Be heard at polls

By: Sammi Hummer  ’17, Staff writer

Registering to vote and the act of voting are rights that most college-aged Americans have.

With the upcoming 2016 presidential election on Nov. 8, the question of whom to vote for is still lingering for some people, including some students on campus.  Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are the two primary candidates in this election, with other candidates such as Gary Johnson running on other party tickets.

Emily Sweeney, a senior political science major, believes that this is the time to find where one lies on the political spectrum.

“A lot of college-aged students say their votes don’t matter; they don’t really support any of the candidates,” Sweeney said.  “A lot of the information can be found online; if you can’t identify with a certain person, look back to the issues you believe in and look up their stances.”

The deadline to register to vote in person, online or by mail varies from state to state.  For Pennsylvania, the deadline for all three methods is Oct. 11.  Other states’ deadlines can be accessed online with a simple Google search.

Historically speaking, the college demographic has not been found in the polls, according to Dr. Diane Johnson, Associate Professor of Politics.

“I feel strongly that for a liberal democracy to work, everyone must be well-informed to vote,” Johnson said.  “It is important for all citizens to register to vote.”

There are three different ways that a person can register to vote: online, in person and by mail.  For each of these options, an intended voter must fill out a simple registration form by the deadline.

Before one registers to vote, three requirements must be met.  The prospective voter must be a U.S. citizen, be 18 years old by the day of the election and live at a Pennsylvania address by Oct. 9.  If the voter is convicted of a felony, that person loses the right to vote while incarcerated, but has an automatic restoration after release.

For additional information on how to register, click HERE.  For information on how to receive an absentee ballot, click HERE.