Voting can be scary and confusing, especially for college students who are usually doing it for the first time and have no idea what they’re doing. But once you learn a few tips and resources to help you through the process, then it really isn’t too bad.
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The first step is registering to vote. The easiest way to do this is online. The deadline for registering to vote in an election in Missouri is four Wednesdays before election day. So that means for this upcoming election, the deadline to register is Wednesday, October 10. Once you register, they will send you the address of your polling place so you’ll be set.
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If you’ve already registered, but are away at college and won’t be home on Election Day then you can apply for an absentee ballot. They will have your ballot sent to you and then you can vote that way without having to worry about traveling. You can also consider updating your registration address to where you are currently living in college to make things easier.
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When you go to vote, don’t forget to bring your ID with you. Every polling place is open from 6am-7pm on Election Day, so hopefully you can find a time that works for you.
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Now if you’re going to vote, you might want to know who and what you’re voting for, right? If you’re unsure what side of the spectrum you generally side with, taking a political quiz might be helpful. You can also look up the positions and platforms of the people running for office by simply googling their name and going to their websites. Don’t know who is running for office? To find out who and what’s going to be on the Missouri ballot this November, you can always look up sample ballots online.
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It’s important to vote because as we learned in high school government class, voting is a civic duty. We have the opportunity to voice our own opinions and help make decisions for our government. It can be confusing, but maybe taking advantage of this opportunity is worth it.