Registering to vote 101

There’s probably a lot you don’t know about voter registration.

Did you know felons are eligible to vote in Kansas if they’ve finished probation? And that many people can vote even if they’re in jail?

Do you the difference between the state and federal registration forms? Or how to get a free birth certificate or Kansas photo ID?

Or maybe you’d just like free pizza.

A voter registration training from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Bass Community Building, 505 N. Buckeye St., will answer such questions about voter registration laws. The event is organized by the Kansas League of Women Voters and Kansas Appleseed. You don’t need to bring anything with you and pizza will be served.

“People may think they already know everything about voter registration, who has access to voting and the kinds of barriers that exist for certain groups of people around voting, but every time I attend this training I learn something new,” said Ashley Dixon, an Iola resident and campaign director with Kansas Appleseed. “For example, many people don’t know that it is a lot more efficient to use the federal form rather than the Kansas state form when registering, because people do not have to provide proof of citizenship with the federal form.”

Those who attend will learn important information about registering to vote, including what types of forms and documentation are needed, how to fill out the forms and what deadlines you need to know.

“So many people don’t vote every election because they missed a registration deadline or don’t know how to register, so education around this is important,” Dixon said.

Non-voters are more likely to be low-income because of barriers such as a lack of transportation to the polls. Southeast Kansas has a high number of low-income residents, but their needs may be overlooked if they don’t vote for politicians who fight for them, Dixon said.

“So many local people I talk to want to see things like better public transportation, affordable housing and higher wages for workers. Voting is just one of the tools in our toolbox to make these things happen,” she said.

Some of the topics to be covered include:

— What is nonpartisan and why it’s good.

— Why the federal voter registration form is better for Kansans than the state form. How to provide proof-of-citizenship.

— When you can change party affiliation before the Aug. 7 primary elections.

— How to get a free birth certificate or non-driver photo identification card, and options for a required government-issued photo ID for voting.

— The impact of lawsuits and new laws.

— Voter registration forms will be available.

Dixon said plans are underway to start a local chapter of the League of Women Voters, which would have regular meetings and organize teams of volunteers to register voters in the local community.