As students turn 18, they are able to join the political process by voting. Unfortunately, not many understand the process and are turned off by the idea of going through it. However, what students fail to realize is that voting is not as tedious or intimidating as it may seem.

To be able to vote you need to be registered. You can get registered both online and in person, with online being the easier option. At https://webservices.sos.state.tx.us/vrapp/index.asp you can fill out the form online, all you have to do is print it and send it to your county Voter Registrar, whose address will be given to you once you finish the form. You can do it in person as well, by driving to the office and filling out the form there, but it needs to be done at least 30 days before the election. Although other states allow people to register up until election day, Texas is more strict.

You can check to see if you are registered to vote by going on votetexas.org. If you are registered to vote, it will take you to a page that shows you dates of upcoming elections, and where you can go to vote for them. For example, it will say that the primaries are on March 3rd, and will show you that you can vote at Centennial High School that day from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. March 3rd is on a Tuesday, so coordinate with your B-Day teachers to see if they will allow you out of class to vote.

On the day of the vote, ensure that you are prepared. All you need is a photo ID which hasn’t been expired for longer than four years. If you do not have a photo ID, they will not let you vote, so don’t forget it. Also, be sure you plan ahead when you will vote and be ready; if you have work in the afternoon you should plan to vote in the morning, and vice versa. 

As a bonus, it is important to be an educated voter. Research all your options and vote for whichever candidate best represents your interests.