By Marjorie Menzi
I’m calling all 18 year olds or those who will be 18 on or before Nov. 3. Their vote could help to decide who will be the next president of the United States. And, if they turn 18 on or before Nov. 3 and register to vote at least 30 days before the election, they will be qualified to vote the entire ballot including for the candidates for the U .S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, state House of Representatives and ballot initiatives. All American citizens who have reached the age of 18 may register and vote for the president and vice president at the election polls on Election Day even if they haven’t previously registered to vote.
If they think that they were registered to vote when your family’s PFD application was submitted, it is important for them to know that while those who turned 18 by the time their family submitted their PFD application for 2019 are automatically registered to vote unless they decided to opt out from automatic voter registration, those who turned 18 after that date are not automatically registered. But fortunately, it is very easy to register.
People can go to the Division of Elections web page at https://www.elections.alaska.gov/. The page tells you all you need to know to fill in a voter registration form and become a voter. Be sure to inform yourself on the candidates and the ballot issues which are on the web site now and a sample ballot will be available for you to look at 50 days before the November 3 General Election.
Our congratulations to 18 year olds as they start to exercise their civic right and responsibility as a citizen of the United States.
• Marjorie Menzi is a member of the League of Women Voters. Columns, My Turns and Letters to the Editor represent the view of the author, not the view of the Juneau Empire. Have something to say? Here’s how to submit a My Turn or letter.