How College Students Can Vote in the Midterm Elections
"I voted" stickers. Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash
With election day quickly approaching on Nov. 3, many students may not see why they should vote in the upcoming midterm elections. For college students, getting home to vote on a Tuesday can be logistically challenging or even impossible, creating another barrier to participation. However, voting doesn’t have to mean a trip home or missing classes. Students have ways to vote from campus and there are many reasons to do so.
Every state offers some sort of mail-in voting or absentee ballots, although the rules may vary. Some states automatically send ballots to every registered voter through mail-in voting, while others require a request for an absentee ballot. Depending on the state, students can also request ballots online through the National Association of Secretaries of State.
Deadlines to return the ballot can be found on the U.S. Vote Foundation website. It is important to know whether a state requires ballots to be postmarked by or received by election officials by that date. There are more ballot drop-off options than just postal as well. Some states offer drop-off locations, but information varies by state. Students should contact their local election office for more information.
Students who are voting in the Dutchess County election can find polling locations on the Dutchess County Board of Elections website. There are many polling locations in Poughkeepsie, including one at Vassar College. Early voting is happening now in Dutchess County, and specific early voting locations and times can also be found through the Board of Elections.
Voting matters in every election, not just presidential elections. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 seats in the Senate are up for election in 2026. These politicians are the people determining laws and carrying out economic and social policy. Local and state elections determine who serves as governors and mayors, whose decisions directly impact their communities.
Historically, the president's political party tends to lose seats in Congress during midterm elections. Typically, this happens because voters who don’t support the president are using their vote to try to change the majority party. Voters who support the president’s policies may feel as if they don’t need to vote because they don’t want anything to change.
Before casting a vote, it's important to be well-informed of the candidates. Reading local newspapers and news broadcasts is a reliable way of getting unbiased information about the candidates. Larger, established news sources can help voters learn about federal candidates. Because some news stations can be much more biased than they appear, consulting a news bias chart can help students evaluate their sources.
Being away from home should not discourage students from voting. Every vote matters, regardless of the election. Mail-in and online voting are accessible options for Marist students to make their voices heard.
Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Make your voice heard.