It’s everywhere — the news, the incessant ads, the posters – and you even get bombarded on
the way to class to register.
The November elections are coming quickly, and Decision 2012 is around the corner. You may be sick of hearing it, but especially with women’s rights more at stake than ever, your vote truly does matter.
So now the question is how to make it happen. As a college student, you’re in a unique situation.
You have the option of either registering in your hometown or in Gainesville. Whichever’s
easiest for you – and makes you most likely to actually vote – is the one to choose.
If you haven’t registered yet, you can do it online at TurboVote or by mail. The deadline for registration
in Florida in the general election is Oct. 9, so you still have time.
If you are registered to vote in your hometown, all you need to do is apply for an absentee ballot.
You can do this by phone, mail, online, or in-person ahead of time. If you apply by mail, it must
be received by the Supervisor of Elections by the sixth day before the election. If you’re prone to
procrastination, no fear! You can pick up an absentee ballot in person on Election Day as long as
you turn it in by 7 p.m.
The forms should be available on your county’s election site (which can easily be Googled). If you don’t know your voter registration number, you can easily look it up on the Florida election website.
You can absolutely make a difference with your vote, so it’s imperative that you set yourself up to actually do it! Make sure you’re registered – it’s the only way your voice will be heard.
Absentee info: http://election.dos.state.fl.us/voting/absentee.shtml
Voter number look-up: http://registration.elections.myflorida.com/CheckVoterStatus
TurboVote: https://turbovote.org/register