VOTE Oswego to host “Don’t Ghost Democracy” event
Learning how to place your vote and research the upcoming candidates can seem daunting at first, but there are plenty of resources available to students to make the process easier, more transparent and viable.
The deadline to register to vote is coming up very soon. Oct. 24 will be the last day for people to register to vote in the upcoming election. Students from New York State have the ability to register to vote with their campus address or with their home address.
Choosing an address can decide which candidates you have the ability to vote into office and can influence your voting to be done either in-person or through a mail-in ballot. It is important to note that you are never “locked in” to a particular voting address or political party affiliation and these things can be changed each election cycle freely based on your preferences. Changing these options online is quickest, but there are ways to change them in person.
If you would like to check to see if your voter registration is active or have any voting-related concerns and questions, the organization VOTE Oswego can help you. They are holding an event, partnering with Penfield Library, on Oct. 22, from 2 p.m.-5 p.m., called “Don’t Ghost Democracy.” You can show up anytime during that afternoon period to get help with anything to do with voting, and there will be live printing of sample ballots.
Professor Karen Oakes, coordinator of the event, says that “voting is not a pop quiz,” and the candidates on the ballot are not meant to be a surprise. Research on the candidates can be done beforehand; some resources to make this process easier are available on their Linktree, where they have a list of the candidates who will be on the upcoming local ballot, links to each candidate’s website and videos of them speaking.
Much of the information available through the aforementioned link is backed by Ballotpedia and can be cross-checked with other websites to ensure that you are receiving the most up-to-date facts. There will also be a link to the debate being held for the candidates of the local 24th congressional district on Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. available through WSYR.
Voters are allowed to bring notes with them into the voting booths and printing out a sample ballot filled out with choices based on research is essential so each student voter can make an informed decision at the polling site.
In the wake of movements that discourage voting and posit the idea that individual votes do not matter, Oakes stresses that local races are decided by “literally handfuls” of votes and mentions some relevant background information regarding elections at a whole: “looking at any election, the amount of people who don’t vote adds up to more than the people who voted for either candidate. Voter apathy is a deciding factor in a lot of elections.” By avoiding taking part in elections, you lose the chance to have your voice heard and elect officials who will truly represent you as well as issues you care about the most.