If you’re a first time voter, you might have a plethora of excuses as to why you can’t seem to get around to registering to vote.
It might be that you don’t want to make the trip to your local government office, or maybe you just can’t find the time to do it (it’s OK, we all know you will definitely get around to it tomorrow).
Or, you just aren’t sure how. As a first-time voter myself, I can walk you through how simple it is to register. And, I can remind you that if you want to vote in the Aug. 8 election here in Springfield to decide whether the city can levy a 3 percent sales tax on recreational marijuana, you need to register by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 12.
First, if you are unsure if you are registered, all you need to do to check your registration status is to go to either Vote.org or the Missouri Secretary of State website.
If you are not registered, you have options. In Springfield, you do not need to register to vote in person. One option is to mail in your application. To do this, you will print off and mail the registration form found on the Greene County Clerk’s website. You also can submit an application online through the Missouri Secretary of State website.
If you want to register in person, you’ll need to go to the County Clerk’s Office (Room 113 of the Historic Courthouse, 940 N. Boonville Ave.), or any Missouri Department of Revenue vehicle license office, or the Springfield-Greene County Library.
For me, it took less than 10 minutes.
When I walked in, I asked for a voter registration application which took me about five minutes to fill out. You will need to know the last four digits of your Social Security number and have a valid photo ID, or bring along a birth certificate, passport or other acceptable ID (a full list of accepted identification forms are found on the registration application).
It’s important that, if you are using your license, it is up to date. I did not realize that my license was expired and had to use another form of identification, so make sure and check the expiration date and get it updated at the DMV if necessary.
Once I finished, I turned it in and voilà! I’m a registered voter. Well, half-way registered. Even though I’ve done the hard part, I am not ready to vote yet. To be able to vote, you’ll need your voter registration card that will be sent to you in the mail. You also will need a photo ID to accompany the card to present at the polling location on election day. (By the way, absentee voting is already available for the Aug. 8 election. Get details here.)
In Missouri, you also have to register at least 27 days before election day. If you are mailing in a registration, it needs to be postmarked 27 days before election day.
Registering to vote is quick and relatively painless process that could take less time than the drive there. Doing so will make you an important part of the electoral process, and allow you to use your vote to mold your city into the community you would like it to be.
