How To Register To Vote In Nevada, Because Casting Your Ballot Is Imperative

Hey, Nevadans, I know you're really busy, but before you start prematurely planning your Halloween costume or breaking out your fall soup recipes you need to make sure you know how to register to vote in Nevada so you don't miss out on making a difference in the 2016 presidential election on Nov. 8. There's really not a lot of time left, so if you want to make sure you're on the rolls, you better get on it. The deadline for voter registration in Nevada is Oct. 18, whether you're planning to register online, or in person. And if you were planning on doing it by snail mail? The deadline is even soon: Oct. 8. Really, there's just no excuse this year, no matter who your preferred candidate is — and yes, October is nearly here already.

Seriously, what are you waiting for? It's all pretty simple: To register online, you need to have a valid Nevada ID or drivers license. This is the best way to go about it, because if you register by mail or in person and don't have ID on you when registered, you're likely going to be asked for one at the polls. If you don't have an ID, a utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or other government document that has your name and address on it will do. That feels like a lot of hoops to jump through — especially if you've just moved to the state or don't have a house to heat, a job, or a recent ID — but them's the breaks this year.

Nevada voters do have one advantage, though — anyone who is registered can start early voting on Oct. 22 and get this whole election show on the road already. (Can you tell I'm a little excited about how all of this turns out?)

The debate about Nevada's voter ID regulations has been contentious. Last year, the state's legislature debated for hours on end discussing the need for IDs. Republican lawmakers in the state fought for the ID bill saying that if one needs an ID to get on a plane or withdraw money, they should need one to vote. But Democratic representatives disagree. Taking a plane isn't a right, but voting is. And needing a proof of address, or a paycheck, or a bank statement can be a major obstacle to getting some disenfranchised voters out to the polls. (Imagine a homeless mother who's ID expired last year and hasn't had time to wait at the Department of Motor Vehicles for an afternoon; By law, she wouldn't be allowed to get into polls, which is sort of ridiculous, especially because someone in that state needs to vote if an election like this year's which has been so focused on the economy.)

If you're ready to register now — like, right this second — and don't want to wait, there are options: Romper and its sister site, Bustle, are working hand in hand with a number of other outlets and brands over the next few weeks on a non-partisan campaign called #OurVoteCounts to get 100,000 women registered to Rock the Vote — and aside from offering an online registration form like the one below, staffers will also be popping in at different locations across the country to help get people signed up in person.

Once you've completed your registration and are ready to go, make sure to spread the word on social media (using the hashtag #OurVoteCounts); Don't forget to link to the campaign too (rtvote.com/bustle) so that your followers can easily do the same:

So don't let the ID laws or the idea that all of this requires complicated paperwork get you down — in fact, it should energize you to register. If you have the privilege of having identification and access to these resources, use them and cast a vote that will count for change.