Registration is the first step in the process. If a student is a United States citizen, a resident of Michigan and is 18 or older, he or she is eligible to vote in the Nov. 4 general election in Michigan. Students registering for the first time should keep in mind that they must be a resident in the city or township where they are applying to register to vote. Registration is an important part of the voting process and the deadline is coming up quick. Students who are not registered need to do so by Monday.

Students can find out if they are registered and where they are registered to vote by visiting www.michigan.gov/vote. If not registered, students living within the jurisdiction of the city of East Lansing who wish to vote in person on Election Day in East Lansing can register to vote at the East Lansing City Clerk’s Office, 410 Abbot Road.

It is important to note that by registering to vote in East Lansing, students’ legal address on their driver’s license will be updated to reflect their East Lansing address. A sticker with their new address will be sent through the mail by the Secretary of State office; however, the sticker is not necessary on Election Day. If students do not receive their sticker prior to Nov. 4, records still will indicate they are a resident of East Lansing if they have registered to vote in East Lansing.

Absentee ballots — otherwise known as mail-in voting — are the easy answer for those students who would rather vote in their hometown on Election Day, but may not be able to go there in person to do so. Students who have voted in at least one previous Michigan election or have registered to vote in person at a Secretary of State office in Michigan, can download an absentee ballot request form from www.michigan.gov/vote and mail it to a local clerk’s office. Absentee ballot applications must be submitted by 2 p.m. Nov. 1 and an absentee ballot must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day to be counted. The one catch to absentee ballot voting is first-time voters MUST register in person in order to vote by mail. First-time voters should register in person with their local clerk or stop by the closest Secretary of State office — a branch is located in downtown East Lansing at 400 Albert Ave. — to register in person by Monday.

Another last-minute stop for registration will also be available outside of the Auditorium on Farm Lane from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday. The MSU YouVote program will host a Secretary of State Mobile Voter Registration van in the parking lot outside of the Auditorium for all students who may have let the registration deadline sneak up on them. The van will allow students maximum flexibility in where they want to register and vote in the upcoming election. Students can learn more about the Secretary of State Mobile Voter Registration van by visiting www.youvote.msu.edu.

Education is the next step in the process. Once you’ve registered, it’s time to get educated on the candidates and their perspectives on different issues. The Internet is a great tool for voter education. Students are encouraged to check out the Web sites for the respective candidates and issues on the Nov. 4 ballot. Remember, it’s important to know who you are voting for and what you are supporting.

Finally, it’s time for participation. Whether you vote at one of East Lansing’s 17 precincts on Election Day, travel to a polling location back home or cast your vote through the mail, just remember your voice is your vote.

As the Nov. 4 election date nears, we encourage students to start thinking about their REP. Voting can be confusing, so if you still have questions, these are some good sites to visit: www.youvote.msu.edu, www.cityofeastlansing.com and www.michigan.gov/vote. The East Lansing City Clerk’s Office also can be reached with additional questions at (517) 319-6914.

Good luck, and happy voting.

Nathan Triplett is an East Lansing City Council member. Reach him at ntriplett@cityofeastlansing.com.

Nicole Evans is the East Lansing city clerk. Reach her at nevans@cityofeastlansing.com.