Did you know that to vote in New York State for the presidential election, you have to register 25 days prior to Election Day (that is, on October 9th, which is less than two weeks away)? That the registration deadline varies in other states? That to vote by mail, you need to request an absentee ballot 30 days prior to Election Day? That there is a Vote Early Day, which is being held on Saturday, October 24th?
All of this information, and much more, is available through TC Votes, an initiative to help all members of the ¶¶Ņõapp community ā wherever they are based ā navigate the voting process and vote safely and securely.
[Visit the TC Votes website for information on how to register, how to vote by absentee ballot and much more.]
āInstitutions of higher education are required by law to disseminate information about voting, and TC has helped hundreds of its faculty, students, staff and alumni register in previous years,ā says Matthew Camp, TCās Director of Government Relations, who is leading the TC Votes initiative. āWeāre just doing it online now instead of in the first-floor Zankel hallway. But weāre also doubling down on our efforts this year because, with the challenges presented by COVID and the desire by many people to vote in a new location or by mail, the process is much more challenging. Ultimately, our goal is the same: We want to see those numbers go up.ā
CARPE DIEM Matt Camp, TC's Director of Government Relations, stresses the importance of anticipating deadlines for voter registration and other key dates. (Photo: TC Archives)
TC Votes, which is staffed largely by students (Camp says he would love it if more alumni joined) offers online one-on-one walk-through sessions to help people register. There are also weekly open house sessions where members of the TC community can drop in virtually to get help registering to vote. The open houses are on Wednesdays through the November 3rd election: one at 10am EST () and one at 4pm EST (). [Read a story about the Constitution Day panel on preventing voter suppression.]
Weāre also doubling down on our efforts this year because, with the challenges presented by COVID and the desire by many people to vote in a new location or by mail, the process is much more challenging. Ultimately, our goal is the same: We want to see those numbers go up.
ā Matthew Camp, TC's Director of Government Relations
The TC Votes website offers information on: voter registration; absentee ballots; safe voting during the COVID pandemic; access to key resources, including sites that have information on how to serve as a poll worker; information about voter registration in every state; a list of key deadline dates leading up to the election; and even advice about what to bring to the polls when you vote.
THUMBS UP Second-year doctoral student Brian Ahn credits TC Votes with walking him through a complex process. (Photo: TC Archives)
āThis is such an important election, and I feel itās so important to be part of the process,ā says Brian Ahn, a second-year doctoral student in Adult Learning & Leadership. āIām from California, but I wanted to register here in New York City, because I plan to be here for a while. I tried to register online, but it was very complicated, and I didnāt think Iād done it correctly. Everyone on the TC Votes team was really helpful in assisting me with the process.ā
This is such an important election, and I feel itās so important to be part of the process...Everyone on the TC Votes team was really helpful in assisting me with the process.
ā Brian Ahn, doctoral student in Adult Learning & Leadership
Camp says that TC Votes has refrained from advising people about which voting method (live or by mail) is best. Rather, the initiativeās key message, other than āVote,ā is ābe prepared.ā
āA really important thing is not just registering to vote, but having a plan to vote,ā he says. āPut key dates on your calendar ā when youāll get an absentee ballot, when youāll return it; or, find your polling site, and determine if youāll vote early. Because we all tend to do things at the last minute ā but the last minute is pretty soon.ā