A Lesson in Voter Registration

By: Katie Dusza, Contributor 

As Nov. 5 quickly approaches, an immense feeling of restlessness looms over Americans regarding the political and social future of our country. Whether one is interested in politics or not, this high-stakes election is on the minds of millions of Americans, especially young people. 

For many undergraduate students, this will be the first presidential election they are qualified to vote in. The right to vote has been fought for throughout American history, so everybody can feel a sense of pride by voting.  

In New York State, all voters participating in the Nov. 5 presidential election must be registered by Oct. 26, 2024. New York State allows college students to register under their home address or their college address depending on where one plans to vote. Registering to vote under your temporary address is only necessary for in-person voting. Please note that voters can only be registered in one state. 

Resources for registration can be found at New York State Board of Elections’ official webpage, elections.ny.gov. This website includes instructions for registering by mail, in person, or online. 

An easy way to vote for non-local students is through an absentee ballot. This way you can participate in our democracy without having to visit your local polling place. In New York State, registered voters may request an absentee ballot by filling out a mail-in ballot application. 

For access to absentee ballot requests from all states, visit vote.org and select the ‘Vote By Mail’ window. If you choose to vote in person and your current voting district isn’t in an accessible location, you may update your voter registration’s location through mail, online, or in person. Make sure of the location of your voting place before Nov. 5 to be able to plan ahead and exercise your right to vote. 

Some people decide not to vote because they feel as though their voice doesn’t count in the election process because they think their vote is just one of millions. However, the decisions made by those millions will come back to you by creating a more desirable community and future. Your one vote contributes to a bigger picture that could launch major and necessary political and social changes.