The midterm Elections will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 3 this year, and its elections all around the country for senators, congressmen, mayors, City council members, etc. Midterms simply mean the midpoint between the Presidential elections.
A big question students are facing is “How do I vote?” The first thing to find out is if you are registered to vote. Each state is different, but the last day to register to vote in Pennsylvania is Oct. 19; New Jersey is Oct. 13 and Maryland is Oct. 13. All you need to do is look up “Voting in (enter your home state)” and there will be a government website to help you!
One amazing thing that America does is Mail-in Voting! Basically, you don’t need to be in your home state to vote. You can make your mailing address Eastern and vote without having to go home. This makes voting easier, especially for students who live out of state.
If mail-in voting seems like a hassle, Eastern University on campus students can register to vote using Eastern’s address, as you live here for the majority of the year. This is completely legal and normal, and in some cases would switch your vote to a swing state.
If this seems complicated, don’t worry! The websites make it very simple, and there will be flyers around the school to remind students of Election Day.
The other question people face during this time is “Why Should I Vote?” As these elections are not for the president, people sometimes wonder what these elections do. Professor Alexios Alexander, co-director of the Political Science Department, says it best: “It’s good for you to learn enough about what’s going on in the world to see how you’re affected by the decisions made by our representatives and by the ballot initiatives.”
An understanding of the world opens you up to the knowledge that this world provides. Looking up and learning about who is running for elections in your community shows you the problems your community and neighbors might be facing. Professor Alexander continues with “There are so many things at the local and state level that affect us so much… The more local the election, the less money there is in it. And the more that a few votes can make a big difference, or a few knocking on doors or telling your friends to be involved.”
So, register to vote, get your friends and get involved!
