Registering to Vote

Registering+to+Vote

Carson Browning, Staff Writer

     This year is the midterm election. For every election, there’s a chance for a new round of 18-year-olds to register. Registration ends on Oct. 11 but if your 18th birthday is before Nov. 11, you can still pre-register. For many students, voting is a necessary time to get their voice heard. 

     “Voting is important because it’s an opportunity to see changes that you want to make,” senior Kaitlin Dominick said. “Our generation will be affected by laws [now and] in the future so participation is important.” 

     There are many ways to register, including here at Plano Senior. There is a voter registration table in the cafeteria during lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The table is in front of the trophy case with information sheets about registration and a voter registrar who is qualified to help you. They will walk you through filling out your voter card and then mail you a voter identification card in two weeks.

     “I registered to vote here at Plano Senior in the cafeteria,” senior Braeden Bradley said. “I thought the process was super clear and wasn’t hard at all.” 

     The other way to register is online. Go to texas.gov and find the register to vote tab. Then fill out the registration form and print it out when done. Once you print it out, sign it and mail it to the Collin County elections office. If you need to replace your ID now that you’re 18, you can also register to vote online through the Texas Department of Public Safety while getting your new identification. 

     “I registered to vote online [and it] was super easy to do it all from home,” senior Ryan Faidley said. “It’s best for people that don’t have the time to go somewhere to register [although] there could be a faster and more clear online system.” 

     If you have any further questions, go to votetexas.gov. This website answers everything like what is needed to register, who’s on the ballot and all the closest polling places near you. 

     “As a young person and as I grow up, laws will affect me and change the country,” Faidley said. “I want a say in making that change.”