As we enter the month of October, University students across the country are riddled with worries— mid-term exams, new clubs, jobs, adjusting to a new semester, and more responsibilities. While voting in the 2022 midterm elections for senators and house representatives may be the last thing on your mind, the right to vote is one of the most powerful things a college student can have. With around 17 million undergraduate students in the US currently, our age group has the ability to make an impact on the outcomes our elections will yield. So have no fear! Here is a step-by-step guide on how to vote while in college.
1. REGISTER TO VOTE!
Before starting the voting process, you must make sure you are a registered voter in your state. Vote.org is an amazing resource that allows you to check your voter registration, register, and get more information about the elections. While you may have registered when you first got your driver’s license or state ID, double-checking that you are registered only takes about a minute. If you aren’t registered, you can do so in a little under 2 minutes. The exciting part about being an out of state college student is that you may have a choice you can make: if you do not live in the state you go to college in, you can register to vote in your college’s state, or your home state. However, you can not do both! So pick one, and stick with it. After you’ve registered in your state, you are ready to get voting!
2. ABSENTEE OR IN PERSON?
This next step requires you to make a choice: if you live in the state of your college and have the ability to go to your polling location on election day, November 8th, then voting in person is the right choice for you. If you aren’t sure where your polling location is, check out this list provided by the government. Students who do not have the ability to vote in person, have no fear! You will be able to vote via absentee ballot and mail in your ballot to your polling location where it will be counted on election day.
To receive your absentee ballot, you must fill out an Absentee Ballot Form, which is a written request to be able to vote by mail. That form can be found here. Fill out your information, print the form out, and mail it to your local election office. The address for your local election officials should be listed on the form, but if it is not, that is okay! A simple google search will help you find your polling location in no time. After your polling location receives your form, they will send you your absentee ballot to fill out and finalize your vote.
3. INFORM YOURSELF ON THE CANDIDATES AND ISSUES AT HAND
When voting, you are making a serious decision about who will represent your country, so it is important to look into the candidates running and their beliefs, values, and stances on certain issues. This year is the midterm elections, which means that all of the House of Representatives seats are up for re-election, and about 1/3 of the senator seats are as well. That being said, you could have the opportunity to vote for at least one if not two important officials representing your state. Identify your personal stances and beliefs, and see which candidate closely aligns with them. Once you have given your decision some thought, you are ready to sign, seal, and deliver your ballot!
4. cast your vote!
Now that you’ve done all of the steps, you are ready to vote in the midterms.
If you are voting in person, November 8th will be the day you arrive at your polling location. You will first check in with the staff with your name and ID, and then you will be directed to voting booths where you will cast your vote in. The voting booths are blocked off for person to person to insure you have personal privacy while voting. Once you’ve selected you’ve gone into the booth to vote, you are good to go!
If you are voting via an absentee ballot, you must fill out your absentee ballot and select who you are voting for on paper. Once you do that, you are good to send it off and your vote will be counted on election day along with the in-person votes.
5. give yourself a pat on the back
Congratulations! You did it! By voting, you make your voice heard and positively represent your country. It is a known fact that voters ages 18-24 have the lowest voter turnout, and by voting, you are decreasing this number and using the freedom and right you have. So be proud of yourself, and don’t forget to vote next year!
