Issue date: 10/1/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Chris Griffin [Click to enlarge]

Monday is the final day to register to vote in the Nov. 4, 2008, presidential election.

"If voters are not already registered to vote, they can go to our website, www.brazosvotes.org, or go up to the voter registration office of William J. Bryan Parkway in the tax building," said elections coordinator Jaime Hines.

Although a student attends Texas A&M, they may not be registered to vote in Brazos County.

"No matter where they're from, if they want to change and actually vote here in Brazos County, they have until Oct. 6 to do it," Hines said. "That will cancel them out wherever they were and let them vote here, where they can actually go to the polls on election day or during early voting."

If students want to maintain voter status in their home county, there are ways to vote and make it count.

"If they are registered in their home county, and they do not want to switch their voter registration status over to Brazos County, they can do one of two things," Hines said. "They can either vote by mail, which means they need to submit an application from their home county for ballot by mail. They have until Oct. 28 to get that application into their county and their ballot has to be to their county by Election Day.

"The other way they can vote is limited ballot, which can only be done during early voting and only at the courthouse. It cancels their status for where they were registered before," he said.

A fact Hines wanted students to be aware of is if they are not registered in Brazos County, they cannot vote there unless they vote by limited ballot or absentee voting.

"Their last option is to go to their polling place, wherever in Texas that is, or wherever in the United States," he said.

"I would suggest to anyone who is registering to vote in Brazos County that they register in the early vote because that gives them two weeks, late hours and even the weekend to vote in," Hines said. "If they are not going to register here, I would suggest going ahead and contacting [the] county that they are registered in and doing a ballot by mail."

Some students are excited about having the opportunity to vote.

"Yes, I'm voting. I finally have a say in something. I feel usefu,l like my voice can be heard," said Arielle Carchidi, a freshman marine biology major.

Her friend was a little less certain about voting. "I'm registered to vote in Plano, but not in Brazos County. I don't want to have to re-register here. I will vote, but neither candidate really interests me," said sophomore general studies major Collin Penn.

While one student may choose not to vote, others do. "I just want to be able to say I did it. It's not important because it's up to the Electoral College, but I just want to be able to say that I voted," said Ja'Niece Leslie, a sophomore English major.English major.

Early Voting
Early voting takes place at the following times and places:
• Oct. 20 - Oct. 24 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Oct. 25 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Oct. 26 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Oct. 27- Oct. 31 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Brazos County Courthouse - 300 E. 26th St., Ste: 108, Bryan
• Arena Hall - Tabor Road & N. Earl Rudder Freeway, Bryan
• Galilee Baptist Church - 804 N. Logan, Bryan
• Grace Bible Church - Southwood - 1901 Harvey Mitchell Parkway, College Station
• Memorial Student Center (MSC)

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