Can someone confirm or deny this for me? (m)

[carpe_vinum]

In a conversation with a family member this morning I was asked about Florida A & M. Supposedly college students may register to vote where they go to school, but for some reason students at Florida A & M are not being allowed to do so. Many are minority students, I have no idea what percentage hail from other states. Is this true? If so, it would seem to be a move to suppress minority vote in Florida.

[Carla in Ca]

1. They need to vote by absentee ballot

It solves that problem plus absentee ballots get counted.

[carpe_vinum]

3. That's not what I'm getting at. (m)

I'm thinking of the electoral college. If a student from SC is attending college full time in Florida they can decide whether to register in SC and vote absentee or register in Florida and vote at their local polling place. I should have said, this would seem to be a measure designed to suppress minority voting *in Florida* if students at Florida A&M are being told they must vote absentee.

[ParanoidPat]

6. That's not the point.....

.....Federal law says that they are entitled to vote where they are living while in school. It's their right, and that right is being denied to them. That is the issue not that they have another choice of where they may vote. They are subject to the local laws in effect where they are living, and as such, are entitled to vote to influence those laws and make a choice as to who writes and enacts them.

[TexasSissy]

11. What federal law says that?

What happens when that conflicts with the state's registration laws? (the ones that require residence in the state of so many months)

[ParanoidPat]

29. Symss vs. U.S, 1979, U.S. Supreme Court.....

..... http://www.mckimforsenate.com/votersuppression.htm

Student Voter Intimidation and Suppression

In 2002 there were reports that Republican students at the University of Wisconsin attempted to intimidate other students and tried to prevent them from voting by saying that since they were from out of state, they weren't allowed to vote in Wisconsin. Many are convinced that the same thing will occur this year, but on a larger scale.

This issue is a recurring problem despite the fact that in 1979 the U.S. Supreme Court, in Symss vs. U.S., upheld students' right to vote in the precinct where they live during the school year. While it is true that persons may only legally register to vote from their permanent residence, college students have the right to consider their campus residence as "permanent" for purposes of voter registration.

At George Mason University approximately 2,000 voter registration forms were refused by the Board of Elections because students provided their campus address as their permanent residence. Officials from the Board of Elections confronted the students and berated them into declaring that their college campus addresses were not permanent addresses. When students later confronted the Board of Elections officials, they were informed that the voter registration forms had been "lost". Currently, George Mason students and faculty are considering legal action.

Recent legal actions have been successfully waged by students at Prairie View A&M University (Waller County, Texas), as well as Ouachita Baptist University and Henderson State University (Clark County, Arkansas) upholding the right to register to vote using a campus address as a permanent residence.

<More>

[TexasSissy]

31. I think I see the confusion about this issue?

I think this case refers to students who reside/go to college in a different county, but still are in the same state.

There is a separate issue: Students who attend college out of state, they register with the school as "non-residents" (and pay special fees as non-residents, accordingly). One cannot both be a resident and a non-resident at the same time. I don't think that S.Ct. case is talking about this out of state situation.

But I couldn't find the case directly quickly, so maybe this is incorrect. I just read a couple of things...and nowhere do the examples that I read indicate that students from out of state were involved.

[classof56]

2. I look forward to the answer to your question

But a move to suppress the minority vote in Florida--or anywhere, for that matter--seems to be GOP SOP from what I've heard. Makes me so angry, I can hardly contain myself. Hope you and others rise up in such vehement opposition that things will turn around there, if this is true.

Welcome to DU. I like your avatar!

DEFEAT BUSH!!

[carpe_vinum]

5. Thank you. You've got a pretty cool avatar yourself. (m)

I'm in touch with an organization that is working to combat the paperless voting in several key Florida counties, but they are so focused on that issue they really don't have much time to devote to other voting irregularities. Hence my unfamiliarity with this issue.

I just finished watching "Outfoxed" this afternoon. I'm so angry, I can hardly contain myself.

[classof56]

25. My response exactly after watching "Outfoxed"

What to do with this anger is getting harder all the time. We have vote-by-mail here in Oregon, and I have become a strong supporter, though a lot of folks still aren't too thrilled with it. The ballot counting process is monitored and I'm told anyone can go as an observer. I'm sure it's not perfect, but given the possibilities of fraud in the BBV and other systems, I'll take vote-by-mail every time. I usually deliver mine to the county clerk's office personally, just to be sure there's no "lost in the mail" going on.

Best wishes with your efforts to combat paperless voting. We shall overcome!

DEFEAT BUSH!

[histohoney]

4. I've

heard about this before but about a Texas college.
Is it true? If it is,BIG SHAME on the town. BUT before you decide it is you might check first,sounds like this story is going around.
It may have started out true at one or some locations and is now moving like an urban myth.
Call the School, if it's true call and try to find out what turkey OKed this garbage and give'um what for.

[crispini]

7. I have been repeatedly told

by different people that college students can register and vote either at their universities OR by absentee ballot in their "home" state.

However, I live in Texas, so who knows if this applies to Florida?

[chiburb]

8. No, this makes perfect sense:

MOST college towns don't let students register and vote there unless they're actually residents of that town or county. There would be too much opportunity for students to influence an outcome in a local race or issue when they have no vested interest in the long-term ramifications. Tax or bond issues, zoning laws, etc. are pretty mundane but important to those that do live there. The kids who don't live there shouldn't be voting...

Written as a parent who's made sure his kids registered and voted absentee.

