Casting Absentee Ballots

On November 5, 2024, Americans will cast their votes in the general election. Voters can choose to vote in person on election day, on early voting days or through absentee ballots if they are received in time for counting.

The general election is unique to each state. The presidential election will be included in all ballots. Elections of U.S. Senators, U.S. State Representatives as well as local amendments and taxes may also be included depending on voters’ registered precinct. Some Benedictine College students said they had never voted before while out-of-state. Others said they were unaware of the opportunity to vote out-of-state.

Some out-of-state students said they have only voted in their registered precinct.

Former Benedictine College student Drake Harrington said, “I have always made sure I was home to vote.” It is encouraged to vote locally, when possible, but absentee ballots allow citizens to vote while away.

Another former Benedictine student, Xochitl Deruise, said about absentee voting, “I don’t even know what that means.” Similar responses were given by several other students.

Many out-of-state college students are away from their registered voting precincts the first time they are eligible to vote. This means that a large number of younger voices will not be heard unless they take the measures necessary to vote out-of-state.
An absentee ballot is a ballot sent by mail to those who request and qualify to receive one. The absentee ballot contains the same information as those voting in-person within citizens’ registered precincts. This allows individuals to vote as if they were in-person. Because these ballots are sent by mail, voters must request them prior to the election date to provide enough time to receive, fill out and return them by mail. All ballots received after the deadline cannot be counted toward the voting results.
Nathan Orlando, Ph.D., assistant professor and chair of Political Science at Benedictine College, believes in the importance of student voting.

“Any citizen of at least 18-years old has not just the freedom but also the responsibility to vote and be informed on the issues covered on the ballot,” Orlando said.

Without sharing their voice with elected leaders, the people have no say in the future of the country on local, state and national levels.

Orlando said, “college-aged people and senior citizens tend to be the most politically active.” This means that these groups have the greatest likelihood of enacting change. “Without new ideas, often presented by young people, we stagnate.”

Orlando said a solid thinking point for students is how, “younger people will be on this planet longer than older generations.”

If citizens want to pave the best future for their generation, they have to speak up. While the most well-known United States election is the presidential election, it is also important to be educated and vote on lower-level issues during the general election. “Your vote matters more than you think it does,” Orlando said.

This is especially true on state or local issues. Voters have the power to enact the most change on lower-level elections as they cover smaller regions. Those issues also more directly affect citizens and the future of their hometown.

Benedictine College currently has more than 1,000 students attending from out-of-state according to Julia Lyons, the director of institutional research at Benedictine College.

“Out of our full-time undergraduate students there are 2,256 students total. Of that population, there are 1,824 that are not from Kansas,” she said.

The number of students from Benedictine alone carries substantial potential impact for the future of America. If all students vote, the voices of younger people carry more weight in the election; likewise, refrain from voting diminishes the weight of young voices.

While Benedictine statistics show the power students on their campus hold, that does not include the number of young, out-of-state student voices from other colleges nationwide that may or may not be heard.

It is students’ freedom and responsibility to take action toward paving their future through elections.

Most importantly, “get out and vote,” Orlando said.

If you are already registered to vote, click here to request your absentee ballot. It will take less than two minutes to fill out the information on this site and you will be directed to your specific state registration page. Be sure to do so as soon as state deadlines are approaching quickly.

It is easier to request a ballot now more than ever through online resources, so do your part, make your voice heard and help pave the future of America by voting today.