Election Day on Nov. 3 is almost here, and it’s not too late to prepare, especially for St. Thomas students who may be voting for the first time.
Many students may be unsure of what to expect, who to vote for or if they should even vote at all. Minnesota has options for how and when citizens can vote, but these options can be confusing for first-time voters. This guide will clear up lingering questions voters may have before hitting the polls on Nov. 3.
“Minnesota has some of the most accessible voting, which is amazing for us and folks who vote in Minnesota,” said Leah Ingram, program director for Social Impact and Communications for the Center for the Common Good.
First-year Greta Donohoo will be voting for the first time on Nov. 3. Donohoo said she remembers going to the polling booth with her dad in 2016 and thinking the process “was just really cool.”
“I’m really excited to get to participate in our democracy, I guess, because it feels like a very fundamental step in adulthood,” Donohoo said.
Does my vote really matter?
Ingram said many students decide not to vote because they feel their vote doesn’t count, especially in national or even statewide gubernatorial elections.
“Obviously, the impact of one vote might be in the grand scheme a little bit less valued,” Ingram said. “However, there are so many elections that can be determined by, you know, a few votes, and those are more local elections.”
Ingram said that local elections are typically the ones that have a greater influence on people’s everyday lives.
Ingram said broader civic engagement is also important at St. Thomas, encompassing volunteering, engaging with community partners and acting as part of a community.
“While voting is absolutely part of civic engagement, I’m of the mindset that civic engagement goes beyond casting a ballot,” Ingram said. “And I think to me, civic engagement is this idea that you are a part of a collective, whether or not you identify as being a part of a collective, and that we all sort of have an obligation to show up for our community in different ways.”
Ingram said that since the early registration deadline for voting has passed, the current goal is “to get more students to really dig into their ballots and understand who’s on the ballot and what do these people care for.”
How do I register to vote?
The first step for students preparing to vote is to decide whether their school address or non-school address should be registered as their home. Some students vote from their hometown while others vote from their school address. If a student lives in a swing state, their vote may be better served there because elections could go either way in those states.
Students who choose to vote in their hometown can apply for an absentee ballot. However, this should be done at least two weeks before an election to ensure that there is time for their online application to be processed and for their ballot to be sent to them and then returned, according to the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website. It isn’t advised to apply for an absentee ballot now because that won’t allow enough time for everything to be processed.
Out-of-state students who consider Minnesota their home are allowed to vote here. The only requirements are that they are a U.S. citizen, are at least 18 years old on Election Day and have resided in Minnesota for at least 20 days.
Minnesota also allows same-day registration for voters on Election Day. The easiest way for students who live on campus to register day-of is to bring their student ID and to show the election official the student housing fee statement emailed to every St. Thomas student living on campus. Last year, Innovation and Technology Services sent the fee statements the day before Election Day. More information on acceptable documents can be found here.
If students are unsure whether they are registered, they can check their status on the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website. This site also includes information about what’s on the ballot, polling locations and voting eligibility.
Where do I vote?
Ingram said that while most St. Thomas students are registered to vote, the next step is getting them to the polls.
St. Thomas students who live on North Campus can vote at McNeely Hall 100. Students who reside on South Campus and Mid-Campus, south of Summit Avenue, can vote at the Groveland Recreation Center, located at 2021 St. Clair Ave., which is about six blocks south of McNeely Hall. As with most polling places, students can vote at these locations between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Who should I vote for?
Ingram said that college can be a time for students to move away from the political influences of their parents and form their own opinions on issues and candidates. She said she suggests taking time to research candidates before Election Day but that it is also OK to leave a ballot question blank.
St. Thomas students voting from their school address can reference this guide on who and what will be on the ballot.
“It’s your responsibility to advocate for your beliefs because no one else can. No one else has the lived experience that you have, so no one else can really advertise that and support your beliefs,” Donohoo said.
Ilah Daood can be reached at daoo3174@stthomas.edu.
Miley Wichman can be reached at wich9078@stthomas.edu.
