Young people need to vote more! Too often young people don’t vote in important elections because they are ill-prepared when the time comes to cast a ballot. If you are one of the people I just described, then consider this guide your savior. I will be giving you a step-by-step breakdown on how to vote in the upcoming midterm election and what resources you need to make the most out of your vote.
Whether you are a first-time voter or a veteran voter, it’ll benefit all of us to go over a few key terms. You may hear me reference these words in the guide:
Midterm election: An election held every 2 years that is NOT the presidential election. You typically vote for members of Congress, state legislatures, the governor, and local elected Positions.
Polling Location: Where you go to vote in-person. This is related to your address, so it’s different for everyone.
Ballot: The piece of paper where you make your votes on.
Absentee Ballot: A ballot submitted by mail.
Supervisor of Elections (SOE): The person who administers the elections and voter registration. Bill Cowles is the SOE for Orange County. Check out his website: https://www.ocfelections.com/
Rollins College Democracy Project (RCDP): Coolest kids on campus. Follow us @democracyprojectrollins on Instagram.
Okay, now that we went over a few key terms, let’s go into how to vote:
Step 1: Make sure you’re registered. Check to see if you’re registered here. If you aren’t, you can register online, but you missed the early October cutoff to vote in the midterm elections.
Step 2: If you are in fact registered, congratulations! Now you have to figure out if you want to vote by mail or go to the polls in person.
Vote by Mail Option:
Step 3: Request a mail ballot and follow the instructions to submit it. Here’s the link with all the information.
Step 4: Congratulations, you voted! Grab that “You Voted” sticker and run to Blaze for a discount on pizza and a free drink.
Vote In-Person Option:
Step 3: Figure out where your polling location is. If you are registered with the 1000 Holt Ave address then your polling place is:
Winter Park 9th Grade Center
528 Huntington Ave Winter Park, FL 32789-5097
If you are registered with a different address, then look up your polling place here.
Step 4: Do you need a ride there? The Rollins College Democracy Project (RCDP) will have a FREE shuttle service to and from the polls from 8am to 7pm.
Step 5: Research who you will be voting for. If you need some help finding information, the RCDP has a wonderful one sheet with links to resources. You can find it here.
Step 6: Go to the polls and make sure to have a valid form of ID such as a driver’s license, a passport, or something else to prove that you are you. Keep in mind that your ID needs to have your signature on it!
Step 7: Congratulations, you voted! Grab that “You Voted” sticker and run to Blaze for a discount on pizza and a free drink.
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