The lack of young voters participating in elections has often been attributed to indifference. However, the difficulty of the voting process, not indifference, may be the major deterrent. Students who are interested in voting can be intimidated by the extra paperwork and deadlines that result from living away from their home district.
Fear not, eager voters -- the chance to have your voice heard still remains.
According to the New York State Board of Elections, the closed New York State Primary Election will take place on February 5. Closed primaries are only open to registered Republicans and Democrats who may vote for nominees in their respective parties.
Pat Urbanski of the Erie County Board of Elections said that because the deadline has passed, a change of address or registration is no longer possible for the primary election, but is still possible for the November election, assuming students know their intended address for fall.
According to the Rock the Vote Web site, students should know that they have the right to vote in the community in which they reside, whether it be their college or home address.
"By law, students absolutely have a right to register from their new dorm or apartment address every year," Urbanski said.
Brad Latone, president of the UB College Republicans and a junior political science major, expressed concern that registering in Buffalo may impact his financial aid. According to Rock the Vote, this is a common misconception. Concerns such as losing financial aid and the need to have the address on a person's driver's license match their voting registration address are common tactics used to intimidate and deter student voters.
"Your license does not need to match your registration address, so you do not need to change your license to vote here," Urbanski said.
According to Urbanski, students who don't want to change their address can vote via absentee ballot.
"Contact your home county's Board of Elections and request an application for an absentee ballot," Urbanski said.
Urbanski recommends completing voting applications as quickly as possible. Absentee voters will then receive a ballot, which must be returned before a deadline prior to Election Day. For the New York State Primary Election, students should have their absentee ballots postmarked no later than Feb. 4, according to the New York State Board of Elections.
To speed up the process, the New York State Board of Elections offers a printable application on their Web site. The student will provide a mailing address for the absentee ballot to be sent to.
Brad Cheetham, a junior mechanical and aerospace engineering major, will vote by absentee ballot during the upcoming elections.
"I don't want to register here because I don't want to give up my voting rights in local elections at home," Cheetham said. "Others may feel that registering and voting here in local elections would be more beneficial."
Cheetham encourages other students to use an absentee ballot and get involved in the electoral process.
"I worry that the hassle of absentee balloting stops college students from voting, especially since they are responsible for two mailings." Latone said. "Some students would consider it a pain."
If students don't vote by absentee ballot, they can drive to the district where they are registered to vote. Many students, like junior psychology major Courtney Greynolds, chose to avoid the trouble and vote by absentee ballot.
"It's easy so I really insist that students just do it," Greynolds said. "It's a few trips to the mailroom."
Students not informed about the candidates still have the chance to learn. The UB College Republicans plan to set up a table in the Student Union with information packets on a date closer to the primary, Latone said.
"This is the year to be informed voters because of issues like the war and the economy," Latone said. "Whether they're Republican or Democrat, students should take steps to ensure their vote counts."
