Spring Break
Brazos County gives Aggies voting registration options
By: Calli Turner
Issue date: 9/10/08 Section: News
A Virginia Tech voter-registration drive led by Barack Obama supporters in late August made headlines.
The Blacksburg, Va.,-area registrar issued releases warning students who registered at the college that they could no longer be claimed as dependants on their parent's tax returns and could lose scholarships or car and health insurance coverage under their parents, according to The New York Times.
Kristeen Roe, Brazos County tax assessor/collector, said Tuesday that full-time college students in Texas have the option to register to vote back home or at a physical college address.
"They have that right," she said. "It is absolutely at their discretion." Roe said that Brazos County has a large number of Blinn and Texas A&M students registered to vote.
Ashley Griffin, a junior allied health major, said she faced no challenges when registering to vote in Brazos County and did so for convenience.
"My parents moved to Missouri," Griffin said. "So I kind of had to."
Phil Robinson, a freshman business management major and Flatonia, Texas, native, is not registered to vote, but said he will register in Brazos County for convenience.
Roe said students need to consider what elections are pertinent before a physical location is provided.
"It may be important for them to vote for a local election back home," she said. In that case, students would need to provide a hometown address, rather than a college location.
Thomas Morris, a sophomore general studies major and Austin native, said he switched his registration from Travis to Brazos County when he started at A&M. Morris said the process was easy and he voted in the primaries. After college, Morris said he may register at a different location.
"I'll probably change again," he said.
Students must provide a physical location when registering to vote, Roe said, and Brazos County made this feasible for dorm residents. Students can provide a dorm name and room number as a current location and provide a separate mailing address - that does not determine voter registration - outside the county.
Voters that do not notify the county of address changes can be suspended from the area's registration. Voter registration cards are sent biannually and the cards cannot be forwarded to a separate address. Roe said even if voters notify the post office of address changes, the county must be notified separately for voting.
Cards that are returned in the mail are marked for suspension. If a voter is put on the suspension list, the voter can still vote, but a notification letter is then sent asking for a response with the voter's current address.
Roe said if a voter on the suspension list does not vote within two federal elections, they are then purged from the county's registration.
Roe said that A&M students are not encouraged by the county to register at one location over another, the county wants students to vote whether it be in Aggieland or away.
Important dates
Sept. 5 - First day to accept absentee ballot
Oct. 6- Final day to register to vote
Oct. 28 - Final day to submit absentee ballot
How to register
Fill out online registration form at http://brazosvotes.org
Request form through mail at http://www.sos.state.tx.us
The Blacksburg, Va.,-area registrar issued releases warning students who registered at the college that they could no longer be claimed as dependants on their parent's tax returns and could lose scholarships or car and health insurance coverage under their parents, according to The New York Times.
Kristeen Roe, Brazos County tax assessor/collector, said Tuesday that full-time college students in Texas have the option to register to vote back home or at a physical college address.
"They have that right," she said. "It is absolutely at their discretion." Roe said that Brazos County has a large number of Blinn and Texas A&M students registered to vote.
Ashley Griffin, a junior allied health major, said she faced no challenges when registering to vote in Brazos County and did so for convenience.
"My parents moved to Missouri," Griffin said. "So I kind of had to."
Phil Robinson, a freshman business management major and Flatonia, Texas, native, is not registered to vote, but said he will register in Brazos County for convenience.
Roe said students need to consider what elections are pertinent before a physical location is provided.
"It may be important for them to vote for a local election back home," she said. In that case, students would need to provide a hometown address, rather than a college location.
Thomas Morris, a sophomore general studies major and Austin native, said he switched his registration from Travis to Brazos County when he started at A&M. Morris said the process was easy and he voted in the primaries. After college, Morris said he may register at a different location.
"I'll probably change again," he said.
Students must provide a physical location when registering to vote, Roe said, and Brazos County made this feasible for dorm residents. Students can provide a dorm name and room number as a current location and provide a separate mailing address - that does not determine voter registration - outside the county.
Voters that do not notify the county of address changes can be suspended from the area's registration. Voter registration cards are sent biannually and the cards cannot be forwarded to a separate address. Roe said even if voters notify the post office of address changes, the county must be notified separately for voting.
Cards that are returned in the mail are marked for suspension. If a voter is put on the suspension list, the voter can still vote, but a notification letter is then sent asking for a response with the voter's current address.
Roe said if a voter on the suspension list does not vote within two federal elections, they are then purged from the county's registration.
Roe said that A&M students are not encouraged by the county to register at one location over another, the county wants students to vote whether it be in Aggieland or away.
Important dates
Sept. 5 - First day to accept absentee ballot
Oct. 6- Final day to register to vote
Oct. 28 - Final day to submit absentee ballot
How to register
Fill out online registration form at http://brazosvotes.org
Request form through mail at http://www.sos.state.tx.us
Be sure to include your name, major, and class year. Submissions without this information are subject to deletion.
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