Students: 5 ways to make voting easier

Voting is one of a U.S. citizen’s most important rights, but FIU students casting a ballot for the first time might feel a little uncertain about the process.

Inexperienced voters should not worry, however, explains Sara Moats, an instructor in the Department of Politics and International Relations. When the time comes to vote, they will be taken through the procedures, step by step. “At every stage, poll workers will help and guide you,” she says. “You can’t do it incorrectly.” The important thing remains that everyone exercises their right, she adds. “Voting is the cornerstone of the American democracy.”

Doing one’s civic duty is easier with a bit of preparation. Here are five tips.

1. Know who — and what — is on the ballot. More than just the office of the President is up for grabs. Local and state races as well as ballot initiatives — often written in confusing language — appear on Florida ballots. To understand the contests and the issues, voters can download a customized sample ballot from their county elections website (links: Miami-Dade and Broward) and then do research online or by talking to others. A sample ballot as well as any notes or other information a voter wishes to take into the voting booth can be used when completing the official ballot. (And if a voter goes in with indecision still lingering, he or she can skip one or more questions on the ballot; the other votes will still count.)

FIU students who wish to learn more about the elections and ask questions of experts should attend an Election Town Hall at 3:30 p.m. on Thurs., Nov. 3, in SIPA 125.

2. Vote early. Voting early is convenient because lines are often shorter than on Election Day. In Miami-Dade and Broward counties, most public libraries and several community and civic centers are currently offering the opportunity to vote through Sunday, Nov. 6. Voters can cast a ballot at any early-voting location within the county in which they are registered. Check the Miami-Dade County and Broward County elections websites for locations and hours of operation.

FIU students can catch a free shuttle to an early voting site. It is scheduled to depart approximately every hour on the hour, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., weekdays through Nov. 4 from the parking lot east of the Graham Center Ballrooms. And interested FIU students can meet for a nonpartisan pep rally and walk together as a group to the nearest early-voting site by meeting at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4, on the ground floor of DM.

3. Find your assigned voting location. Voters who wait to cast ballots on Nov. 8 must do so at their designated voting location, also known as a precinct, polling place or “poll” for short. The location can be found on a voter’s information card or by going to the voter’s county elections website.

FIU students who have registered to vote using the address of their residence hall at MMC are to vote on Nov. 8 at the main building on the fairgrounds adjacent to FIU. FIU students who have registered to vote using the address of Bayview housing at BBC are to vote on Nov. 8 at Keystone Park Community Center, 13050 Ixora Court in North Miami.

4. Return your absentee ballot. Voters who requested absentee (or vote-by-mail) ballots must return the document by mail to arrive no later than Nov. 8 to their county elections office. It can also be returned in person to an early voting site or polling place.

FIU students registered to vote in other states who wish to vote but cannot in person should make their absentee ballot request immediately in order to receive and mail back the document by Election Day. Note that the deadline to request ballots has already passed in some states.

5. Bring proper identification. Whether voting early or on Election Day, voters need to show a current ID that displays a photo, name and signature. A driver’s license and U.S. passport are among the most commonly used forms of identification. (A list of alternative IDs that are accepted can be found at county elections websites.) Note that voters who appear without proper ID will, in many cases, be offered the option of casting a provisional ballot, which will be counted only when voter eligibility is verified.

Note that FIU students should take along identification other than their One Card as the student ID does not display the required signature.

And, finally, pat yourself on the back and wait for the election results, or “returns,” to roll in. Voters should follow up to see how their candidates did and what the general electorate ultimately decided. Election night coverage is often an event around which groups gather. Watch parties bring people together, regardless of how they cast their individual votes.

“For me, election night is probably my most favorite night,” Moats says. Watching the numbers come in, whether state-by-state or district-by-district, “The excitement is almost overwhelming,” she says. “I encourage all the students to watch with their family and friends and discuss it on social media.”