Molly Bramble, BuzzStaff Writer
Photo Courtesy of The New York Times
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, and SAU students say they are worried about the complications of voting. Options include voting by mail, filing to vote on campus, or voting in person at home.
Voting Polls in Iowa are open from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. For the average SAU student, more is required than walking into a polling place. In fact, many students cannot get to the correct precinct, so an absentee ballot may be the best option.
Mallory Zeman, a junior from Dubuque, recalls voting in the 2024 presidential election: “I voted by using an absentee ballot, which is what I am planning to use again in this election.”
Using an absentee ballot does take some planning. The Iowa Secretary of State website says a written application “must be received by the voter’s County Auditor no later than 5:00 p.m. 15 days before the election.” This rule may vary by state.
There are different ways to get an absentee ballot returned on time, but the most common option is mailing the ballot. The ballot needs to arrive by 8:00 p.m. on election day.
“I do have some worries about mailing in my vote,” says Chayce Stouffer, a junior from Florida. “As with any mail, it can get lost, so I just hope it goes where it needs to go.” Going home to vote is expensive and would include absenteeism from classes and extracurricular activities.
Another option for college students is registering to vote under the school address, but students need to choose. For Rubee Habiger, a freshman at St. Ambrose, it’s a little complicated. Originally from North Dakota, Rubee says she is “not planning on voting due to the residency rules in her state.”
Iowa will accept an out of state driver’s license, however voters may need to show a separate proof of residence. In Rubee’s home state, the North Dakota Secretary of State website explains that voters away at college can either request an absentee ballot or register to vote in the state they reside in for college.
Students say rules like this can make it hard for students to get the education they want while also having a say in who is in power in the government.
Students who can go home say they make the time, but that it can still be a challenge. Bella Vitale, a senior from Illinois, explains she used a mail-in ballot in the presidential election of 2024, but will not be using one for the upcoming midterms.
“I was able to get a car, and because I am not that far away, I am able to go home, but I worry more for individuals who cannot go home.”
Vitale says she understands the concerns of students who do not have the option to travel. Marissa Gauley, a sophomore from Illinois, says she also plans to vote at home.
Gauley has not voted in college yet but adds, “I am lucky to live close to the university and can just cross the river to vote, but finding time in a college student’s day can be difficult.”
