Today is Tuesday, which means that Election Day is only one week away. For most undergraduate students, this is the first time they are eligible to vote in a presidential election and for many, it will be the first time they vote at all.
Likely due to a lack of mobility, poor education on the registration and voting process and the nerves around voting for the first time, young Americans have historically had significantly lower voter turnout rates than other age groups.
To combat this issue, the Mansfield Town Council and University of Connecticut have opened the first on campus early voting location on the second floor of the UConn Bookstore, open until Nov. 3. Students living on campus are eligible to vote in Mansfield using their UConn address, regardless of state that they come from. The addition of this location marks a concerted effort by lawmakers to make voting more convenient and just for the UConn community.
Students who wish to vote in the town or state that they come from may request a mail-in absentee ballot, though Vote.org recommends that the request is sent no later than one week before election day. For students who are not yet registered but still want to vote, they can participate in same-day registration and voting at the Mansfield Town Hall location.
Thanks to Connecticut state law, you will be protected when you vote. There will be no campaigning allowed within 75 feet of a polling place. Additionally, you have the right to an accessible voting process where accommodations can be made for individuals with difficulty standing in line and marking or casting a ballot. You are also entitled to receive instructions on marking ballots and operating voting machinery, so you can be fully educated on the process before you begin.
The Editorial Board encourages all eligible students to register to vote and exercise their rights in the upcoming election. As young citizens, it is our duty to participate in the electoral process and shape the community we want to live in, both on the national and local level. There is more to this year’s ballot than the presidential race. State and local representatives, as well as an amendment to the Constitution of the State regarding future absentee ballot voting rights will be included. This question about the proposed amendment asks whether or not Connecticut should adopt absentee voting for all, meaning voters would not have to provide an excuse to fill out an absentee ballot.
This year, choose to be part of the electoral process and involve yourself in the activity that so many Americans have fought valiantly to be part of. Millions of Americans will do their civic duty this week. We hope that you are one of them.