Virginia’s Montgomery County, home to Virginia Tech, recently issued a press release addressing the “proper protocol” for college students registering to vote. The county registrar of elections said that the memo was intended to provide students with cautionary information on the voter registration process. Many, however, said the warnings are overstated and misleading. The press release claimed that by registering to vote on campus students can no longer be claimed as dependents of their parents and could jeopardize their financial aid and health insurance packages. In truth, U.S. tax code specifies that dependents are allowed to live away from home while attending school, and that students receiving financial aid under their parents would not be affected. When interviewed, officials from the top 10 health insurance companies confirmed that students covered in their parents’ health insurance plans are also unaffected if they register to vote in another state. In an election with a highly anticipated youth voter turnout, and a Democratic presidential candidate propelled by college students, campus communities in battleground states such as Virginia are crucial. Last week voter registration drives at Virginia Tech collected over 2,000 new registrations. Montgomery County re-released the protocol in more neutrally worded language a few days later.

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