Primary elections season continues

Primary election season continues, with about 20 states yet to have voters cast their ballots to see who will vie for elected offices on the fall ballot. Professional drivers who are registered to vote should make the effort to cast their ballots.

Although primary elections typically don’t receive the same attention as the fall election, they can be just as important, if not more. Primary ballots can include a variety of issues, and many are of significance to the trucking industry.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, two-thirds of all states offer no-excuse absentee voting. The remaining one-third of states offer absentee voting as long as voters provide an eligible excuse. Eight states conduct voting exclusively by mail. They are: California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Vermont and Washington.

Nine states permit some elections to be conducted entirely by mail.

“All-mail elections” permit registered voters to choose to return a ballot by mail. However, voters can choose to instead access in-person voting on Election Day.

Primary season continues

As of the first of August, 31 states have wrapped up their primaries with focus shifting solely to the November election.

There are 14 states with primaries scheduled for August.

Arizona, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri and Washington hold primaries on Aug. 2. Tennessee holds its primary on Aug. 4. Connecticut, Minnesota, Vermont and Wisconsin primaries are on Aug. 9. In Hawaii, the primary is Aug. 13. Alaska and Wyoming follow suit on Aug. 16. The Florida primary is Aug. 23.

Four more states have primaries set for September. The Massachusetts primary is Sept. 6. Delaware, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island follow suit on Sept. 13.

Primary season wraps up in Louisiana on Nov. 8.

Registration deadlines

Truckers who are not registered to vote should act soon to ensure their voices are heard this fall. The first round of state registration deadlines is quickly approaching.

For most states, you can register to vote in person or online. Depending on your state, you may be able to print your registration form from a website or pick one up in person from the state department of motor vehicles, local board of elections office, post office, library or other locations designated by state officials.

Each state has a different deadline for voter registration. Fifteen states require registration 28-30 days before Election Day – Nov. 8. This year the deadline is by Oct. 9. They are Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

There are 11 states with registration deadlines 20-27 days before Election Day. They are Delaware, Kansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia.

Five more states have a registration deadline up to 15 days before Election Day. The states are Alabama, Montana, Nebraska, Pennsylvania and South Dakota.

If you live in one of the above mentioned states it is a good idea to have your registration submitted before the earliest deadline date listed.

There are 18 states that also offer same-day registration – California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming – which means you can register and vote at the same time, but only if you have a photo ID with your address on it. Rhode Island offers Election Day registration only for presidential elections.

North Dakota does not have voter registration.

After submitting your registration form, your state will provide details about your polling place. Some states will send a voter registration ID card, which you may be required to show at the polls. Other states require a photo ID when voting.

Many states also offer advance voting, voting by mail and absentee voting – making it possible for truckers to make their voices heard no matter where they happen to be on Election Day.

Visit FightingForTruckers.com for information on steps to register to vote. A “register to vote” link is available at the bottom of the page.

Truckers who have questions or need assistance can call the OOIDA Membership Department at 816-229-5791, ext. 4906. LL