University of Virginia Library

Permanent Registration

Registration in Virginia is permanent. Any
move within the city or county must be
reported to the Registrar, and any move
within the state must be proved by a
Certification of Transfer from the voter's
former Registrar and given to the Registrar in
the voter's new locality before the registration
deadline. This does not require re-registering.

The leaders of the registration drive
emphasize that it is only required that the voter
be 21 years old by Election Day, not by
registration.

Due to the Voting Rights Act passed this
summer, 18-year-olds will also be eligible to
vote after January 1, 1971. Although those
between the ages of 18 and 21 may not vote in
November, they can register to vote now.

A major source of confusion to students is
met in trying to acquire absentee ballots. An
absentee ballot must be used if a person wants
to vote and he will be outside his home district
on Election Day.

In order to get an absentee ballot, a person
must first be registered to vote. Then he should
obtain an application for an absentee ballot
from any registrar, fill it out, and return it to
his own registrar no less than five days before
the election.

An absentee ballot will then be sent to the
voter, who must open, mark, and seal his ballot
in the presence of a Notary Public and then
return it before the polls close on Election Day.

Besides these numerous complications of the
registration and voting procedures, the city of
Charlottesville and especially Albemarle County
have made them even more difficult for
University students.

For instance, in Albemarle County, a
student must sign an affidavit affirming that
not only does he meet the normal residence
requirements but he also plans to remain in the
county at least a year after the completion of
his studies.