[LTR]

9. I disagree

If these students live in a town for four years or so while attending school, they should be able to speak out in the town where they make their home. I know - I voted in several elections in the town where I attended college. And one of these elections was when I lived in the dorms. And one year we helped to vote out a facist mayor who hated college students, and who won by pandering bullshit to the college crowd (which made up roughly 1/4 of the city).

Anyone who lives in a town should be allowed to vote on things that affect them there. Denying this is illegal.

[chiburb]

12. But if an election is in November, or a primary in March

Why should a senior, who's outta there in 2-7 months be allowed to vote? I hardly think that's fair to the townfolk, to be stuck with an outcome decided by transients.

(Btw, if I disappear it's not cuz I don't want to continue this. But it IS getting close to quitting time! :-) )

[LTR]

16. Same as if someone who lives in town moves away

Fair is fair.

Let's say that a non-college student moves away, does this mean that that person should forfeit their right to vote?

Everyone should have the right to vote on election day, and shouldn't have to go out of their way to do so.

[chiburb]

21. Hey RT: Davsand says it for me in this thread...

Illinois forum, the subject is Greens getting on the ballot in a college town, but her point here is the one I'm trying to make in response to you. Hope to check in later:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=150&topic_id=657&mesg_id=699&page=

[LTR]

22. Good point, but...

...like it or not, college students are part of the community. They live there, eat there, spend their money there. They have just as much say in local politics as someone who is not connected to the school.

I, for one, would have been furious if I was unable to take part in local politics just because my parents lived a hundred miles away. When I was in college, I had some opinions on what happened in town, and so did many other students.

If local politicians want to succeed in a college town, they must reach out. Often, colleges are a major part of these cities. If Dems want to get student votes, tell 'em to get off their asses and reach out to the college community. If I were running for office there, a college campus would be a goldmine! Especially for Democrats!

[carpe_vinum]

17. With our transient society, how is that any different from someone...(m)

who isn't attending college? I stayed at the same school for four years. After that I lived in four different states in a matter of five years. I was registered to vote and actively participated in local, state and federal races wherever I was. I was a more stable resident as a student than I was as a graduate.

[carpe_vinum]

13. I agree and beyond that...(m)

I think voting regulations ought to be consistent throughout a state university system.

I attended college out of state and being a resident there for 3/4 of the year translated into local politics around the college town affecting me far more than what was happening back at my parent's home town.

[HFishbine]

26. A town can have its own election laws?

News to me.

[ParanoidPat]

28. It's a matter of interpretation.....

.....when you mention things like, "There would be too much opportunity for students to influence an outcome in a local race or issue when they have no vested interest in the long-term ramifications." you ignore the fact that tax and bond issues, zoning laws and the like can greatly affect the ability for many to even attend a good school.

http://www.syracuse.com/news/poststandard/index.ssf?/base/news-1/109576316750770.xml

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1979 that students can vote where they go to school. But the courts left it up to local officials to decide what constitutes residency for college students.

Here's how New York election law defines it: "The term 'residence' shall be deemed to mean that place where a person maintains a fixed, permanent and principal home and to which he, wherever temporarily located, always intends to return.' "

The law also specifies that voters can't gain or lose "residence" while enrolled in institutions such as most colleges.

[Anaxamander]

10. I can tell you it's false

I'm sitting in the Florida A&M College of Engineering building right now (I work here) and just downstairs there's a booth where students can register to vote.

[carpe_vinum]

14. Thank you! I will inform my family member who was questioning this. (nt)

[NMDemDist2]

15. check out this website about campus voters

http://www.rockthevote.com/home.php

[carpe_vinum]

19. Thanks! (nt)

[MallRat]

18. As long as you remove yourself from other states' rolls, you're OK.

n/t

[carpe_vinum]

20. I was wondering if that was where the confusion arose. (m)

Someone said something to someone else about not being able to register to vote but declined to mention that it was because he/she was already registered at home. *shrug* These things have a way of snowballing. I figured I'd clear it up before yet another rumor swept through my acquaintances.

Nice avatar. Go Pats!

[tanyev]

23. I registered to vote where I went to college

It was just a couple counties away, but I lived in the dorms. Since I lived there 9 months of the year, it felt more like home and the place where I grew up was a place I visited on occasional weekends.

My first experience with voter apathy: My senior year was Reagan vs Mondale. A lot of us student teachers were going away to do our student teaching and would be gone for election day. I found out all the information to do absentee voting, since I was determined to get Reagan out of office. I asked the professor if I could share the info with the class. She hadn't thought about our leaving preventing us from voting, so she was glad to let me talk. I gave my little spiel, and not one person came up to get the information from me. Slack-jawed indifference. I should have known then that Reagan was going to win.

[roseBudd]

24. Florida A&M should be ground zero for registering and motivating

young voters. Contact Young Voter alliance and http://votemob.org

[bobbyboucher]

30. Somebody conned a bunch of FAMU and Bethune-Cookman

students in 2000. Both schools are traditionally African-American schools and somebody registered a bunch of kids in 2000 on campus, but come to find out they weren't registered when they went to vote on election day. I guess they forgot to turn in the names.

[nancyharris]

27. From the state of Florida Divison of Elections

In order to register to vote, a person must:

Be a U.S. citizen;
Be a Florida resident;
Be 18 years old (you may pre-register if you are 17);
Not now be adjudicated mentally incapacitated with respect to voting in Florida or any other state;
Not have been convicted of a felony in Florida, or any other state, without your civil rights having been restored;
Submit your valid Florida driver's license number or Florida identification card number. If you do not have either of these, you must provide the last four digits of your Social Security number.