College Student Registration
College students have some unique questions when registering to vote. Should you register where you go to school or “back home”?
Arizona is considered a “battleground state” so your vote may matter more here. Also local elections affect things that students encounter in daily life, like traffic, parks, housing availability, and healthcare.
Students may register and vote in their home state if that is important to you. You can only vote in one state.
Students can register at age 17 if you will be 18 by election day.
When registering, you will be asked for two addresses: the address where you live and your mailing address. Many students will need to check with campus officials to get their PO Box. Currently all election mail is snail mail so remember to check your snail mail box.
If a student will be out of town during any election, you should make sure you are registered to receive a ballot by mail. You should then contact the County Elections Office to ask them to mail, for example, the Primary Election ballot to your summer address.
If a student does not provide Proof of Citizenship, you will be registered as a Federal Only voter, meaning you will only be able to vote for Federal level offices.
Identification Needed for Students
Students who have an Arizona drivers license or non-operating identification card issued after October 1, 1996 will just need to list the license number on box 9 of the paper voter registration form or use the online registration tool here.
If your Arizona Driver’s license does not match where you currently live, you must use a paper form to register.
If you have an Out-of-State ID, you must use the paper form to register. A paper form can be downloaded from here. You will also have to provide Proof of Citizenship to the County Recorder’s Office. More information about that process below.
If you have a Driver’s ID from MI, MN, NY, VT, and WA, that is an acceptable proof of citizenship.
For other states or if you do not have a driver’s license, you can take a picture of your birth certificate OR the page in your passport with your photo on it and email that photo to the County Elections office.
Other supporting legal documentation include a marriage certificate if the name on the birth certificate is not the same as your current legal name
U.S. naturalization documents work: just fill in your Alien Registration Number in box 11 on the voter registration form
Your Indian Census Number, Bureau of Indian Affairs Card Number, Tribal Treaty Card Number, or your Tribal Enrollment Number filled in box 10 on the voter registration form works as well.
A legible photocopy of your Tribal Certificate of Indian Blood or Tribal or Bureau of Indian Affairs Affidavit of Birth can also be used.
What to do if you have an Out of State ID
The online voter registration option for the State of Arizona requires a driver’s license or state ID, which many out of state college students do not have. Therefore, they are unable to register online and must use a paper form.
Paper forms can be acquired from your local county recorder’s office. There is also a form available to be downloaded online and printed from home at the Secretary of State’s website under “Register/Update by Mail”.
Instructions for how to fill out a paper voter registration form in Arizona
The Arizona Voter Registration Form has 24 fields, but only 7 of them are required. We recommend filling out a few of the additional fields. More information is below. * notes a required field.
Box 1: Permanent Early Voter List
This is now actually called the Active Early Voter List and more information about it can be found here. We recommend registering for the Early Voter List so that you automatically receive a ballot by mail for each election. You do not necessarily have to use your mail-in ballot if you prefer to vote at the polls on or before Election Day, but receiving the ballot early gives you the chance to research who and what you are being asked to vote for.
Check the “Yes” box to be added to the Early Voter List
*Box 2: Legal Name
Enter your legal first and last name (last name first). You do not neede to include a Middle Name or Suffix, but you can.
*Boxes 3-6: Residential Address
This should be the address where you physically reside. Remember to include Apt, Lot, or Space Number in Box 4, if applicable.
Box 7: Mailing Address
This should be the address where you receive mail. For many people, especially college students and rural voters, that may be a PO Box. Remember to include city, state, and zip code if they are different from your physical residential address.
Boxes 8-11: Proof of Citizenship
These 4 boxes are intended for you to choose a way to identify your citizenship. The options are:
Box 8: Social Security Number
Box 9: AZ Driver’s License or State ID Number
Box 10: Tribal ID Number
Box 11: Alien Registration, Nationalization Certificate, or Citizenship Certificate Number
Only fill in the fields that are relevant for you.
Note: In addition to these fields, if you do not have an Arizona Driver’s License or State ID Number, you will need to submit proof of citizenship in order to be able to vote a complete ballot. See information above on Identification Needed for Students.
*Box 12: Date of Birth
Box 13: Sate or Country of Birth
This is an optional field that you can fill in to provide more demographic data for the Secretary of State. It is not a requirement to complete this box.
Box 14: Party Preference
This is the field where you can select a political party to be affiliated with. If you are registered with a specific party (Republican, Democrat, Green, Libertarian, No Labels, etc.), you will automatically receive the ballot for that party in the Primary Election (either by mail if you sign up for the Early Voter List or at the polling location if you vote in person).
The “Other” field here is referring to other political parties that are recognized in the State of Arizona, such as Green, Libertarian, or No Labels.
If you choose “None or No Party” or do not fill in this field, you will automatically be registered as “Other” Party, meaning you are an Independent. When you receive your voter registration card, it will list your party as “O” for “Other”.
As an Independent, you can choose which party’s primary you would like to vote in.
If you are on the Early Voter List, you will receive a postcard from the County Recorder before the Primary Election (scheduled for July 30th for 2024) asking which party’s ballot you would like to receive. Return that postcard and that ballot will come to you by mail. You may only vote in one party’s primary.
If you vote in person for the Primary Election, you will be asked which ballot you would like to vote on and that ballot will be provided to you at the polling location/vote center.
Box 15: Telephone Number
We recommend filling in this optional field as it gives the County Recorder the ability to contact you more quickly than by mail. For this reason, we also recommend putting your phone number on your mail-in ballot before returning it. If there is an issue with your ballot or your registration, the County Recorder’s Office will call you to resolve it as quickly as possible.
Box 16: Occupation
Optional field, used for demographic data
Box 17: Former State You Were Registered to Vote In
If you previously lived in another US State and were registered to vote there, you can fill in this optional field and include your previous county and state both.
Box 18: Former Name(s)
If your legal name has changed, you may fill in this optional field.
Box 19: Father’s Name or Mother’s Maiden Name
This field is optional.
Box 20: Work a Polling Place on Election Day
If you are interested in potentially working the polls on Election Day, check “yes” in this box. This is an optional opportunity to become more familiar with the electoral process. Poll Workers are paid positions under the County Recorder’s Office.
Box 21: Email
This is an optional field to give the County Recorder another way to contact you.
*Box 22: Voting Requirements
Are you a citizens of the United States of America?
Only citizens of the United States may vote in US Elections. You must check “yes” for this box before submitting this form. If you are not a citizen, you will not be able to vote and there is no need to submit this form.
Will you be at least 18 years old by Election Day?
You must be at least 18 years of age to register to vote in the United States. You must check “yes” for this box before submitting this form. If you are not going to be 18 by Election Day, there is no need to submit this form.
Even if you are currently 17, if you will be 18 by the date of the next General Election (typically in November), you can register to vote.
Signature
You must sign this form before submitting it.
Date
The date must be included for the form to be valid.
Box 23: No Street Address
This is an optional field for people that do not have a physical street address. You may draw a map or provide the latitude and longitude of your physical address here.
Box 24: Assistance Filling Out Form
If you are unable complete or sign this form, the person who assists you must sign here and provide the date.
Once you have completed the Voter Registration form, it should be mailed to your County Recorder. See the list below for the mailing address and contact information for your county.