It is voting season! College-aged individuals have some of the lowest voter turnout rates across all demographics. So what is the problem? Why aren’t students voting?
The first obstacle: Registration.
Registering to vote is not difficult and many students are already registered to vote thanks to the Motor Voter Law. This law allows people to be registered to vote automatically when they get a driver’s license.
If you are not already registered to vote, the process is still very simple. One can register online very easily. There are also register-to-vote tables all around Suffolk University’s campus, in the emergency room at Mass General Hospital, tables near Government Center and so many more locations around Boston where you can register to vote.
If you are registered to vote but live too far away to get back to the polls, mail-in ballots can be an accessible option. Requesting a mail-in ballot can be done online very easily and it should only take a couple of minutes. The ballot will then be mailed to your preferred mailing address and once cast, your vote will still count in the district where your permanent address is.
There is a lot of skepticism around mail-in ballots and their validity. Mail-in ballots are still extremely regulated and kept track of very well. The chances of any kind of voter fraud with mail-in ballots are still very low.
For students looking for more answers, Suffolk has a resource on campus for all to use whenever they need.
Suffolk Votes is an organization on campus that is a part of the Center for Community Engagement. Suffolk Votes is made up of students who serve as Suffolk Votes ambassadors and faculty from the political science department, including Professor Rachael Cobb.
Students who have any questions about registering to vote, where to vote, what is happening in the upcoming election and anything else about voting and elections are able to go to Suffolk Votes for assistance. Both the Suffolk Votes website and their Instagram page are full of information that students may need. They also have an office located in Sawyer 824 where students can stop in at any time to register to vote and ask the ambassadors any questions they may have.
Two of the major questions students have this election are “Who’s running?” and “What offices are we voting for in the midterms?” As we have been getting closer to the election, Suffolk Votes has posted each office that is up for election and a description of what that office does. Along with that, their website has a link where you can see all of the candidates for the offices.
Students should have access to information about voting and elections even when it is not a midterm election. Suffolk and Suffolk Votes are here to help students in the process of this election and everyone on campus should take advantage of the resources they are offering us.
