Why Vote?
Your Voice Matters: Voting is a fundamental part of participating in democracy. It gives students a chance to influence decisions that affect their lives and the future of their communities.
Representation: Voting ensures that your needs and concerns as a college student are represented in local, state, and national policies. This includes issues like student loan debt, affordable housing, education funding, healthcare and more.
Impact on Future: Decisions made today can have long-term effects on future generations. By voting, you can help shape policies that will impact your future in terms of the economy, environment, and social issues.
Ready to Vote?
Great! It can be tricky navigating if you’re eligible, how to register, and where to cast your ballot. So here’s what you need to know:
Where you vote is determined by the address that you use to register to vote. As a college student, you may register to vote using your college address or your parents’/guardians’ home address, depending on which district you prefer to vote in. This is your choice, and can include the following scenarios:
- You are a college student – from either in- or out-of-state – studying in-residence at a New Jersey school and want to vote in the New Jersey elections this fall.
- You are a college student – whose parents/guardians currently live in New Jersey – studying in-residence at a school out of state and want to vote in the New Jersey elections this fall.
- You are a college student living in New Jersey attending classes virtually and want to vote in the New Jersey elections this fall.
And, If you are 17 years old you can register now and can begin voting once you turn 18. If you moved from out-of-state or from a different county in New Jersey to attend college and are registering with your college address, you must have resided at your new address for at least 30 days before the election to be eligible to vote from that address.
Ready to register? Here are some handy links:
You can register online, by mailing a paper registration form to your county’s Commissioner of Registration or Superintendent of Elections, or by filling out a registration form in person at the office of your County Commissioner of Registration or Municipal Clerk. You can also register to vote in person when applying for a driver’s license or non-driver identification at a Motor Vehicle Commission (“MVC”) agency, or when applying for services or assistance administered by certain public agencies.
HOW to vote:
Once you’re registered to vote in New Jersey, you have 3 options for casting your ballot:
You can apply for an absentee vote-by-mail ballot that will be mailed to your out-of-state residence address (i.e. Dorm hall, apartment building, off-campus house) that you will receive, fill-out, then mail back to the County Clerk.
You can apply for a vote-by-mail ballot through your County Clerk, and then return a completed vote-by-mail ballot to a drop box in your county or to your County Board of Elections office by mail or in person.
You can vote early in person at any of your county’s designated early voting locations.
And, of course, in person at your local polling place on Election Day: Tuesday, November 5, 2024.
It’s always a good idea to check your registration status ahead of an election!
Your vote is your voice, so make sure you are heard!!