It can be difficult for college students to find the time and the willpower to register to vote between classes, work and a social life. Since Sept. 12, a new online voting registration system introduced in California has been making registering for voting much easier.

Daria Beigni, a 19 year old psychology major, admitted that she had not registered to vote due to “…not feeling compelled [and] laziness.” Once she realized that online registering was an option she concluded that it would be quick so “…why not?” Beigni said that her registration was “…extremely easy and simple” and didn’t take even five minutes.

Californians can now register to vote on their iPad, tablet or smartphone according to California Secretary of State Debra Bowen who states the requirements and steps to vote, as well as the link for the online application on Ca. gov.

According to Shelbi Resseger, a dental hygiene major from Fairfield, a link for online voting can be found on Tumblr. com, a popular blogging website. It surprised Ressegar to see a link for voting on a non-political website. She says “…I went on the website and there was a link. If it’s there, why not?”

Those who are serving in the military overseas can register to vote online, making the process much simpler and easier.
Although actual votes still need to be mailed in by both civilians and soldiers abroad, US citizens who are also living outside the U.S. now have the luxury of registering online as well.

Opposition to the new online system is occasional. A concern which was expressed by the
Michigan Election Reform Alliance according to Wm.edu is that online voting cannot secure a valid signature in-person.”

Another concern is that citizens of the 13 states who have implemented online registration who are blind cannot use the new system.

Caitlin Maguire, an associate with Rockthevote.com, a youth voting advocate website
which also has links for online and paper voting registration, points out that since 2004 the
number of college kids registering to vote has increased each year.

California may hopefully see a tremendous jump in the number of votes cast due to, in part, the help of new online voting registration.

For more information on how to register online or in person, visit http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_vr.htm