Political Science

Secretary of State’s Voter Registration Drive coming to Oakland University

SOS, political science, voter, voting, student

icon of a calendarOctober 2, 2018

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Secretary of State’s Voter Registration Drive coming to Oakland University

The Michigan Secretary of State’s Mobile Office wraps up its 3,000-mile, 18-college campus, Express SOS Voter Registration Drive tour on Tuesday, October 9 with a visit to Oakland University. The office will be located between North and South Foundation Halls between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

October 9 is also the last day people can register to vote in the November 6 elections.

“With the Secretary of State’s office bringing the Mobile Office to college campuses around the state, they are helping establish the importance of voting for many first-time voters,” Dave Dulio, political science professor and director of the Center for Civic Engagement at Oakland University said. “If young adults start voting while they are in college, they are much more likely to keep voting for the rest of their lives, thereby taking an active role in our democracy.”

In addition to voter registration, the Mobile Office offers all of the services available at a traditional office. Faculty, staff, students and community members can change their address, renew their driver’s license, get their tabs and even join the Michigan Organ Donor Registry.

Secretary of State staff will be available to answer questions about voter identification, absentee ballots, locating a sample ballot and finding their polling place. Residents can also ask questions about the elimination of Driver Responsibility Fees, including those who have associated debt or a related driver’s license suspension.

Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson said, “Students are encouraged to register to vote, ask questions about our many services and take care of any Secretary of State business they might have, right on campus.”

Johnson added that this voter registration drive supplements other efforts to register new voters used by her office, including:

• A postcard sent to every 18-year-old on their birthday reminding them to register to vote.

• Voter registration opportunities for newly sworn citizens at naturalization ceremonies across the state.

• Asking customers who come in for personal ID or driver’s licenses if they want to register to vote, provided they are U.S. citizens.

If you are already registered to vote, click here to get the details on when and where to be on election day.

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