• Matt Mignanelli

First time voting in Vermont? First time voting, period? Here's what you need to know to participate in this election on or before November 5.

▢ Are you a U.S. citizen, 18 years old or older, who considers Vermont to be your primary residence?
Congratulations — you can vote here! Doesn't matter if you're a college student, homeless or a felon — you're eligible.

▢ You have to register to vote.
You can register in advance of the election by filling out a paper form and mailing it in; going to your town clerk's office in person during business hours; or by using the state's Online Voter Registration System at olvr.vermont.gov. You can check your voter status there, too. You can also register at the polls on Election Day, but why wait?

▢ In some cases, you can choose where you register.
For example, if you just moved to a retirement community, you can remain on the voter checklist where you've always voted or update your registration to reflect your new address. If you're worried about being on the voter rolls because of domestic abuse, sexual violence or stalking, you can use Vermont's Safe at Home program, which provides address confidentiality. Find out more at sos.vermont.gov/secretary-of-state-services/safe-at-home.

▢ You can vote early for any reason.
If you're already registered, you should get a ballot in the mail by the end of September. Fill it out, follow the instructions and mail it in. Or bring it to your town clerk's office during business hours. Or take it to an official ballot drop box. Or bring it with you to the polls on November 5.

▢ If you lost your ballot or never got one in the mail:
You can sign an affidavit, and your town clerk will give you a new one. You can do that at the polls on Election Day, too.

▢ Find your polling place ahead of time if you're going to vote in person on Election Day.
You can check with your town clerk, look at your town website or, if you're already registered to vote, look it up at mvp.vermont.gov.

▢ Remember: You can only vote once.
If you're a college student, you can claim your Vermont apartment as your primary residence and vote here, but you can't also vote in your home state. Ya gotta pick one. Penalties for voter fraud are steep. In Vermont, you risk a $10,000 fine or imprisonment for not more than 15 years — or both.

Got more questions about voter registration?

The website for the Secretary of State's Office, sos.vermont.gov, has answers for almost everything.