Make your voice heard this Election Day, set for Tuesday, November 5. Voting in person on this day is your last chance to cast your ballot for the 2024 presidential election.
In the previous presidential election of 2020, student voter turnout reached an all-time high of 66%, as reported by the Institute for Democracy and Higher Education. Specifically, 73% of registered Temple students participated by casting their votes. If you’re registered, now is the time to devise a voting plan and encourage your friends to do the same.
If you’ve already voted by mail or by absentee ballot, you might be curious about how to confirm your ballot arrived. Whether you’re voting in person for the first time or have done it before, you might have questions about the process.
To help with this, we have answers to some common inquiries.
If you’re voting in person but feeling unsure about the process, start by verifying your polling location and the identification requirements in your state. There are multiple polling places near campus, and it’s essential to vote at the correct one. In Philadelphia, polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Pennsylvania requires identification only for first-time voters in their voting division. A list of acceptable IDs is available for reference.
On Election Day, head to your polling place and bring a form of identification (your OWLcard will suffice if you’re a Temple student). Temple Votes, an initiative led by students, faculty, administrators, and voter education organizations, is organizing a “parade to the polls.” Students registered with campus addresses can gather in their residence halls and go to polling sites together.
Be prepared for potentially long lines at polling places. Remember, as long as you are in line by 8 p.m., you’ll be able to vote! It may be wise to bring snacks and water. If you have concerns about fairness at your polling location, you can reach out to the Pennsylvania Department of State voter hotline at 877-868-3772.
Early voting in Pennsylvania is an option. You can vote early at your local election office or designated locations by completing the mail-in voting process there. Additionally, you can return a completed mail-in ballot at early voting centers. If you’re registered in Philadelphia, consider stopping by one of the 10 Satellite Election Offices to vote early. The nearest one to Temple is located at 2301 N. Broad St. Note that if you return your voted mail-in or absentee ballot, you cannot vote at your polling place on Election Day.
If you want to learn more about the candidates running, you can find nonpartisan candidate guides for the significant races in 2024 at guides.vote or on the Temple Votes website.
Moreover, classes will not be canceled on Election Day, so plan accordingly, especially if you don’t live near campus and need to allocate travel time.
Regarding mail-in voting, many states permit voters to submit their ballots by mail ahead of Election Day. Some states may require a valid reason to vote by mail, such as health issues or being an out-of-state college student, and these criteria differ by state along with deadlines for applying for mail-in ballots.
In Pennsylvania, all voters can vote by mail, with the deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot on October 29. Your completed ballot must arrive by 8 p.m. on Election Day and can be mailed or submitted in person at your County Election Office. Make sure to check the requirements and deadlines specific to your state.
If you’ve mailed in your ballot, you can track its status using a state-by-state guide. In Pennsylvania, voters have the option to track their mail-in ballot status.
For additional resources and events leading up to Election Day, visit Temple Votes.