Voter registration deadline approaches

With Wall Street in flames, Iraq quieting down and Afghanistan warming up, no one can say the presidential election, coming up in just 39 days, is meaningless.

And with two very different candidates, what happens Nov. 4 will have a major impact on the next decade.

The ballot will also carry a full slate of county, legislative and congressional candidates, who will also face daunting challenges.

Next week, the campaigns will turn serious when ballots in Arizona begin to be mailed and early voting starts Oct. 2. But people can't vote if they aren't registered, and the deadline is coming up Oct. 6 at midnight.

That is also the deadline to make sure voter registration records and driver's license information match.

Having the same address for voter registration and your driver's license is important because in 2004 Arizonans passed a tough voter registration law that requires voters to show proof of citizenship before casting a ballot or requesting an early one.

The easiest way is with an Arizona driver's license or state-issued identification card, but only if the name and the address on the license match the voter registration rolls.

People who have recently moved or gotten married or divorced, should plan on making sure that the address and name on their driver's license or state identification card and the name and address that they are registered at is identical, which makes casting a ballot simple.

One way is to go to www.servicearizona.com and make the changes online, or visit a county recorder office.

Voters who have moved or changed their name can still vote a provisional ballot on Election Day.

For more information on voter registration or where to vote, visit www.recorder.maricopa.gov.