 "Photo: Ed Ryan")
With the upcoming presidential election rapidly approaching, it is not only important to think about who to vote for, but how to cast your vote. Students who are not registered in Mansfield and do not plan on going home must obtain an absentee ballot in order to vote in the Nov. 4 election.
The process of obtaining an absentee ballot is not difficult, but can be lengthy. Absentee ballot information Web site BeAbsentee.org generally recommends applying for an absentee ballot 25-30 days before the election, since every state has different deadlines. Although there are less than three weeks left before the election, it may not be too late to apply for an absentee ballot.
Requests for absentee ballots can be found at GoVoteAbsentee.org, by typing in your home's zip code and printing the request form. There is no official deadline to apply for an absentee ballot in Connecticut, although longdistancevoter.org recommends requesting a ballot by Oct. 21. The ballot must be returned by 8 p.m. election day if submitted by mail, or any time the day before if submitted in person. Massachusetts residents must request a ballot by noon on Nov. 3, and the ballot must be returned by closing of the polls. The deadline to request an absentee ballot in Rhode Island passed on Oct. 14th, but an absentee ballot can still be obtained in person before Nov. 3. Students who want to check the deadline in their home state can do so on beabsentee.org or longdistancevoter.org.
Meghan Odell, a 7th-semester allied health major is from Rhode Island, and got her absentee ballot just before the deadline, Oct. 14. Odell went to her town hall at home to pick up a ballot because she wanted to be a part of the election.
"It's the first [presidential] election that I'm allowed to vote in," said Odell. "I don't necessarily think my vote will count, but it's the adult thing to do."
Students who missed the deadline in their hometown, can still register in Mansfield. The deadline to register by mail is Oct. 21, and the deadline to register in person is Oct. 28, according to Mary Stanton, Mansfield Town Clerk.
While registering in Mansfield makes it easier to go to the polls for the presidential election, it prevents students from voting for their town officials.
"I wanted an absentee ballot so I can take part in town elections while I'm at school," said Ben Fiore, a 7th-semester pre-med major.
Many people are discouraged from submitting absentee ballots because they think they don't count, but this is a common misconception. According to Stanton, every vote in the state of Connecticut is counted by the end of the night and tabulated as part of the town total.
"A vote is a vote, no matter where or how it is cast," according to Aaron Bacon, founder and director of Beabsentee.org.
Katharine Kranich, a 7th-semester international business major picked up an absentee ballot for her brother who goes to school in New Hampshire, but decided that she would rather vote at the polls. "I don't have class on Tuesday, so instead of voting with an absentee ballot, I thought I'd go home and make a day out of it," Kranich said.
Since there are several ways to cast a vote in the election, the most important thing to do is understand where you are registered and what the best way to vote is.
"So many people are positive they are registered in Mansfield but they're actually registered at home," Stanton said.
So, if you plan on voting in this election, make sure know where and how you are going to vote before it is too late.
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