Sydney Scott is a senior at Southeastern Louisiana University. She shares practical advice, inspiration, and tips for high school and college students using her unique brand of candor and humor.
Look, I’ll keep this simple…
This is probably the most important student blog I’ll ever write. We have a big election coming up, and your voice matters in it. Why? Historically speaking, young people are among the least likely to show up to the polls, even if they’re registered voters. Young voters are the newest members of our democracy, they move more frequently, are less likely to have a driver’s license, and are less likely to be contacted directly by political campaigns then older age groups.
Maybe you are thinking “...okay but just one vote won’t matter…”, but what about the thousands of other people thinking the same thing? In the midterm elections of 2018, just 11% of adults ages 18-29 stayed at home on election day -- that’s a lot of missed votes!
This blog is going to be short and sweet, yet filled with everything you need to know about youth voter registration in Louisiana. Sit back, take notes, and do what you must in order to be ready for November 3rd! Ready?...
Check your voter registration status.
First on the agenda: checking your voter registration status. This is important because if you are not registered, you need to get on that! Louisiana residents can check their voter registration status here. You can also register if you are not already and switch information on your registration such as political party, address, etc.
If you won’t be 18 before the election, you can still register to vote so you’re prepared when the time comes around! To register to vote in Louisiana, you must be 17 years of age or older (or 16 years old if you’re registering in person at the Registrar of Voters Office or at the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles). You must also be a U.S. citizen and reside in the state and parish in which you seek to register. There are a few other requirements that you can check out here, but these are the big ones.
The deadline in Louisiana to register in-person to vote is October 5th. The deadline in Louisiana to register online to vote is October 15th. Do what ya gotta do!
Know your voting place.
The most important piece of information you’ll need on election day is the location of your designated polling place and the time it opens and closes. You can find your polling place and more election information here, along with the hours of operation. If you can, vote during the early voting period (also found through the Louisiana Secretary of State’s website), and vote in-person to avoid complications like long lines and even longer wait times.
Get informed about absentee ballots.
If you are unable to make it to the polls on election day or are a student in another state, you may qualify for mail-in voting. Mail-in ballots are sent to the voter’s current address and then mailed back to the state in which they pertain to after the voter has cast their ballot. If you are a student in another state, you will cast a vote in your home state unless you have otherwise registered yourself as a resident of the state your college is in. For example, if I grew up in Louisiana and went to college in Ohio, I would be voting as a Louisiana resident, even if I was living in Ohio at the time.
The deadline to request a mail-in ballot in Louisiana for the 2020 presidential election is October 30, so it’s important to get those requests submitted ASAP. Find out more information about absentee voting and request a mail-in ballot here.
Inform yourself.
There’s a sea of information out there when it comes to voting, but the good news is that there is technology available to make it easier for us to access the information we need to know for election day. One of my favorite tools is the Geaux Vote app, which is a mobile app Louisianians can use to check voter registration status, find polling locations, and see what’s on the ballot. My favorite feature they offer is their mock ballot, which shows you exactly what positions, bills, and more you will be voting for on election day. Fill this out in advance and take it with you to the polls so you remember what each of the offices or bills you are voting for mean!
Stay in touch with organizations like the Youth Voter Project.
Organizations like the Youth Voter Project and the Campus Vote Project offer great resources to student voters. Many high school and college campuses have Youth Voter Project chapters that provide free resources for students, such as assisting in the registration process and helping those under 18 get pre-registered to vote. You can keep up with the Youth Voter Project at youthvoterproject.org.
To wrap things up…
The United States has one of the lowest rates of youth voter turnout in the world. You can help change these historical trends! Young people have so many possible obstacles to voting, and I’m here to tell you that you can overcome these barriers by taking advantage of the tools already out there and planning ahead just a little bit.
The upcoming election is a big deal. Every vote counts and you deserve to have your voice heard. Check your voter registration status TODAY. If you aren’t already registered -- register to vote! There’s still time.
I know that this election season has been nothing short of overwhelming, but at the end of the day, it is important to remember that your voice counts. Now get out there, and Geaux Vote!
Want more? The Career Compass mobile app is available for free in the App Store and Google Play. Students and their parents can find scholarships, FAFSA and TOPS information, ACT and SAT reminders, application dates, important reminders, and more!
You can also check us out on Instagram and Facebook @careercompassla to see what we’re up to and to get important updates.