Register to Vote in the General Election by Oct. 14
Unless you have been living under a rock, you probably have heard the political attacks going back and forth between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Yes, it’s that magical time that arrives every four years – the general election! The general election is held on November 8, 2016. In this election, United States Citizens vote for more than just the President of the United States, they also vote for senators, seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, and more. Regardless of your opinion of the candidates or political orientation, voting is a civic responsibility and the outcome has a great impact on our society.
Who Can Vote?
If you are a legal U.S. citizen who will be 18 years of age by November 8, 2016, then you can register to vote. However, you must be registered by October 14, 2016. You may print and mail in your voter registration or may register to vote online.
Residency Consideration
Suffrage parade in New York, May 6, 1912. United States Library of Congress’s Prints and Photographs division. Public domain.
Students may establish voting residency in the place they consider their principal home, whether that be their current school address or at another address (such as a guardian’s address) they consider their primary residence (Brennan Center, 2016). If you have not declared Geneseo as your primary residence on your voter registration, then you need to apply for an absentee voting ballot.
Image by Tony Webster from Portland, Oregon, United States. CC Attribution.
Absentee Voting
“Voters in New York must have an accepted reason to vote absentee, including the inability to vote in person due to physical disability or absence from the county in which one is registered (if a resident of New York City, then absence from the city), among others. Voters may submit their application for an absentee ballot by mail (postmarked) seven days before Election Day (2016: November 1) or in person by the end of the day before Election Day (2016: November 7). Completed ballots may be submitted in person by the close of polls on Election Day or by mail such that the ballot is postmarked by the day before the election (2016: November 7) and received within seven days of the election” (Brennan Center, 2016).
New York Board of Elections Absentee Ballot
Have Questions or Need Help?
Stop by the Milne Library Research Help Desk and a reference librarian will be happy to assist you.
References:
Brennan Center for Justice. (2016). Student voting guide 2016. Retrieved from
http://www.brennancenter.org/how-vote-2016
Written by Brandon West.
