Are you 18? Have you registered to vote? If not, now is the time! The 26th Amendment of the Constitution of the United States says if you are 18 you have the privilege and responsibility to vote. Registration is the first step in voting, and it is very easy. A new law named the "MotorVoter" law has recently been passed, allowing all citizens to register to vote by mail using a universal mail-in voter registration form. There is a thirty day waiting period between registering and being eligible to vote.

TO REGISTER, SIMPLY DO THE FOLLOWING:
• Get a mail-in voter registration form from an election office near you or download the form from the web at http://www.fec.gov/votregis/vr.htm.
• Complete the form using the easy-to-follow instructions.
• Mail the form to the address provided in the instructions.

It's that easy to register! Other places where voter registration must be made available are agencies that provide public assistance, dispense Medicaid or food stamps, provide Women/Infant/Child benefits (WIC) or Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) benefits. Agencies that provide services to people with disabilities also must provide voter registration.

WHY DO PEOPLE FAIL TO VOTE?
According to a study by Mellman and Wirthin Worldwide in 1996, people who fail to vote give the following reasons:
• not enough trusted information
• misunderstanding of the issues
• left out of the "voter loop"-they do not receive information, campaign literature or political phone calls
• dislike politics/politician
• no one asks them to vote

Please vote! Becoming an educated voter is essential to our nation's future.