Most people automatically assume their singular vote doesn’t count.
However, 41 million people apart of Gen Z are now eligible to vote this election cycle, meaning every young vote will count if you use it.
So before you make your way to your typical polling place on November 5, though, ensure you’re registered in your community!!! Many students are oftentimes registered at home but not in their campus’s county. I, myself, made the mistake a year ago, when I transferred colleges across Pennsylvania, not realizing I was still registered two hours west of where I am now…pretty sure I missed the deadline at that point.
Registering on time is secondly paramount. The last day to register to vote in PA is October 21st, but every state is different so make sure you find your deadline.
- Volunteer to canvas
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Of course any election — not just a presidential year — boils down to how certain communities vote, not just individual voters.
There’s no more direct way to engage in voter outreach than picking up a canvassing shift. Essentially, political canvassing happens in the months leading up to an election, where volunteers travel door-to-door surveying voters, recording their responses on an app as to whether or not they have a voting plan, and for who. It’s a way to encourage active voters to act and mobilize support.
One of my favorite parts of the canvassing experience is learning about nearby communities and where real people you’re face-to-face with stand on the current election, or even current events.
Shifts are not nearly as nerve-wracking when done with a partner. You two can easily divvy up the work together side by side rather than splitting up, leading the dialogue every other house, dropping campaign literature, or marking the voter’s status down while your partner speaks.
If you have a friend politically interested or active, it may be especially fun to partner up, making the shift just another adventure and excuse to hang out.
- Attend your campus or local political club meeting
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With politics it’s best to get your foot in the door at the local level. Truly, that is how anyone and everyone who’s ever wanted to be impactful began.
Whether it be your college campus’s political clubs, or your township or borough’s councils, every person there donates their time and efforts for you, to involve you!
The Democrats and Republicans clubs on campus often have guest speakers at weekly meetings. Whether guests be elected officials or field organizers, there is truly no better time than these next 40-something days to network with those impassioned about influencing this election.
- Phone Banking
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I’m sure we’ve all been phone-banked before, but how many of us have actually been on the other end of the line making the call? Phone banking is basically canvassing over the phone! Similar to physical canvassing, volunteers are recruited by a political campaign to conduct calls to registered voters.
Say going door-to-door is a bit outside of your comfort zone, you might opt to register for a phone banking shift with organizations on either side of the aisle. Contact your community’s organizations or campus clubs for advice on how to get started with phone banking.
- Poll working on election day
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If being in the room where it all happens in live time intrigues you – contact your county’s election office! Some may prefer to call, but most may want to refer to a website instead. If that’s the case – here is Pennsylvania’s if it applies to you – which includes a poll working interest form.
Poll working ties back into ensuring your registration in your current county. You must be registered where you reside to volunteer in your polling place on November 5!
- Ask your friends and family if they have a voting plan
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To state the obvious: we’ve faced intense party polarization these past few years. I’m sure many of us can name at least one relative who has opposite politics from ourselves, causing us to dread the Thanksgiving table… However, do not let that discourage you from chatting with friends and family (whether they share your views or not) to see if they have made a plan to vote!
It’s important we all utilize the voices we do have, we determine our future by who we elect. If your loved ones are noncommittal about a voting plan, encourage them to check their registration online and perhaps go with you to vote on election day.
In roughly a month, many of us are voting in our first ever presidential election. I hope that regardless of your views, you choose to use your voice this November 5! There are 333+ million people in the U.S., 69 million of which being Gen Z, and 41 million of which have just turned 18. It’s easy to fall into the “I’m one person” mindset, but together we hold a lot of power at the end of the day, which determine our futures.