Vote One, Vote All

I’ve been interested in politics for a while, and even though I certainly can’t claim the political proficiency of some of my peers, I enjoy reading and learning about politics nonetheless. Since I became eligible to vote eleven months ago, I’ve voted in two elections: a citywide election from my hometown, and the August primaries for my state’s executive officers. When I began planning for my life in Hanover, the issue of voting dawned on me. Which state would I vote for, how would I get registered, and where would I go for help?

I began by looking at the elections happening in each state to see where I felt my vote would best be utilized. There are so many resources online to help you get a better picture – I looked at local political coverage from each state as well as poll aggregators such as RealClear Politics. I decided to vote in my home state, not only because I felt my vote would be put to best use there, but also because I had an emotional attachment to many of the local elections. In other words, it just felt right.

Because I’m already registered to vote in Minnesota, all I had to do was visit the state website to request an absentee ballot by mail. It’s completely free and gets delivered to your P.O. box with plenty of time (over a month) for you to look it over. Once you’re ready to fill out your ballot, you will need to have a witness present; this is just another registered voter from your state. For me, it was as simple as texting a friend and filling out our absentee ballots together. The whole process took less than 10 minutes!

If you decide to vote as a citizen of New Hampshire and come from out-of-state, you’ll need to get registered, which is easier than it might sound. My House community has been putting on multiple voter registration drives, where fellow students help with completing the necessary paperwork. Your decision to register for a particular state isn’t binding – you may choose to switch your registration to another state down the road. As long as you don’t try to vote in both (which is a felony), you’re fine!

Dartmouth is a special place to be for elections. The New Hampshire primaries are the earliest state primaries to be held (and the second-earliest party contest behind the Iowa Caucuses), making the state hotly-covered by national media outlets. In addition, Dartmouth is a popular spot for presidential candidates to visit: Bernie Sanders, John Kasich, Hillary Clinton, and Jeb Bush are just a few. In a time when many young people are finding new meaning in political involvement, it’s important to know what your options are – and between debates, voting drives, and clubs, Dartmouth has many. The choice is in your hands!