Sam Calandra-Jayne ‘26
"I voted" stickers are a way to showcase pride in our democracy, symbolizing the power of civil participation every year.
This November 4, voters will go to the polls to cast their ballots for state and local elections. Off year elections are often overlooked when it comes to results. According to the University of Chicago’s Center for Effective Government, turnout can be as low as 20% of eligible voters in these elections.
“This is a bad thing,” said League of Women Voters President Morgan Robinson.
“Nine times out of ten, a local judge will impact your daily life more than our president…” said Robinson, making a point to say that these elections are important.
“I feel like it’s a civic duty,” said Augusto Quiñones ‘26 when asked why he was voting.
This sentiment was echoed by Quincy Willis ‘26.
“I feel as a young person growing up in today’s America, my voice does matter, and that I should be able to contribute… to how our country is run,” said Willis.
“The whole point of our democracy is to have a voice,” said Robinson.
So say you want to vote in the November election, and you are of voting age–there are a few things you have to do before you can vote. The first, and most important, is getting registered to vote. The voter registration deadline is October 20, so make sure that if you are eligible to vote, you register. You can register to vote using the Voter Registration Application. This will get you registered and ready to vote.
The next step is to find your polling location. You can do this by visiting this website set up by the government to find your polling location.
If you would prefer to vote by mail, that is also an option. You can simply use the Vote by Mail Application to fill out your application. Please know that you must have your application in by October 28, or you will not be able to receive a mail-in ballot.
“We can’t make change if we don’t do something,” said Robinson. “We can’t complain if we don’t take action.”