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How to Register to Vote Citizens are eligible to vote in the town where they physically reside if they:
Citizens must complete and sign an application called Application for Addition to the Checklist, which can be obtained from the Town Clerk's Office. The application must be postmarked, submitted or accepted at the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles or at the Town Clerk's Office on or before the second Saturday before an election. If you have previously taken the Voter's Oath, you can do all this yourself without a notary public or other proper official. You, the applicant, are responsible for ensuring that your application is delivered to the City Clerk. You can mail it, deliver it yourself or ask someone else to deliver it for you. You are not automatically registered to vote just by filing the application. Your local election board, known as the Board of Civil Authority, must review your application to be sure you meet the eligibility requirements. The Board will notify you in writing whether or not they have approved your application. The Board usually does not meet until shortly before a local or state election. If the Board finds you are not eligible, the Board must state the reason, and give you a chance to be reconsidered. If you are still denied and believe you have a right to vote in your town, you can then appeal to any superior or district judge in your county through a simple and informal process that does not require a lawyer or filing fee. Taking the Voter's Oath If you are registering for the first time in Vermont, you need to take the Voter's Oath. Go to the City Clerk's Office, or take the oath from a notary, justice of the peace, city council member, judge, court clerk, any commissioned officer in the Unites States Armed Forces, or other official with the power to administer oaths. If you don't have the oath administered to you when you fill out the application, check the line stating that you have not yet taken the oath. You may take the oath that the polling place on the day of election. Be sure the official fills in and signs the box on the front of the application. Remember that you have to take the Voter's Oath only once, even if you move to another town in Vermont or move out of Vermont and then return. If you are not eligible to vote but will qualify before the polls close on the next election day, you can file a written intent to apply for addition to the checklist before the second Saturday before election day and be added to the checklist after you qualify in time to vote. You may use this application as that written statement of intent, but you must wait until you are qualified before taking the Voter's Oath. After you are qualified, you will have to take the Voter's Oath before actually voting -- either from an official at the polling place on election day or from your town clerk, a notary or other proper official. Be sure that the person who gives you the Oath signs a statement for you to give to the City Clerk indicating that you took the Voter's Oath and on what date the Oath was taken. Links (Documents and outside links will open in a separate window)
Contacts
Updated February 29, 2008
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