“I would just remind people that we have a very important thing in our nation – in the United States – one person, one vote,” says Loretta Sanchez, Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives for the 47th Congressional District in California.

“Those people who don’t show up to vote not only have no power, but they give their power away to the people who do show up. So we need to show up and we need to vote. And we need to be informed.”

Registering to vote

• U.S. Citizen
• At least 18 years old
• Mentally Competent
• Resident in the state you’re registering
• No criminal record

If you’ve never voted before, here’s what you need to know. Each state is slightly different, but the process is never difficult.

You can’t vote until you’ve registered. Only United States citizens can register and you have to be at least 18 years old before the next election. You have to be a mentally competent resident of the state in which you want to vote and you can’t be in prison or on parole for committing a felony. Pretty simple, actually.

If you know you won’t be available to vote in person on Election Day, you can always ask your local registrar to send you what’s called an “absentee ballot”. You can fill it out wherever you are – even outside the United States – and mail it back before Election Day.

Once you’ve registered, you’ll receive sample ballots, candidates’ statements and other election materials in the mail along with the exact address of your polling place. That’s where you’ll go to vote on Election Day.

A form of identification needed on Election Day

• Driver’s License
• Social Security Card
• Government Issued I.D.

When that day arrives, be sure to bring some identification with you – a driver’s license, Social Security card or other government-issued I.D. When the poll workers have verified that you’re the person on their voter rolls, they’ll give you your ballot and send you to a private booth where you can mark or punch your ballot – either by hand, by machine, or on a computer terminal. Someone at the polling place will point you toward the ballot box where you’ll place your secret ballot.

Where to Get Voting Help

Need voting assistance or information in Spanish? No problem. Check with your local registrar or elections office – they may even have a Web page in Spanish.

Your Secretary of State’s Website will likely have information in Spanish. If not, look at the Websites of local Spanish-language newspapers or radio or television stations.

Javier Angul, from the National Association of Latino Elected & Appointed Officials (NALEO) says, “For those people that have become citizens of the United States and haven’t voted, my message to them is ‘Vote.’ That is the greatest right that you gain in becoming a citizen, the right to make a change and the right to make a difference.”

Maria Aguilar, proud and new U.S. Citizen says, “I can vote and I can decide what to do and who my leader is going to be.”