On Tuesday, Nov. 5, tens of millions of Americans will head to polling stations across the country and cast their votes in the 2024 general election. Voting is the most important civic duty we have as Americans and average time it takes to register to vote is just two minutes. Below is a step-by-step guide to register to vote; additional information can be found online at vote.gov.
Did you know that you don’t even need to leave campus to vote? If you request an absentee ballot from your town or city clerk, they will mail it to campus. Once you pick it up at the mailroom or from your residence hall, you can fill it out and mail it back free of charge.
If you live in New Jersey, or are not yet registered to vote and wish to register in New Jersey, you must register to vote by Oct. 15, 2024. You can register online at voter.svrs.nj.gov/and to register and all you’ll need is a valid Driver’s License or Social Security number.
On Election Day, if you have registered to vote at your home address, you can find your polling location on the website of your town or city clerk or request an absentee ballot from them so you don’t have to travel home to vote. If you are registered to vote with your campus address, you can either request an absentee ballot from the West Long Branch Borough Clerk or vote in person on Election Day, Nov. 5, at the West Long Branch Community Center on Locust Avenue. New Jersey law states any resident who wishes to vote by mail or absentee ballot must request their ballot by Tuesday, Oct. 29. In New Jersey, as long as the ballot is postmarked by 8 pm on Tuesday, Nov. 5, your vote will be counted. If you are registered in New Jersey, you can vote early at their local board of elections office from Saturday, Oct. 26 to Sunday, Nov. 3.
If you are an out-of-state student and wish to register to vote in your home state, you must visit the website of your Secretary of State as every state has different registration requirements and deadlines. Once you are registered, you can then request an absentee ballot be mailed to you, which you can then fill out and send back free of charge.
If you plan on requesting an absentee ballot from your town or city clerk, you should do so sooner rather than later. Some states have specific laws for when absentee ballots can be counted. Some, for example, are not allowed to count absentee ballots recieved after Election Day.
For those of you who believe your one vote will not matter in this election, one Electoral College vote decided the 1800 & 1876 U.S. Presidential Elections. In 1845, one vote allowed Texas to join the United States of America. In 1867, one vote allowed for the purchase of land we now call Alaska. In 1923, one vote elected Adolf Hitler the leader of the Nazi Party in Germany. Every vote matters and it’s important to use your vote to make your voice heard.
Do your research before voting. The vote you are casting is not just for the presidential race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. There are 5,807 state legislative races, 435 U.S. House races, 34 U.S. Senate races and 11 governor’s races across America this year. Research each candidate and their positions before casting your vote.
Most ballots will have questions that are called referendums. A referendum is a vote on a political issue, rather than a political candidate. This November, for example, Arizona voters will vote on a referedum deciding whether or not to create a fundamental right to abortion in their state Constitution. California voters will decide whether or not to raise the minimum wage to $18 per hour. In Florida, voters will decide whether or not to legalize recreational maijuana.
Lastly, on some ballots you will find town or city initiatives such as building a new library or increasing funding to the police or fire departments. This year in New Jersey, 165 cities and towns will have these initiatives, according to Ballotpedia. Research these questions, come to your own conclusion, and cast your vote in the 2024 general election on Nov. 5.
