Voter Registration Information

Navigating the Voting Process

Bates College is committed to the cultivation of informed civic action. This includes, among other things, participation in local, statewide, and national elections. Toward this end, students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to become registered voters and to exercise their right to vote.For more election engagement information, please visit @batesvotes. Questions? Please contact Amalia Herren-Lage ’22 ( aherrenl@bates.edu) or Darby Ray (dray3@bates.edu).

Am I Eligible to Vote in Maine?

As a college student, you have the legal right to register and vote at either your permanent address or your campus address. You may wish to consider where you feel more connected to your community or more informed about local issues, the ease or difficulty of participating in the process, and where you feel your vote will make the greatest impact.
According to the Maine Bureau of Corporations, Elections, and Commissions, if you are a student, you have the right to register in the municipality in Maine where you attend school, provided you have established a voting residence there as defined in Maine’s election laws. You can establish a voting residence at your Maine school address if you have a present intention to remain at that address for the time being, whether that residence is a dorm, apartment, house or even a hotel. If you have established residency in another municipality or state, you may vote by absentee ballot in that state.