like the government wasn't doing what you wanted them to do. Maybe a law passed that didn’t seem to make sense or you disagree with how federal money was spent. It can be frustrating to see it happen —but there is something you can do. You have the power to influence the elected officials, who make decisions on your behalf, by voting.
Do you care about affordable housing? How about affordable healthcare or education? These are important issues that affect many of us. They are also often discussed by our elected officials —real people in our community that were chosen by those who voted. So, if you want to have some say in what happens in your community, you need to vote.
“Before you can vote, you need to register. You must register by October 11, 2022 to participate in next month’s election. ”
Register to Vote
The most influential thing you can do as a citizen of the United States is get involved by voting. Before you can vote, you need to register. You must register by October 11th to participate in next month’s election.
Registering to vote is an easy process. The requirements are that you must:
Be a citizen of the United States of America
Be a resident of Arizona and the county listed on your registration
Be 18 years of age on or before the day of the next regular General Election
If you’re a current Arizona resident, you can easily register to vote online through Service Arizona here.
After you have registered, you can verify your registration information on the Secretary of State’s website. You can also see what legislative districts you belong to, through this site.
2. Learn about the candidates
Don’t rely on television ads as your source of information about those running for office. It is a good idea to do a little research to find out about the people who could become your next government leaders. Even spending thirty minutes can uncover a lot about who the candidate really is, what issues they care about, and how they have served in the past.
Information about most Arizona candidates is available on the Arizona Clean Elections Commission website. It also has links to the candidates’ websites, if available.
3. Vote on November 8th
The last step is to get out to your polling location and vote on November 8, 2022. You will need to go to your assigned polling place to cast your vote. Just remember to bring your ID with you. The list of acceptable forms of identification are available on the Arizona Secretary of State’s website.
If you chose to be on the early voting list, you will be mailed a ballot that you can send back by mail before the election. Just remember to send it back before the deadline! The date will be printed on the ballot.
Many people over a couple of hundred years fought for your right to vote. Before then, only a small percentage of the population was allowed to vote. Today, nearly all citizens of this country can vote, so make use of the opportunity. Register to vote and be a voice of influence!
Videos about Voting in Maricopa County
If you have more questions about voting, the Maricopa County Elections Department has a lot of videos that can answer your questions about the process!
Grad Solutions students, if you have any questions about voting, please reach out to your mentor. Your mentor is always happy to help!