For most Union students, the upcoming presidential election will be the first they are eligible to vote in. With election day approaching in less than two months, the time to prepare to vote is now to ensure that you are comfortably within voting deadlines. While this may seem like a daunting prospect, registering and voting is easier than you may expect, and many resources are available! This article will review what you need to know to make your voice heard on November 5.
If you are a United States Citizen and will be at least 18 years old by November 5, congratulations! You will be eligible to vote. If you are not registered to vote, you can do so online at vote.gov. If you are one third of Union students from New York State, you have the option to vote in person in Schenectady or your hometown, or to vote by mail. However, in order to vote in Schenectady, you must be registered as a voter in Schenectady. You can change your voter registration address from your hometown to Schenectady online through MyDMV, by mail, or in person at an election office. However, your ballot will include Schenectady local elections and issues, not those of your hometown. Absentee ballots for New York residents can be requested online no later than 15 days before the election and will be delivered by mail. These ballots must be postmarked no later than November 5th, but ideally should be mailed much earlier.
While most states allow online voter registration, several states, including New Hampshire and Texas, require registration by mail or in person. You can find your voter registration information online at vote.org. If you are an out-of-state student, unless you go to vote in your hometown or have New York residency, you will need an absentee ballot. The process to obtain an absentee ballot varies slightly from state to state. Some states, including Maryland and Connecticut, have online portals to request absentee ballots, while others, including New Jersey and Massachusetts, require applications to be submitted by mail or email. More information on absentee ballots can be found at vote411.org. Generally, the sooner registration, absentee ballot requests and mail votes are made, the better: deadlines vary from state to state, with some as early as the beginning of October.
If you are still confused about voting, Union’s Voter Outreach + Education group (UVOTE) will have voter info stations at Reamer Campus Center from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on 9/24 10/2, 10/10 and 10/17, and you can visit the UVOTE page, which has a comprehensive voter guide, at union.edu/vote. UVOTE will be holding a voter engagement contest awarding prizes to the most civically active Minervas as well as randomly selected students: interested students can register on the UVOTE page. Voting isn’t just your civic duty – it’s fun, exciting and easy!
