We vote for people that are hurting more than us. We vote for people without what we have. We vote for our friends who can’t vote.
The impact of politics may seem inconsequential to some, but casting our votes can make all the difference for our friends who aren’t U.S. citizens, our neighbors who are working three jobs, and our Black classmates who fear violence at the hands of law enforcement.
Imagine yourself in their situations. Imagine sitting with their pain and their frustration with the political system. Then imagine being unable to vote to change that system.
If you can register to vote, do it. Request your absentee ballot, and send in your completed ballot. The amount of effort needed is minimal. There’s no excuse not to do it.
In the midst of a pandemic, voting by mail will be critical in this election. And at a place like UR, where the vast majority of students hail from outside of Monroe County, our campus community will rely almost entirely on absentee voting.
Many of our freedoms and privileges have been restricted during the pandemic. Our movements and actions have been restrained for the sake of something larger than ourselves. But if you’re eligible, you can still vote safely through the mail. If you’re eligible, you can participate in something larger than yourself.
Make the effort to vote absentee this fall.
Doing so is easier this year than it has ever been before. In response to the pandemic, states across the country have expanded voting by mail so that voters can safely cast their ballots.
The University has partnered with Democracy Works to make voting easier for students through TurboVote. Through rochester.turbovote.org, all student voters who wish to vote by mail can request their absentee ballot and sign up for election reminders regardless of the state in which they’re registered to vote.
For any official deadlines with respect to absentee ballots, it’s advisable to complete the request and return processes as soon as possible to ensure timely delivery.
We promise they’ll be some of the most consequential few minutes you’ve ever spent.
For more information regarding absentee ballots and elections in general, visit andrewgoodman.org/myvoteeverywhere/university-of-rochester/.
