Navigating the Voting Process

If you are a U.S. citizen and will be 18 years or older by Election Day (Tuesday, November 5, 2024), you are eligible to register and vote in the U.S. Elections.

All About Voting – At Bates or In Your Home State?

What happens during election season at Bates? Bates Votes, a nonpartisan student voting initiative at the Harward Center, keeps electoral engagement positive and relevant to issues young people care about. Here’s a video to walk you through considerations when making a decision on where to register, why students vote, and what to expect during election season at Bates.

New Changes in 2024: Online Voter Registration Portal!

NEW IN 2024:  Regardless if you’d like to register in your home state or in Maine, there’s one simple tool to help you navigate how to register to vote.  Since Maine now has online voter registration, it is super easy for students update their registration so they can vote at their new campus residence! If you wish to register in your home state, complete the same form and it will direct you to your appropriate state office. Click the link to get started:  allin.vote/batescollege

Voting in Lewiston: What to Know

There are many ways to register and engage in this upcoming election cycle. Here are some key dates to keep in mind if you intend to vote:

Thursday, October 7	In Person Absentee Voting at City Hall Begins
Tuesday, October 15	Deadline for Voter Registration (Online or Mail)
Thursday, October 31	Deadline for In-Person Voter Registration and Absentee Voting at City Hall
Tuesday, November 5	Election Day – Deadline for Same-Day Voter Registration at the polls

Early Voting and Absentee Voting

• Any registered voter may cast an absentee ballot instead of voting in person at the voting place.
• You do not need to have a specific reason or be unable to vote at the voting place on Election Day to use an absentee ballot.

What to Bring When Voting:

You will need to provide your Bates ID, which establishes your proof of identity.  You will also need to show the Election Clerk your Voter Registration Badge (found on Garnet Gateway), which establishes your proof of residency.  Please find the Voter Registration Badge using the instructions below.

*For off-campus students, please bring your Bates ID and a piece of mail (such as a bill or utility) that was sent to your residential address.

When you are logged into Garnet Gateway, look at the sidebar menu for Account & Access and click the “Voter Registration” link.
Your Voter Registration Badge will show up that discloses your chosen name, your legal name, and your local address on campus.  You will show this to your local elections clerk when you register or check in to vote on Election Day.
If you do not have a smartphone, you will need to print a copy of your Voter Registration Badge and bring it with you to the polls on Election Day.