Is it your first time voting in the Presidential Election? Don’t worry, over 8 million Gen Z citizens will become eligible to vote in this upcoming November election. Here’s a quick and simple recap of what you need to know as a first time voter.
Why Does It Matter?
I hear it everywhere–yelled at the local petition takers, shouted from the back of the classroom, and commented on every political post—“it doesn’t matter if I vote!” Recent feedback from the Harvard Kennedy School of Politics reveals that “Nearly three in five (58%) young Americans believe that the country is ‘off on the wrong track,’” (Harvard Youth Poll, 2024). The truth of the matter is this: Gen Z voters will make up nearly ⅕ of the American electorate. And as scary as that sounds, Gen Z is leading America into a new era and in this new era, every voice matters.
The Electoral What Now?
The United States uses the electoral college, a process in which each state is given a specific amount of voting power based on its population. The electoral college has 538 votes to cast. If a candidate receives 270 electoral votes they have won. Electoral votes are cast by a selected representative, each representing a state or district. The larger the population, the more electoral votes. For example, California has 55 electoral votes, Texas 38, and Ohio 18.
“An electoral vote is a vote cast for President by an Elector on the behalf of a district or a state” (In This Together America, 2020).
Most states follow the “all-or-nothing” rule. This means that a state casts all its electoral votes towards the majority party—or the candidate who wins the most votes within the state. This is where you get the term “red states” and “blue states.” The United States operates within a two party system: “Red,” the Republican Party and “Blue,” the Democratic Party.
Time to Register!
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s talk about getting ready to vote. In order to vote in Ohio you must be at least 18 years old and have been a resident of Ohio for at least 30 days prior to the election. Those who are not permanent residents of Ohio, or those who cannot make it to the polls, can send in something called an absentee ballot.
Here is the link to request an Absentee Ballot in Ohio: https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/how-to-request-your-absentee-ballot/
In order to vote you must register. You can check the Ohio.gov website to discover more about registration, absentee ballots, and polling stations. Most states are now offering online voting.
Register to vote in Ohio: https://olvr.ohiosos.gov/
General polls open on November 5th from 6:30am-7:30pm. Find your polling station by googling your zip code followed by “Polling Station.”
Now you’re all set! Remember, young voices are critical to the future of democracy. It’s up to us young voters to start raising our voices and push the US towards a brighter, better future.
