Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship, on assignment for the Winooski News
Have questions about the Nov. 5 election in Winooski? The Winooski News wants to let you know who can vote, how to vote and where you can get more information about the election and voting process.
How do I know if I’m eligible?
In Vermont, all U.S. citizens 18 and older can vote in local, state and federal elections. To be a citizen, you must either have been born in the U.S. or one of its territories or moved here and been naturalized.
Non-citizens can’t vote in state or federal elections, like the ones coming up in November, but any legal resident of Winooski can vote in local ones. If you live in Winooski and have a green card or a permanent resident visa, you qualify.
How do I check if I’m already registered?
You can visit the state’s My Voter Page to check your voter registration status or contact the Winooski City Clerk’s Office.
How do I register?
Vermont is one of 22 states that allows same-day voter registration for all elections. The deadline for voting and registration is Election Day, Nov. 5. You can register in person at the Winooski City Hall, or online through a state system. You can also register via mail by sending in either a state registration form or the city’s all-resident voter application.
What forms and proof of identity do I need to register?
You need some form of physical ID to register, such as a Vermont driver’s license, non-driver identification card, permanent resident card or proof of residency, school ID, utility bill in your name or the last four digits of your Social Security number.
Where can I vote?
Winooski’s polling place is at the Winooski Senior Center, 123 Barlow Street, open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. It’s an eight-minute walk from downtown and roughly 15 minutes by foot from the outskirts of the city. Bus 9, operated by Green Mountain Transit, runs from downtown Burlington through Winookski’s downtown but will not take you directly to the polling place from the outer edges of Winooksi.
What do I need to bring with me to the polls?
In Vermont, only first-time voters who registered by mail are required to bring ID when they go to vote. Voters may bring information about candidates with them but any clothing or merchandise in support of a candidate will not be allowed inside the polling place.
How do I vote by mail/absentee ballot?
Ballots for the Nov. 5 general election will be automatically mailed out by Oct. 1 to all active registered voters in Vermont.
Those who need their absentee ballot sent somewhere other than the address where they are registered must request that through the city clerk’s office.
All requests for absentee ballots must be submitted by 5 p.m. the day before the election, but a request can be made at any point during the calendar year beforehand. All marked ballots must be mailed to the clerk’s office before it closes the day before the election or to the polling place before 7 p.m. on Election Day.
What if I’m in the military?
Military and overseas voters can request an absentee ballot by telephone, fax, email or mail. Once they are marked, ballots must be mailed to the city clerk. Officials recommend military or overseas voters request an absentee ballot at least 45 days prior to the election. For more information regarding military and overseas voters, visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program.
What if I require voting accommodations?
If you are ill or have a disability, an absentee ballot can be delivered to your home on Election Day. Two justices of the peace (of different parties when possible) will deliver you a ballot, then bring it to the polling place once marked. You may ask them to mark the ballot for you if you.
Vermont also allows citizens to print their ballot at home before mailing it to their local clerk through the state’s My Voter Page.
If you would like to vote in person and require assistance at the polling place, you may bring someone into the voting booth with you or ask an election official for help. You may also contact the city clerk to request accommodations. More information on your rights to accessible voting in Vermont can be found here.
What if I’m in prison or jail?
In Vermont, all incarcerated citizens of the state have the right to vote. Those already registered, including Vermont residents incarcerated out of state, need only to request an absentee ballot from the town they registered in.
If you’re an inmate and haven’t registered to vote in Vermont, you must meet the same criteria as anyone else attempting to register. You must provide your most recent address outside of prison or jail as your address when registering.
What if I am a college student? What if I am registered in another state?
If you’re a college student studying from out of state, request an absentee ballot from your home state’s secretary of state’s office. You can have your ballot sent to your dorm or apartment, just like any other piece of mail. If you are a college student from Vermont studying out of state, the same applies.
If you’re registered in another state but want to register to vote in Vermont, you can. It is not illegal to be registered in two places at once, but it is a felony to vote in more than one state in the same election. You should vote in whichever state you consider your primary home.
Where can I find candidate finances and election results?
How do I find voting information in other languages?
The Vermont Language Justice Project has video guides here.