How to make your voice heard: Early Voting

On Nov. 8, 2022, the United States will hold mid-term legislative elections, when 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the seats in the Senate will be voted on. However, many votes are cast well before the second Tuesday of November.

Early voting allows registered voters to request absentee ballots which should be filled out, notarized and sent back to local courthouses when voters are unable to be at their designated polling place.

Voters planning on voting early must take proactive steps to ensure they are able to exercise their right to vote.

Each state has a different deadline for voter registration, ballot requests and post-marked dates. The National Association of Secretaries of State gives students resources to find the deadlines for their respective states. Visit their site to see your state’s specific guidelines.

Before requesting ballots, it is necessary for students to register to vote.

“Every state except North Dakota requires citizens to register if they want to become voters. Depending on your state, the registration deadline could be as much as a month before an election,” according to USA Gov.

Students can begin the registration process online at vote.gov or communicate with their local county election office.

In Tennessee early voting is Oct.19-Nov. 3, and the absentee ballot request deadline is Nov. 1.

Requesting absentee ballots is the second step toward completing early voting. These deadlines and processes vary by state and county. The U.S. Vote Foundation gives citizens resources to successfully request absentee ballots.

Once students receive their absentee ballots, it is important to vote properly. These forms have specific rules to ensure secure voting, and the most important rule for students is to vote in the presence of a notary public top ensure the process was completed by the registered voter.

Notary publics can be found at many local post offices or banks, and Lee University has several notary publics on campus including Rebecca Stevens, secretary to the director of campus ministries located in the Conn Center (CCR 105) and Laura Kearney, office manager of global perspectives located in Paul Conn Student Union (PCSU 301).

Pi Sigma Alpha, Lee’s political science honor society, is also equipping students to prepare for vital voting deadlines and to promote registration among young adults.

“We want to increase our campus civic engagement and getting people registered so voting is easy for them is huge,” said Bowen Kramer, sophomore political science major and secretary of Pi Sigma Alpha.

Their movement, #leeuvotes, is raising awareness for the importance of young college students exercising their right to include their voice in the symphony of decision made on American election nights.

With early voting beginning across America, it is important for college students to learn how to vote responsibly and intentionally.

For more information on how to register to vote or request an absentee ballot visit here.