Make sure you are registered! There is nothing more frustrating than realizing you have missed the deadline to register to vote, especially since registering is so easy! I’m sure many of us ignore the emails from UMass, but everyone should definitely read Jean Kim’s (Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Campus Life) about registering to vote. The email outlines key points:
Register by October 17th to vote in Massachusetts. Even if you are registered in your hometown, you should consider registering in Amherst. Two minutes filling out a sheet in the Campus Center is much easier than going through the process of an absentee ballot!
Know where to vote and what to bring: This website will tell you where your polling place is
http://www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.php
The polls are open on November 6th from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm. Make sure to bring a photo ID with your address that you are registered to vote at! If you registered to vote in Amherst but your license has your hometown, bring anything that proves you live in Amherst. Examples would be a bill, rent receipt, or mail.
Know who to vote for: I know many of us grow up with very specific ideas about each party, but further education can never hurt! The media can twist facts and bombard us with information, making it hard to decide what to believe. Here are some informative websites that will help you make the right decision, no bias!
FactCheck.org is “a nonpartisan, nonprofit “consumer advocate” for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics”. This website gives you the facts, so you can see past any stretching of truth.
Vote Smart is a website put together by 100’s of volunteers committed to researching every fact about our political candidates in order to strengthen the democratic process. Anything you could possibly wish to know about the candidates is available at this site!
This should be every open-minded Collegiate’s source of news on the Internet. It is a national, independent, news program that one can trust to provide un-biased and un-censored information. Makes a perfect homepage!
Get educated, Collegiates! And remember to vote on November 6th.