<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 2024 presidential election on November 5th is less than a month away, and if you are over 18 you should be getting ready to cast your vote. Voting as a college student can be a new and confusing experience – this might be your first time voting, or you are unsure of how to vote when you aren’t living in your home state. To help make the voting process as easy as possible, here is a guide for college students on how to vote in the upcoming election: </span></p>
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<h3><b>1. How to register </b></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To register to vote, visit </span><a href="https://www.usa.gov/voter-registration"><span style="font-weight: 400;">https://www.usa.gov/voter-registration</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and click on the tab “Register to Vote.” This will take you through the steps to get registered. Think you might already be registered but want to check? Visit the same website link above and click on “Confirm Your Voter Registration.” It will prompt you to select the state you live in and will let you know if you are registered or not. </span></p>
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<h3><b>2. Mail-in ballots </b></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Most college students attend a university in a state different from where they permanently live. If this is the case, you need to request a mail-in ballot through absentee voting. You can do so through this link: </span><a href="https://www.vote.org/absentee-ballot/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">https://www.vote.org/absentee-ballot/</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Fill out the application for a mail-in ballot, and if you qualify, you will receive your ballot in the mail. Carefully read the instructions on how to mark and return your ballot. </span></p>
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<h3><b>3. Do your research! </b></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Watch the presidential and vice presidential debates, tune into the DNC and RNC, and do your own independent research on each candidate and their policies to gather all of the information necessary for you to determine who to vote for. It is important that you conduct </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">your own</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> research rather than choose a candidate based on who your friends or parents are voting for. </span></p>
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<h3><b>4. Cast your vote </b></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Time to vote! If you are voting in person this election, visit this link </span><a href="https://www.nass.org/can-i-vote/find-your-polling-place"><span style="font-weight: 400;">https://www.nass.org/can-i-vote/find-your-polling-place</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to find your polling location that you will go into on November 5 to fill out your ballot. If you are submitting an absentee ballot, carefully mark your ballot and return it according to the instructions. Scroll through this link </span><a href="https://www.vote.org/ballot-information/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">https://www.vote.org/ballot-information/</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to get an idea of what info will be on your ballot. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Voting is a privilege and an important responsibility that you should always exercise! Your vote matters. Happy voting! </span></p>
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College Student Guide to Voting in the Upcoming Presidential Election
Feature image via Eve Young, member of Graphic Design team