By Matthew Kaufman and Isabella Darcy
Editor-in-Chief and News Editor
The College was awarded a bronze seal earlier this month by the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge for excellence in student voter engagement in the 2022 midterm election, after achieving a 20-29% voting rate. In 2021, Washington Monthly ranked the College among the best colleges for student voting in the United States.
While these are accomplishments worth celebrating, there is still room for improvement. Students who are eligible to vote should all be doing so.
It’s essential that college students exercise their right to vote in the upcoming election. Voter turnout among college students is significantly less than the national average, according to Pew Research, which means that the views held by younger voters may not be as accurately represented by the politicians who represent them.
You may find politics to be boring or believe that the government cannot help you, but especially at this stage in your life, there is no more important time to be engaged and involved.
Within the next few years, and for some, within the next few months, you’ll be entering the post-graduation world, presumably looking for a job or even a new place to live. Issues that you may not have cared much about before, like the economy, may matter greatly when you gain more independence.
That’s why it’s so important to vote now for the politicians that support your views. Aside from the presidential race, there are other races for congressional and state representatives, mayors, county executives and more. All of these people will be making decisions that will affect your life, so it’s crucial to vote and make your voice heard.
And especially in smaller, local elections, every vote counts. Close elections in a small town can easily be decided by dozens or hundreds of votes. And even for national races, if large percentages of the public decide not to come out and vote, the election could be swayed to a candidate who may have lost otherwise.
On campus, there are many organizations and resources dedicated to increasing student voter turnout. TCNJ Votes! provides information on how to vote and why voting matters, along with hosting outreach events on campus. The TCNJ College Democrats and College Republicans also provide opportunities for students to learn more about politics and get involved with campaigns.
To vote in the upcoming election, you must be a U.S. citizen who meets your state’s residency requirements, and be at least 18 years old by Election Day, which is Nov. 5.
There are three ways to vote in N.J.: vote-by-mail, in-person early voting using a polling machine or at your polling place on Election Day. To be eligible, you must be registered to vote by Tuesday, Oct. 15.
If you are an N.J. resident voting by mail, your ballot must be postmarked or placed in a secure ballot drop box by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
If you are a N.J. resident voting early in-person, you can do so between Oct. 26 and Nov. 3 at any of your county’s designated locations, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Mondays through Saturdays, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
Those who are voting on Election Day in N.J. can do so between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Voting processes vary by state. Information on how to vote in other states can be found on usa.gov's website.
Students who live on-campus or are temporarily living in an off-campus house should consider vote-by-mail or absentee voting. The option that is best for you depends on which state your permanent address is in, due to varying processes. Either way, having more time to vote and not having to travel to polling places on Election Day can make the process more convenient.
It does not matter which method you use at the end of the day. What does matter is that you take the time to cast your vote in the upcoming election. The future of our country depends on it.
