Hearing that the Presidential Election is coming up can be a little intimidating. Many college students do not understand how important their votes are. When walking around campus, I started asking if people were registered voters, or if they were even interested in voting in the upcoming Presidential Election. To my surprise, many people stated that they would vote but are not registered or do not have any idea where to start in order to vote. In every state, there are certain procedures and requirements, but registration can be done online. To register to vote, you need to be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years of age during or before the election, not in state or federal prison for a felony conviction, and not declared mentally incompetent by a court. If you are already registered, make sure to check your state secretary’s website to see if your information is updated and correct, especially your address.
One thing that SNU students need to think about is whether they would like to register in their home state or in Oklahoma, where they reside while in school. If one decides not to vote in their home state but rather here at SNU, they will need to register to vote with SNU’s address or where they currently reside in Oklahoma. Just remember that in Oklahoma, you have to register at least 25 days prior to an election. Another option is to register in your home state and choose to mail in your ballot in case you are not home during the election.
Another reason many students said they had not registered to vote was because of the focus on choosing a party. In Oklahoma, they recognize three parties: the Democratic Party, Libertarian Party, and Republican Party. You can choose whatever party you align with the most or you can select “no party,” making you an independent. The reason this is important is because what party you register under will allow you to vote in that particular party’s primary election. Another fact worth mentioning is that you can change your party. Yes, there are some rules behind it and certain dates to do so by, but it can easily be done.
At the end of the day, it is important to look at the state you are registering in to make sure you have everything you need. As college students our votes do matter. A lot of times we stay away from politics because we don’t think it concerns us, but we have a voice and can make a difference. So, I encourage everyone to listen in on the debates and do their own research about candidates to discover what they really believe in and what they stand for. These days we can’t just trust mainstream media to give us the facts, so don’t be afraid to do more research. In this way, when you cast your vote, you can be confident knowing that your opinion was well-informed. Happy voting!
Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash