Right to vote

By Mallory Panuska
Times West Virginian

FAIRMONT April 01, 2008 06:09 pm

— The right and privilege to vote is something that every American automatically acquires when they turn 18.
But knowing the right steps to take to participate in representative democracy is a bit more complicated than having a birthday.
Typically, the process starts at the county clerk’s office. In Marion County, County Clerk Janice Cosco said residents who want to vote can come to her office at the courthouse and obtain a voting card.
She said that people can also pick up cards in other public or government buildings and sometimes there are voter registration drives held at local high schools and colleges.
To register, Cosco said the resident must provide proof of identification, such as a driver’s license, passport, or other photo ID, and proof of residency within the county.
Then the voter must pick a party. With education on the parties sometimes difficult to receive, Cosco said many people will register under the same party as their parents, friends or other relatives. But regardless of how a resident learns about the candidates and the parties, Cosco emphasized that it is ultimately his or her choice.
“It is difficult,” Cosco said of learning which party to choose. “Sometimes they can learn from TV, books, and magazines around and sometimes candidates will have pamphlets and things that they hand out with the choices and why they are running on the ticket they are running on.”
Typically, residents register either Democrat or Republican, the two main parties in the country. But those who are unsure will oftentimes register Independent, which allows them a little more leniency in their voting choice.
And once they choose a party and completely fill out the card, the voter is given a polling place based on where they live.
“When (residents) register to vote, they are assigned to a precinct within their residential area,” Cosco said. “On their voter registration card it tells them what their precinct number it is and the location. And once they register they are sent a letter telling them where their polling place is.”
From there, the voter is ready to cast his or her ballot, which can be done either on the designated election day or during the specified early voting period.
In Marion County, early voting for the upcoming May primary begins April 23 and lasts through May 10. Anyone who wishes to participate in early voting can come to the Al Babcock room on the first floor of the J. Harper Meredith Building and cast a ballot from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The actual primary election is set for May 13.
For registration, Cosco said the deadline for postcards to be accepted in Marion County is April 25 and the last day to come in and register is May 22. She encouraged anyone who is not already registered to register before these dates to be counted in the primary.
Locally, Cosco said voting is done electronically with Ivotronic voting machines, and voters can view their choices when they come out of the polls to ensure they were correctly documented.
And in the coming elections, both with the primary in May and the general election in November, Cosco said that she hopes more people will come out and vote then ever.
“I think there is a lot of interest,” she said of the upcoming elections.
She said it is important to vote because every vote counts and by voting, people can take part in their government and can help make the choices that run this country, whether it be at the local, state or national level.
“It’s what our country was founded on-Democracy. That’s what makes our country so great,” Cosco said. “I would like to ask every voter to vote, to exercise a privilege that not very many countries have. We are very blessed in the United States of America to have this privilege.”
E-mail Mallory Panuska at mpanuska@timeswv.com.

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