With election day approaching on Nov. 3, there will be college students voting for the first time in the U.S. general election. Based on an online survey done on Instagram, the majority of students commented that the voting process was confusing, especially those living away from home in a different state for college.
Out of 42 students who participated in an online poll, 63 percent said the U.S. general election voting process confused them, while 37 percent said the process was not confusing.
Gabby Brown, a sophomore from Colorado studying biology, explained the pandemic situation adds to the voting process’s confusion. “I just think voting by mail is a little weird, and it seems foreign compared to the traditional voting process. I think it will confuse young voters more than usual.”
Despite these feelings, some students shared why confusion would not deter them from hitting the polls. Avery Oldner, a sophomore from California studying elementary education, shared, “Yes, I am going to vote. It is empowering that my opinion matters.”
According to NYU student Kate Glavan, in her newsletter, opinions in the election especially matter for those residing in swing states. Glavan is majoring in political science. She produced a newsletter this summer for those who wish to learn more about the politics of the United States.
Her newsletter reports for those who reside in a swing state, political opinions and voting decisions will greatly affect this election’s outcome.
According to Dictionary.com, a swing state is defined as a state where the two major political parties have similar levels of support among its voters. Thus, a swing state’s votes can sway one way or the other during an election, making them priorities for presidential candidates.
Brown expressed her wishes for young voters to research the presidential candidates. “I feel like people are encouraged to vote but aren’t educated enough about the candidates. Their opinions are based off of mainstream media more than anything else.”
Students living off-campus this semester and doing school remotely may reside in a swing state. According to USEmbassy.gov, swing states include Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin.
Kelsea Smith, a sophomore from the swing state of Nevada studying elementary education, said she recognized the importance of her vote in this election. “We should all care what is happening in our country, so I am for sure voting.”
An absentee ballot must be requested if a student is living out of their home state, but they still want to vote as residents of their home state.
Voteology.org specifies which states do and do not have a required length of time you must be a resident to vote for that state.
It is advised absentee ballots be requested as soon as possible. About 31 percent of mail is taking longer than usual to be delivered, reports the Washington Post, due to the pandemic and budget cuts from the U.S. government to the United States Postal Service. The recommended vote-by day is Oct. 13 for absentee voters says the U.S. Federal Voter Assistance Program website.
Those who are staying in-state and planning on mailing in their ballots can research online the election’s supervisor in the area to find out where mail-in ballots can be dropped off. These drop-off points can be different locations other than regular polling places. Drop-off ballots ensure one does not have to rely on the USPS and limits the risk of infection of COVID-19 by avoiding polling places.
Brown added students should be aware of these special circumstances before it is too late to vote. “Living in a democracy is awesome, and voting is the fundamental process in a democracy. I don’t want to waste the freedom that I have.”
For those unfamiliar with the U.S. election process, there is a decentralized system where each state manages its own elections. U.S. citizens who are at least 18 years old can vote in the election of the nation’s leader. Rules may vary state to state about citizens with past felony charges and their ability to vote. It is important to do research based on the state voters live in to see if they meet the requirements.
Each U.S. state has electors or groups of people who cast a vote for the state’s preferred candidate. The population of each state determines how many electors each state gets. The number of electors in the electoral college is 538. This means that one candidate must get 270 of the electoral college votes in order to be elected. In the words of John F. Kennedy, “The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all.”