As one of the most contentious elections in US history approaches, voting is more critical than ever. On Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, the ballots will be cast to decide the next president of the United States of America, and by extent, will leave a massive mark on history. Given the critical nature of this election, exercising your right to vote is more important than ever before. Here, you will be given a brief guide of how to vote, some of the systems surrounding voting and informative resources on those you will be voting for.
The most important step before voting can happen is completing your voting registration. At bucknell.turbovote.org, you can check your voter registration status and register to vote. Do keep in mind that registration closes Monday, Oct. 21, so make sure to register prior to then if you intend to vote!
The Bucknell Student Voting Coalition is also hosting Voter Registration Workshops for anyone who has questions about the registration process. The upcoming sessions are on Oct. 8, Oct. 10 and Oct. 17, all in Academic West 115 from 5 to 6 p.m. If you are interested but cannot make this time, you can email Juliana Fedorko ’25 ([email protected]), President of the Bucknell Student Voter Coalition, for more information.
If you’re already registered to vote and need to update your name, address or political party, you will need to re-complete the voting registration process, which can be done through TurboVote. Registering through TurboVote will also sign up you for reminders about local, state, and national elections.
Another critical choice for you to make is where to vote. Currently residing in Pennsylvania, by virtue of being at Bucknell, you have the ability to vote here. An advantage of doing so is that Pennsylvania is a swing state, meaning that whichever way you vote has the potential to impact the direction that Pennsylvania goes and, as such, have a direct impact on the election. However, if you come from a swing state as well, you may want to vote back home. As with everything, it’s a cost/benefit analysis that is yours to make.
You have a few options for how to vote. You can vote in-person on election day or you can choose to vote by mail. To vote by mail, you must request your mail-in ballot before Oct. 29. You can also register to vote by mail through Bucknell’s TurboVote site. The deadline for returning that ballot, either in-person or by mail (note, the time that the mail is counted is when it is received, not when it is sent) is 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Perhaps the most important decision you have, though, is the final: who should you vote for? If you seek to find out more information about a particular candidate prior to casting your vote, we can recommend Ballotpedia. Through further exploration of Ballotpedia, you can also discover more about the individual candidates’ histories, stances, beliefs and even campaign finances. Doing independent research is important, but it is also important to check that the sources you are using are unbiased and factual to get the most reliable information you can to make an informed decision. To see a full summary of what will be on your particular ballot before you vote, see here.
For those registered to vote from their on-campus Bucknell address, you will vote at one of four local polling stations. See Bison Votes for a list of where to vote by campus housing location. If it will be your first time voting here, then Pennsylvania requires a photo ID (or government-issued ID) for first-time voters. However, your BUID should fulfill this requirement. If you don’t have your BUID, other sufficient documents include your PA Driver’s License, PennDOT ID Card or passport. If any step beforehand fails, such as your registration not being up-to-date, or you lack a form of ID, then you may still be eligible to cast a provisional ballot. You can check the status of your provisional ballot here if necessary.
In-person voting will occur on Nov. 5, with polls being open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. If you choose to vote by mail, it is recommended that you mail-in your ballot at most 10 days before the election. If it is within 10 days of Nov. 5, it is safer to drop off rather than mail your ballot. You can register and pick up and drop off your ballot in person at your county election office. Union County’s Election Office is in the Union County Government Center at 155 N. 15th St, Lewisburg; ballots may be submitted at the front desk.
Once all the voting has taken place and you can kick back and watch the proverbial fireworks, you may wonder where you can watch a live feed of the vote counts as the race to 270 commences. The Associated Press is the most commonly used website to watch the live numbers. However, it is likely that most, if not all, news channels will be covering the election results to the best of their abilities. As such, an easy way is to simply put on a livestream of a news organization, or flip to that channel on your television.
“The Bucknellian” encourages all eligible students to get involved in the future of this nation. In the last 30 days alone, 302 members of campus have registered to vote through TurboVote. Join the campus community in exercising our right to vote and participating in the U.S. political system. This country is formed by those who inhabit it and it is the will of the people that will decide its fate.
