2008 Woodie Awards
Absentee ballots might be more trouble than they are worth
Michael Rispoli & Sara Nylin
Issue date: 10/7/04 Section: News
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The process of registering to vote and getting an absentee ballot, or the other option of traveling back to a hometown, is turning some students away from making the important decision to vote in the upcoming election.
Students who are not permanent residents of their college towns, or who still retain their home address with their parents, are finding the voting process quite discouraging. In order to vote by absentee ballot, a request for an absentee ballot must be made in writing and submitted in the student's hometown city to the township clerk.
Because many young voters in the 18-24 demographic attend school outside of their district, many attempt to register locally to avoid the process of absentee balloting or missing school to go home. But barriers are put up to prevent this.
County election offices are the ones that usually give the students a tough time when it comes to registering to vote in their college town. Some areas, like Utica, N.Y. say that a dorm address is not a "permanent residence". By not being a "permanent resident," they are ineligible to register locally. However, these boards are incorrect.
A 1979 Supreme Court ruling established that a student can vote in the district where they go to school provided they declare that as their permanent residence. But, even after a student declares this, they still may have a long road ahead of them that prevents them from voting locally.
Many cities or towns mandate that if a student declares permanent residence in the area, they are required to fill out a tricky questionnaire before they can vote. Questions on these may include "Where is your automobile registered?" or "Are you dependent on your parents' tax returns?" If a student incorrectly fills out these forms, they are denied the eligibility to vote locally.
In a recent Rolling Stone article, Reverend Jesse Jackson spoke on the issue of young voters being thwarted in attempts to vote locally.
Students who are not permanent residents of their college towns, or who still retain their home address with their parents, are finding the voting process quite discouraging. In order to vote by absentee ballot, a request for an absentee ballot must be made in writing and submitted in the student's hometown city to the township clerk.
Because many young voters in the 18-24 demographic attend school outside of their district, many attempt to register locally to avoid the process of absentee balloting or missing school to go home. But barriers are put up to prevent this.
County election offices are the ones that usually give the students a tough time when it comes to registering to vote in their college town. Some areas, like Utica, N.Y. say that a dorm address is not a "permanent residence". By not being a "permanent resident," they are ineligible to register locally. However, these boards are incorrect.
A 1979 Supreme Court ruling established that a student can vote in the district where they go to school provided they declare that as their permanent residence. But, even after a student declares this, they still may have a long road ahead of them that prevents them from voting locally.
Many cities or towns mandate that if a student declares permanent residence in the area, they are required to fill out a tricky questionnaire before they can vote. Questions on these may include "Where is your automobile registered?" or "Are you dependent on your parents' tax returns?" If a student incorrectly fills out these forms, they are denied the eligibility to vote locally.
In a recent Rolling Stone article, Reverend Jesse Jackson spoke on the issue of young voters being thwarted in attempts to vote locally.