Out of state residents living in North Dakota but who wish to vote in a Fargo precinct on election day need a sworn affidavit.

A sworn affidavit is a document requiring the signature of the student, which promises the student’s intent to change their address according to the Fargo precinct in the near future.

Eligibility for the option requires students to have been residing in Fargo for at least 30 days and are able to present a valid form of identification, such as a driver’s license with name, address and date of birth, at the polling station.

Promises to change the student’s residence could endanger the scholarship they have received that takes regard to their high school, hometowns or states of origin.

“Students should exercise care in choosing this option. If a student has a scholarship that is tied to the student’s residency, signing that affidavit might jeopardize that scholarship,” the North Dakota University System’s website said.

NDSU students can vote through one of three ways: absentee ballots, a polling station with a valid North Dakota address or by voting on campus using a sworn affidavit.

Jeffery Jacobs, NDSU Director of Financial Aid and Scholarships, said there are very few scholarships in which this premise applies to.

Jacobs explained scholarships with certain residency requirements are always generated from local scholarships where a student would need to maintain residency in their home district.

These scholarships have no affiliation with the university.

“Students should vote wherever they choose to be a resident,” NDUS’s website said.

Absentee ballots allow for students to vote on issues related to their hometown, whereas a voter’s affidavit enables students to make decisions within their school’s voting district.

NDUS said students should plan ahead and educate themselves on voting prior to Nov. 8.