Accessing Absentee Ballots by Tyler Chaput

With the 2008 Presidential Election rapidly approaching, it is vital that the youth of our country do all they can to make sure their voted is counted. Over the past few elections, the college-aged demographic of this country has been continuously criticized by our elders for being too apathetic. With the evolution of the internet, college students no longer have an excuse not to participate. On Tuesday, November 4, 2008, the country will be electing a new leader that will hopefully better this country overall.

Some student will have the ability that day to make it home in order to vote. Those who cannot make it home to vote should not use that as an excuse for not voting. By going to www.fvap.gov a student that is unable to make it home during the scheduled voting hours can register for an absentee ballot. After filling out the absentee ballot, the student will mail their vote to the location of their town’s election official. Students also could have filled out an absentee ballot for the elections earlier this year.

One Quinnipiac University student, Matt Pellicane, filled out an absentee ballot so he could vote in New Jersey’s Primary Election in February. Pellicane says “I simply went to my county clerk’s office and picked one up there while I was home.” For Pellicane, the process was quite easy.

Another student, Tim Herre, had some difficulty with obtaining an absentee ballot. Herre says, “I called and e-mailed the office where the ballots were but I was never contacted back.” Herre continued to say, “I think it’s kind of ridiculous that they always criticize our generation for not voting and then when we try to get a ballot we’re not called back.”

Clearly there are still glitches in the system if you plan on voting in this year’s election. The most sure-fire way to obtain a ballot is to go to your county clerk’s office, but if there is no time, visit www.fvap.gov.