Lazy Daze Owners' Group

Full-Time Voting Question

October 25, 2015, 08:34:46 am

Yahoo Message Number: 156624

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Okay. Here's what happened.  We have set up a Mail Forwarding address here in Ohio for when we become full timers next May.  As I had already sold our stick home, I had to re-register to vote in this November's election due to moving elsewhere into a temporary apartment. So, I used the forwarding address, which I also have on my driver's license. When I went in to vote early, the system kicked my new address out because it see's it as a business and not a residence.  I had to give them my temp address of the apartment in order to vote.

They then told me that when I am on the road full time, that I'll have to use a relative's address in order to vote in Ohio's election via mail-in ballots.  Problem is, that's not gonna be the address that's on my driver's license.  To me, THAT is VOTER'S FRAUD.

How to you other full-timers who no longer have a permanent resident in your home state go about still being registered there and voting?  I DO NOT want to miss Nov. of '16's elections!

Thanks Bud (in Ohio.. for Now)

Re: Full-Time Voting Question

Reply #2 – October 25, 2015, 12:39:27 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 156628

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I haven't had any problem getting absentee ballots sent to my mail forwarding address in Nevada. I think one reason for that is the USPS doesn't deliver mail to many rural areas of the state. Lots of people use mail forwarding services which then send you mail via UPS or FedEx. A good state for full-time RVer's.

Some advantages to being a Nevada resident:

No state income taxes.

Wide open spaces where privacy is easy to come by.

Many types of terrain for camping like mountains, deserts, prairies, etc.

Lack of dumb laws.

Endless off roading opportunities.

No smog checks for vehicles (at least where I reside).

Some towns never sleep. In other words goods and services available 24X7.

If your fond of the desert like me it's hard to beat. Growing up in SoCal many of these things were not available without driving for hours. However I do miss the beaches.

bobmoore14

Re: Full-Time Voting Question

Reply #4 – October 25, 2015, 09:08:13 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 156640

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Glen nailed it.  There are two separate legal issues - domicile and residency.  Domicile is where you happen to be, physically, living.  Residency is "home".  This is where you vote, where you pay taxes, and so on.  Different states have different requirements for residency.  You need to talk to an attorney to determine what the laws are for you.
 I can tell you about Oregon.  Once you can prove that you have been on Oregon for 6 continuous months, you can become an Oregon resident.  Once you are an Oregon resident, you can get a drivers license as a continuous traveler, using your mailing address as your address for voting, filing taxes, etc.  I vote in Oregon.  I pay taxes in Oregon.  My vehicles are registered in Oregon.  But this is important.  Intent plays a role.  My doctor, my eye doctor, my dentist, and my attorney are in Oregon as well.  While there is no physical place that I rent or own in Oregon, I return to Oregon on a regular basis, and I consider Oregon to be "home".
 Bottom line, the issue is somewhat complex, and varies from State to State.  If you cannot resolve the conflict between Ohio residency and fulltime RV'ing, you may need to consider becoming a resident elsewhere.  Texas has an easy program built around Escapees.  I believe South Dakota has something similar.  Oregon's program was a bit more demanding in terms of time, documentation, and so on.

Good luck with it.

Ken F in NM

Re: Full-Time Voting Question

Reply #6 – October 26, 2015, 09:42:59 am

Yahoo Message Number: 156653

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I stand corrected

Re: Full-Time Voting Question

Reply #8 – October 26, 2015, 04:28:19 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 156673

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"We'll eventually switch everything over to SD..."

---- I'm not fulltiming, and I don't know your ages (pertaining to health insurance and other issues) or circumstances, but you might want to thoroughly investigate the pros and cons of establishing residency in a particular state to avoid any "gotchas"; there are reasons why Texas, Florida, and SD residencies are popular among fulltimers, but one of those (or another state entirely) might work better for one than for another. Escapees is a good starting point resource, and this question has been discussed many times on their message board. (rvnetwork.com)

Each person's circumstances are different; finding the best residency match for you requires doing the homework on all aspects of the process.

Joan

Re: Full-Time Voting Question

Reply #10 – October 27, 2015, 01:00:05 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 156689

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"Domicile is where you happen to be, physically, living. Residency is 'home.' "

I believe it's the other way around, Ken. Legally, your domicile is where you vote, register your vehicles, etc. That's the one that  counts. Where you actually reside can differ, or in the case of a full-time RVer, change with the seasons (although rules vary by state, of course).

Andy Baird