October deadline approaches for Indiana voter registration

"Voting registration forms up front" is scrawled across the chalkboard at the front of Room 126, the main lecture hall in the chemistry building.\nBut students and local residents who want to vote in the November 2000 elections don't have to attend a course in chemistry.\nAccording to the Bloomington Voter Registration Office, U.S. citizens at least 18 years old can register at the Municipal Building at College and Seventh streets and at the Monroe County License Bureau at Sixth and Morton streets, the Monroe County Courthouse and the Monroe County Public Library. \n"Many, many groups are out registering voters and making sure everyone has a chance to register," said Monroe County Clerk Pat Haley. "In addition to that, both parties -- and I should say third parties -- have picked up voter registration forms and are registering voters."\nRepublican candidates are campaigning door-to-door three days a week, carrying registration forms, said Monroe County Republican Chairperson Pat Salzmann. \nSalzmann said that besides registering voters, the door-to-door drive "gives (candidates) a chance to meet the public, hear what they have to say and get out their own literature as well."\nRepublican candidates and volunteers are also using local festivals as voter registration and campaigning opportunities.\n"We do make the effort at the different festivals and things that are going on where people might not have access to information," Salzmann said, adding that the GOP will be at the Stone Quarry Festival in Steinsville this weekend.\nMonroe County's Democratic campaign coordinator, Matt Weber, said the democrats are also using their door-to-door drive as a way to get residents involved, with candidates carrying registration materials and absentee ballots. \n"Obviously the county party makes voter registration a priority so non-voters can get involved, " said Weber.\nWeber said the county Democratic candidates have been "at practically every fair and festival this summer," registering voters and distributing fliers, and also have a table set up every saturday at the farmer's market in the Showers building.\nThose interested can visit the Democratic headquarters at 712 N. Walnut, or the Republican headquarters at 644 N. Morton St., where registration forms are available. \nThe Internet has become a major source for information on the registration process and offers online registration. Haley said there has not been a noticeable increase in registration because of the Internet accessibility, but said the online process is important: this year is the first time voters can register online.\nRock the Vote, at www.rockthevote.com, has posted information regarding the upcoming election with a link for online registration. The online registration process through election.com allows voters to complete the form and send it electronically for processing. Absentee ballots can also be requested through the site.\nFox News created a state-by-state online guide to registering for this year's election. The guide includes information on election dates, registration deadlines, links to each state's voter information page and a link to the Web site on the National Mail Registration Voter Form, which allows a U.S. citizen to vote anywhere in the United States. The Web site is available at www.foxnews.com/elections/contenders/voter_reg.sml.\nThe Administration and Cost of Elections Project uses its site, www.aceproject.org, as an "educational site" on elections. The site includes information on candidates and how to register.\nFreedomchannel.com offers a similar site with state by state information and online registration request forms. The site also includes lists of candidates with links to biographies about those running and video statements by candidates on major issues in the elections. The Web site can be accessed at www.freedomchannel.com/voterreg/index.cfm.\nEach state has its own deadline for registering to vote and for absentee ballot requests which is posted on the Internet. For potential voters in Indiana, registration ends Oct. 10.\nHaley said two problems plague the registration process: penmanship on mail-in registration forms and changing addresses of registered voters.\nBad handwriting makes it difficult to enter the information from voter registration forms correctly into the computer, Haley said. Clear handwriting or typing forms can make the process easier.\nOnce a voter is registered moving can cause a bigger problem. Haley said voters must notify the registration office "technically, legally, when you move even across the street."\nMoves, even over short distances, can change a voter's precinct, Haley said. If the registration office is not notified in writing, the voter remains on the list in the former precinct -- a situation which can cause the precinct to become full, because of a cap on the number of voters per precinct.\n"We have literally thousands of people on our voting list," Haley said, many of whom are not living in the precinct.