Deadline to register to vote is Oct. 11
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FROM STAFF REPORTS
BURNET COUNTY — If you haven’t been paying attention, here’s a quick note: The closely run 2016 presidential election comes down to who votes on Nov. 8 (or before during early voting). But if you aren’t registered, you don’t get a say in who the next president is or even who the next congressman and state representative are.
That’s because unless you’re registered to vote, it doesn’t matter if you’re Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, or an independent because you won’t get to step in the booth and cast a ballot.
Fortunately, you still have time to register.
The deadline for registering to vote in the Nov. 8 general election is Tuesday, Oct. 11.
And it’s not that tough of a process. In fact, it’s a lot easier and less invasive than giving blood, if you’ve done that lately.
Registering to vote is as easy as picking up a voter registration form (available from the county clerk’s or county elections office, a number of other locations, and even online). Then fill it out and send it in or drop it off.
There are some requirements for registering to vote. These include:
• You must register to vote in the county in which you reside.
• You must be a citizen of the United States.
• You must be at least 17 years and 10 months old to register, and you must be 18 years of age by election day.
• You must not be convicted of a felony, or if you are a felon, you must have completed all of your punishment, including any term of incarceration, parole, supervision, or period of probation, or you must have received a pardon.
There are a few other instructions, but it’s a fairly simple procedure.
While you might think, “My vote doesn’t matter,” that’s not true, Every vote matters because it’s about you having a role in the country’s leadership and future. Plus, many issues and candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot are state and local ones. In some of those elections, it might come down to just a few votes that make the difference.
In Granite Shoals, residents will determine a deer feeding ordinance and other items that directly affect them. In Marble Falls, there are several charter amendments on the ballot, Now, charter amendments aren’t exactly as exciting as a presidential election, but for Marble Falls residents, those issues can influence how their city operates.
Plus, Horseshoe Bay has a city council election on the ballot as well. These are the people who will directly affect the future of that community.
Your vote, your voice in the democratic process, does count.
Check your county elections or clerk’s office for election and voting information. Those websites are burnetcountytexas.org, co.llano.tx.us, and co.blanco.tx.us. You can also go votetexas.gov for election and voting information as well as voter registration information.
editor@thepicayune.com