Students living in East Lansing for most of the year can vote here as well and have their voices heard.

Julie Pierce, spokeswoman for the secretary of state, said students can easily become registered to vote in the Lansing area.

“It is a very simple process,” she said. “You can stop by a secretary of state branch and do it in person, or you can fill out a change-of-address form and drop it in the mail.”

Pierce said change-of-address forms can be found at the Department of State Web site, www.sos.state.mi.us.

Ann McAuliffe, East Lansing deputy city clerk, said it is important for students to register, especially to vote in the Nov. 6 general elections, which will decide two city council members.

“We want all the students to participate in the city election because they are a large portion of our voters,” she said. “People we are electing run the city - we’d like the students to be informed and to vote.”

But Michigan law says the address on a resident’s driver’s license and voter registration has to be the same, Pierce said.

“The student has to make a decision whether they would like to vote in the college town and change their address, or they can remain registered in their hometown and vote there,” she said.

But even if a student chooses to change their permanent address, it most likely will not affect insurance coverage.

“We do not tie coverage to where the student lives,” said Yvonne Johnson, media relations manager for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. “There is no repercussion for students who declare temporary residence for voting.”

Jim Rafferty, a chemical engineering senior, said he is registered to vote at home and doesn’t plan to register in East Lansing.

“I think I am a little more interested in the issues at home than up here,” he said. “It’s a good excuse to go see your family - you get to stand in line at the polls with your mom.”

Rafferty said even though he can’t vote in East Lansing, it doesn’t mean he is left out of decisions.

“I think I still have a say,” he said. “I can’t vote, but I can convince others on how to vote.”

Mike Ryder, director for the secretary of state Bureau of Elections Division, said students frequently change addresses so they can vote in their college town.

“The branch manager at our East Lansing office is very familiar with students changing addresses to vote,” he said. “In the past there have been lines at our offices to change an address.”

Ryder said registering to vote in East Lansing may also be more convenient for most students as well.

“They can apply for an absentee ballot with the city clerk and then everything is done by mail,” he said. “A student may not think that is as convenient as registering in East Lansing.

“And I am sure there are local issues a student may want to get involved with and to do that they would have to register here.”

Jenny Goklani, a communication senior, is registered to vote in East Lansing and said it wasn’t an inconvenience at all.

“I wanted to be able to vote here,” she said. “I had to change my license, but I didn’t have a problem doing it.”

For students who want to remain registered to vote in their hometown or don’t want to change addresses, they can still vote come Election Day.

Pierce said students can request an absentee ballot if they know they are not going to be in town.

“You have to make a request for an absentee ballot in writing to the city clerk,” she said.

The request can be sent 75 days or less before the election.

“The ballots can be mailed,” Pierce said. “So (the students) don’t have to drive home to pick it up and can mail it back in as well.”