One of the great things about college is that you do not have to attend a school in your hometown. Unfortunately, once election season comes around – especially during Presidential Elections – you realize that moving could cause you some trouble.
There are many ways to deal with this process, and of course, they vary state-to-state, but no matter the effort, we all know the importance of casting your ballot. Some students choose to just register to vote in the state or county where they attend school. There are also some students who choose to vote from out-of-state, which usually involves mailing your ballot to your home state (sorry to all you guys that didn’t get a sticker because of this!) Personally, I voted a “limited ballot” this year. This was actually the second Presidential election that I have voted using this method. I did not mean to do it again this year, as Houston is now my permanent residence, but I failed to get all the necessary paperwork done on time. Helpful tip – if you change your name AND move to a different county, you are going to have to put in a little more work when changing your voter registration.
Overall, the process of casting a limited ballot isn’t all that bad. You can still vote on every candidate and measure that applies to both the county you are voting in and the county you are registered in. My main concern was that I didn’t get a sticker, but honestly, I think that it was just that the location ran out of them. In order to vote this way, you do have to go to the main polling office, but you were most likely going to drive somewhere anyway. The process isn’t much different than regular voting, the main difference is that you actually have to fill out a paper ballot rather than using the electronic method.
Even though Election Day is now over, remember that there are always options out there for you to practice your right to vote. Contrary to what some people believe, every person’s vote counts, and every citizen’s voice is important. If you weren’t able to vote because you didn’t know about these or because you didn’t plan properly, then do some research. Register to vote, and no matter where you are, make sure you vote in ALL elections. There will be some more important elections coming up soon, so get prepared well in advanced!
