Whether you go to school in your home state and vote at the polls or live 1,200 miles away and vote by mail, voting is so important. As American Citizens, we are able to have a voice when it comes to the government and democracy. But that voice can only be heard if you actually utilize your right to vote! Never fear, your guide to voting in the 2016 primary election is here.
First things first, are you registered to vote? A lot of states automatically register you when you get your driver’s license; however, this is not true at every DMV. A lot of websites allow you to input your current information like name, birthday, and home address, and will tell you if you are registered, and if so, in what state. Rockthevote.com has this feature among many others.
If you are registered to vote then congratulations! The next step is to find out where your local polls will be on Tuesday, November, 8th. A lot of states actually allow early voting, so you can travel to an early-vote poll location and fill out the ballot as early as October 24th. Vote411.org has a great feature that allows you to input the address you used when you first registered (usually your home address), and it pulls up any and all information regarding polls around your house, hours of operation, and early voting dates.
You may be thinking, “what if I’m an out of state student and can’t just hop on a plane on Tuesday to fly home and vote?” That’s okay, you can still vote in this election! An absentee ballot is a ballot mailed to your current address. You simply fill out your selections, sign the ballot and mail it back in the prepaid envelope by a certain date. Easy as tying your shoe. Vote.org is a great place to start the process of signing up to get an absentee ballot; different states have different regulations and deadlines, but it wouldn’t hurt to see if you qualify for one before the 2016 election. After all, some would argue that Election Day is the best day of the year, so make sure you go vote.
So you go through this whole process and are finally registered to vote, but decide, “I’m not educated enough on the candidates, I don’t want to vote”. Don’t let this excuse stop you. There are several ways to educate yourself and decide which candidate matches your political ideologies the best. Isidewith.com offers a short quiz with several questions regarding foreign policy, government involvement and education issues and formulates results based on how close your answers match the candidates. Don’t worry, it’s not as confusing as it sounds, and each question gives you plenty of background information so you can answer as informed as possible. It’s hard to get unbiased information from the media, but try talking to your friends and see where they stand. It’s fun to have a relaxed conversation about politics, as long as things don’t get too heated.
Our right to vote is guaranteed as American citizens. Especially as collegiate women, it is important that our voice is heard. Every vote matters, so please do not waste yours. Go vote, wear your “I just voted” sticker with pride, and I’ll see you at the polls!