Out of State Students

• Registering and getting a mail-in-ballot is straightforward in most states.
• You will be voting for candidates and initiatives that matter to you at the place you've lived the longest, and to which you might plan on returning after college.
• If you've followed politics at home, options on the ballot will appear more familiar and might require less research.
• People at home can help you understand local issues and remind you of deadlines in your home state, etc.
• Each state has different registration and voting processes, but our State Specific resource has information on the basic logistics of voting in each US state.

• If you haven't registered and arranged for your out-of-state absentee ballot yet, there can be many time-consuming steps you need to take to ensure that your registration and absentee ballot are completed and submitted properly and on-time.
• Depending on the state, it may be impossible to register and get an absentee ballot while residing in San Diego.
• It requires extra effort and diligence on your part to ensure that registration and absentee ballot are completed and submitted properly and on-time. YOU need to know your own deadlines, which can be difficult to keep track of.
• You will not be voting for candidates and initiatives for the place you go to school (and spend the majority of your time!)
• It is not difficult to vote in San Diego!
  • You only need your social security number and local address.
  • Registration forms can be easily found on-campus or online.
  • California accepts student IDs as a valid form of identification.

The USD Votes team has compiled information on every state's specific rules.

You can also use a website like TurboVote or RockTheVote to walk you through the process.