Last chance to register to vote

Voting in the coming presidential election is of great importance, as a group of students and their teacher at the School of the Arts observe in a letter to the editor on this page. They focus on the potential changes that the next president might make on the Supreme Court, and the age of several justices certainly suggests that change is more likely than not.

There are other reasons to pay attention to the presidential election, including national security and the war on terror, and providing capable leadership on the economic front. Meanwhile, there are state and local offices up for grabs.

But you can't vote if you're not registered. As the students point out in the last paragraph of the letter, the final day for registration is today. Fortunately, there's still a chance to get your name on the voting rolls.

Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties all will keep their voter registration offices open part of the day. In Berkeley County, the Voter Registration and Election Commission office will be open from 9 a.m. to noon. The Charleston County office will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Dorchester County will open registration offices in Summerville and St. George from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m..

To register, bring a current, valid photo ID, such as a driver's license, student ID or state Department of Motor Vehicles-issued ID card or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck or government document showing your name and address.

A spokesman for the state Election Commission says that voters also have the option of downloading a voter registration form at the Election Commission Web site that can be filled out and mailed to the local voter registration board. But the form has to be postmarked no later than today. That means getting to the post office early.

As the law class students note, the issues "are too important to be taken lightly." If you're not registered, do it today so you can vote on Election Day.