October 6, 2020

#BisonVote2020 - Where Do I Begin?

By Alexandra Chavez, SBA SCALE I Representative*

Register to Vote! Election day is November 3^rd, 2020.

I want to vote, but there is so much information flying around that I don’t even know where to begin.

First thing's first, and you’ve heard it before, register to vote!

Registering essentially verifies a person’s eligibility to vote in an election. And, you need 3 things in order to be eligible:

1. You are a citizen (natural born or naturalized)

2. You meet your state deadline requirements

In California: 

• online deadline to register is OCTOBER 19^th
• in person deadline is NOVEMBER 3^RD

3. You are 18 years old on or before Election Day

 

Sound like you? Cool, then you’re ready to register!

Don’t forget to have either your drivers license number OR the last four digits of your Social Security Number handy in order to complete verification.

 

I already registered; do I need to do it again?

Here comes your favorite law school answer… it depends. You ONLY need to re-register if any of the following apply to you:

1. You’ve moved permanently to another state

2. You’ve changed your name

3. You’d like to switch political parties

4. You haven’t voted in the past four years

 

 

Doesn’t sound like you? Cool, then you don’t need to re-register.

BUT do confirm your voter registration status! 

One of the few good things to come out of the pandemic: Executive Order N-64-20. Signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, every registered voter will be mailed a vote-by-mail ballot. Another great reason to triple check your registration status = so that YOU get your ballot, and not your old roommates.

Wait, vote-by-mail ballot? How do I even go about that?

Stay tuned for the next blog OR check out our Bison Vote page. 

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*About the Author

ALEXANDRA CHAVEZ

Alexa is a SCALE 1 student at Southwestern. She is a first-generation Mexican/Honduran-American who grew up in the San Fernando Valley and went to Cal State Northridge to major in Psychology. She has since become passionate about political advocacy and aims to pursue that passion after graduating.

Currently, Alexa is acting as one of the SCALE 1 Representatives and recently received First Place Advocate for the Fall 2020 Trial Advocacy Honors Program Tryout Competition. She is excited to help get Bison voting, so please do not hesitate to reach out!