Students have convenient options to vote in election

Publication Date: 10/22/2008

Purdue University is proud that several thousand of its students have stepped forward to exercise one of the greatest rights and responsibilities of citizenship in the United States ' voting. Voter registration in Tippecanoe County has surged by nearly 12,000 since May.

To make it easier for our students, Purdue and Tippecanoe County have set up a system that will accept Purdue student identification cards as proof of residence. Poll workers will compare the student ID with a Purdue database to confirm the individual is a current student. This overcomes problems encountered last spring when Purdue identification cards could not be accepted because they do not have expiration dates. Poll workers also will accept a government-issued photo ID such as an Indiana driver's license or U.S. passport, which have expiration dates.

From now until Election Day, students can opt to vote early at the county courthouse. From Oct. 25 to Nov. 2, students also can opt to vote early at several locations, including branches of the Pay Less grocery stores on U.S. 52 West, Beck Lane and Greenbush Avenue, and Faith Community Center on State Road 26 East. Students also can vote early via absentee ballot either here in Tippecanoe County or in their home county, depending on where they are registered to vote.

On Nov. 4, voters can go any of the 20 computerized voting centers in locations on both sides of the Wabash River. Polls particularly convenient to the Purdue community will be located in Purdue Memorial Union and at the neighboring Morton Community Center.

Pablo Malavenda

Staff