This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at TAMU chapter.

Voting is hard. Let me help you.

The weather is cooling down.

Leaves are falling.

People are hiding their insecurities under cute sweaters.

We all know what season is coming…

VOTING SEASON!

The next General Election in Texas is November 6th, 2018, and the last day to register to vote is October 9th, 2018.

That’s close, y’all.

Real close.

The positions up for grabs are all of Texas’ executive officers, a United States Senate seat, and all 36 seats in the House of Representatives.

I’m not here to tell you who to vote for, but I am telling you to get out there and VOTE.

For many of my peers, this will be your first time voting, and after the 2016 election, you might just be ready for some change.

If you were born on or before November 6th, 2000, it’s your turn to cast a ballot.

HOW TO REGISTER

You can pick up a voter’s registration form from libraries, most post offices, and high schools, or you can fill out a registration form online at https://webservices.sos.state.tx.us/vrapp/index.asp

If you think you might be registered, but aren’t sure you can check here.

WHY YOU SHOULD VOTE

Bottom line: we are a federal republic, and we are responsible for electing our leaders. It’s how our government works at this moment in time, regardless of opinions on how well it works.

In 2016 Millenials were 31% of the eligible voting population according to the Pew Research Center, but only about half of those eligible to vote actually cast a ballot. This pales in comparison to the 61% of Generation X who voted, and even higher percentages of Baby Boomers and the Silent Generation who voted.

As our generation is rising to voting age, we must go out and vote to get our voices heard. It is one thing to have an opinion, but it’s another to vote towards effective policy change.

WHERE TO VOTE

The Memorial Student Center will have a voting center in Room L526 open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on election day. Voting can be as simple as stopping by between classes.

If you want to avoid the MSC because it’s a pit of fire that attracts the most annoying students on campus, I understand. Here is a list of other voting centers in Bryan-College Station.

If you are registered to vote in your home county instead of Brazos County (where TAMU is located), you can apply for an absentee ballot here.

A great resource for any more questions about voting in Texas is www.votetexas.org

Here are the links to the four main parties in Texas if you would like to become more informed:

Texas Democratic Party

Republican Party of Texas

Libertarian Party of Texas

Green Party of Texas

Now, get out there and get your voice heard.