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With exactly three weeks until the 2012 presidential election, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh leaders are urging students to get prepared to vote.

“A long standing UW Oshkosh point of pride is the large numbers of our students who get out and vote,” said UW Oshkosh Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Petra Roter in a recent email to the student body. “We encourage all our students to continue to be civically engaged and to be active and informed voters.”

And being an “active and informed voter” means students need to know the facts.

First, students should understand where they can vote leading up to and on the Nov. 6 Election Day. For those who live on campus, Albee Hall is the designated polling place. For students who live off-campus in a different ward or precinct, visit the City of Oshkosh’s website for details on where to vote. Students are encouraged to double-check their polling places, as some have changed recently, Roter said.

Next, to vote in Wisconsin, all voters need to register. Wisconsin voters can register at the polls on the day-of as long as proof of residency is provided.

Proof of residency can include documents such as a Wisconsin driver’s license, identification cards issues by a Wisconsin governmental body, a check-cashing or courtesy card, a real estate tax bill or receipt, bank statements with an up-to-date address or gas, electric or phone service statements from the period not earlier than 90 days prior to the election. Students can also use a Student Voter Verification form for proof of residency. Student Voter Verification can be found on TitanWeb under “personal information.”

While voters in Wisconsin are able to register at their polling location on Election Day, preregistration is also an option. Ways to get registered include:

  • By mail, up to 20 days before the election. Forms are available on the Government Accountability Board website and the Voter Public Access website, as well as on the City Clerk’s website. Those who are first-time voters in the state must provide proof of residency.
  • By a Special Registration Deputy (SRDs). SRDs are trained by some municipalities to collect voter registration forms. SRDs will be working tables in Reeve Memorial Union through Oct. 17. Proof of residency is not needed.
  • In the municipal clerk’s office during the open registration period. If registered with the municipal clerk 20 days or more before the election, proof of residency is not needed.
  • In the municipal clerk’s office during the closed registration period. If registered with the municipal clerk less than 20 days before the election, proof of residency is needed. Registration ends the Friday before the election at 5 p.m.

 

Roter said she encourages students to register early to save time on Election Day.

Students who are registered to vote in Oshkosh and wish to vote early can do so at the Oshkosh Convention Center, 2 N. Main St., Oct. 22-26 and Oct. 30-Nov. 2 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 6; city polling places are open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.

In closing, Roter said: “Get out and vote!”

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