With record numbers of first-time voters expected to turn out for the Nov. 4 election, the United States Election Assistance Commission held a conference call Monday to clarify election procedures for students.
The EAC was established by the Help America Vote Act and serves as a national resource for election information.
We thought that a conversation ... will help ensure that student voters know how to prepare for a successful voting experience and help encourage college students to volunteer as poll workers,"" Rosemary Rodriguez, chair of the EAC, said.
Rodriguez said it is important for voters to know the options and voting procedures in their state. She said some states, including Wisconsin, allow early voting, which may be useful for students who do not have time to wait in line at crowded polling places.
According to Rodriguez, the busiest times at the polls are when people are going to and from work and the hour before the polls close.
To ensure a smooth voting experience, students should verify they are registered and find out where their polling place is and what the hours are, according to Rodriguez. She also encouraged students to volunteer as poll workers.
""We have a need in this country for 2 million poll workers,"" she said.
Donna Davidson, EAC commissioner and vice chair, said many new volunteer positions will be open as election procedures are changing with new technologies.
Anyone registered to vote somewhere other than his or her current residence must request an absentee ballot, which can be done at www.eac.gov, according to Rodriguez. The deadline for applying for an absentee ballot is noon on the day before the election.
