For students, voting for the first time can be overwhelming and confusing. Many students at Georgia Southern live hours away from their home county, which makes it difficult to access in person voting. So what are your options?
Ways to cast your ballot:
- What do I need: Photo ID
In Georgia, voters have three weeks before election day to cast their ballots at any early voting center.
- What do I need: Absentee ballot application
Voters are able to request an absentee ballot 78 days before the election. This must be mailed in 11 days before election day.
Election day voting at your polling place
- What do I need: Photo ID
Voters are able to vote at their specified polling center from 7AM to 7PM. View your My Voter page to find your assigned polling place.
Sample ballot:
This is the Sample ballot for the 2024 election in Effingham county. Click here to find your county’s ballot.
Voters are able to vote for presidential candidates but also state and county representatives. Many county’s allow voters to say “yes or no” to certain policy decisions.
Ballots do NOT provide information about candidates but voter guides do, Research your ballot here and be prepared.
Student accessibility:
While registering to vote you must vote in your permanent address’s county. However, you are allowed to register in your college town!
According to Atlanta Civic Circle, Georgia does not have a minimum residency requirement. Students must consider their college town their permanent address and this applies for in-state and out-of-state students. If you are in college for four years, this is an accessible option.
This makes in person voting accessible for students who may live farther away. For those who are registered in their hometown they must make the drive or send in an absentee ballot. Sending in an absentee ballot is an accessible way to cast your ballot in college when you do not have time to travel.
Freshman Nia Mccrillis will be voting for the first time this November. She is making a 1.5 hour drive to her hometown to vote during early voting in person. For Mccrillis, voting for the first time feels overwhelming.
“I find it intimidating to choose who to vote for sometimes because in many elections it seems to be who you think the lesser of two evils may be,” Mccrillis said. “I also think that a lot of people aren’t very knowledgeable about who or what they’re voting for and that it can get confusing to find out what you should choose.”
Mccrillis shard that even though it is scary, it is detrimental to your community to vote.
“It is important to vote as a young person because it allows you to contribute to who the people are that are influencing the government. It also allows you to be able to make those big decisions and be more educated.” Mccrillis said.
