Election season is fast approaching. Soon citizens over 18 years of age will be able to have a say in who the next president will be.

In order to qualify to vote you must be a legal citizen of the United States, you must also be 18 or older, and you must not be a convicted felon.

Voting is a significant task and requires a lot of responsibility. If you are confused with how to register to vote, the significance of the electoral college, and what to expect when voting, here is where you will find the answers you have been seeking.

When registering to vote there are three options from which you can chose. You are able to register online, by mail, or in person. If you would like to register online here is what you do:

• The registry of motor vehicles must have your signature in their database
• For those who have their license you are able to access an online voter registration application which allows you to register, change your address, etc
• After these steps, go to the link provided below and fill out a series of questions (this is a six step process)
• If this option seems the best one for you, make sure you complete and send in your application prior to midnight of the day of the voter registration deadline. (Dates provided below).

If you are registering to vote by mail:

• Go to this website, on this website a link to download the application is available
• Complete, sign, and deliver your application to your local election official
• Complete by deadline

Registering in person is also an option:

• Able to register at any local election office (click the link above for more options)
• Application valid the day of signature

Want to know what happens to your vote after you cast it? Another aspect of voting is the electoral college. Despite the name, this “college” is not actually a college. It is just an organized system.

Presidents are not elected solely by popular vote. Instead the votes cast by your state’s representatives of the electoral college are the primary deciding factor for your state’s vote. Even though one would like to think that their vote makes a difference, while you still have a say, the electoral college is the most important factor when electing a president.

Here are some important facts about this system of counting votes:

• Lays out a list of electors
• 538 total electors
• 270 electoral votes needed to chose the president
• Number of electors for each state is the number of representatives in congress
• The places of these electors (the location for voting of president and Vice President is also provided by this system)
• The process is for Congress to fairly tally the votes

The Presidential Primary is a few months away. This is where many hopeful presidential candidates are eliminated until one Republican and one Democrat and possibly one Independent are left.

Election dates for 2016

Presidential Primary: March 1, 2016

State Primary: September 8, 2016

State Election: November 8, 2016