By Sarah Hall
Editor
For a country that prides itself on democracy, the United States is terrible at voting.
Voter turnout for the presidential election in 2016 was the third highest since the voting age was lowered to 18 in 1971 — and still, less than two-thirds of eligible voters went to the polls, a number far lower than most modern democracies. In New York, the numbers were even worse. Just 52.4 percent of eligible voters headed to the voting booth in 2016.
When it comes to midterm elections, the picture is much bleaker. Nationwide, voter turnout in 2014 was 36.7 percent, while in New York, it was just 28.2 percent.
So what happens when we don’t vote?
“In a democracy, you elect representatives that represent you,” said Joan Durant, voter service director for the League of Women Voters of the Syracuse Metropolitan Area. “If you’re not part of that process, they’re not representing you, and they have no allegiance to you.”
That’s why, Durant said, it’s so important to register to vote. In New York, the deadline to register to vote on Nov. 6 is Friday, Oct. 12.
So who can vote, and how do you register?
To register to vote, you must:
- be a United States citizen
- be 18 years old by Dec. 31 of the year in which you register
- be a resident of this state and the county, city or village for at least 30 days before the election
- not be in prison or on parole for a felony conviction (unless parolee pardoned or restored rights of citizenship)
- not be adjudged mentally incompetent by a court
- not claim the right to vote elsewhere
Those who meet the qualifications can register at their county board of elections (Onondaga County Board of Elections is located at 1000 Erie Blvd. W., Syracuse; Madison County Board of Elections is located in the County Office Building in Wampsville) or DMV office. If you already have a state driver’s license, you can register through the DMV website. Forms can also be obtained by calling 1-800-FOR-VOTE or at elections.state.ny.us/NYSBOE/download/voting/voteform_enterable.pdf (a Spanish version is also available) and mailed in.
Heather Waters, LWV membership director, said there can be surprising barriers to registration. For example, because the Board of Elections requires a signature on file, first-time registrants have to either go to an office or mail in a form.
“Young people, whether they’re at a high school or in a rural area, they’re wondering, ‘Where am I going to get a stamp?’” she said. “It’s kind of amazing, the little mini-obstacles that stand in the way of getting it done.”
However, there are resources to help in that regard. Turbovote.org will pre-fill election paperwork and send it to you with a pre-stamped envelope; all you have to do is sign it and send it in to the state. The site also sends text message reminders to vote, lets you know if you’re already registered and sends an absentee ballot (again, with a stamped envelope) if you need one.
“I know it works really well, because I’ve got a granddaughter that’s used it for four years now,” Durant said.
Waters said it’s especially important for young people to get out and vote.
“The policies that are being made are actually impacting them more than anyone else, and they have the lowest turnout percentage of all groups,” she said. “Their voice is completely missing from most of the policy-making, yet for issues like climate change which we know as demographic they’re ten times more engaged with and passionate about.”
And for those that say their voice doesn’t make a difference, Durant pointed to the recent confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
“We’ve seen things on television last week, where when [politicians] heard stories directly from women, one senator changed the course of how things were going. And he came back and said, ‘I’ll only vote if…’,” she said. “So I think that that was a powerful lesson that your voice does matter.”
For more information, visit the New York State Board of Elections at elections.state.ny.us or contact the League of Women Voters at [email protected].
Absentee ballots
If you’re not going to be home on Election Day, you will need to apply for an absentee ballot to vote. In New York state, you qualify for an absentee ballot if you are:
- Absent from your county or, if a resident of New York City absent from said city, on Election Day.
- Unable to appear at the polls due to temporary or permanent illness or disability; or because you are the primary caregiver of one or more individuals who are ill or physically disabled.
- A resident or patient of a Veterans Health Administration Hospital.
- Detained in jail awaiting Grand Jury action or confined in prison after conviction for an offense other than a felony.
You can download an absentee ballot from your local board of elections or from the New York State Board of Elections (elections.state.ny.us/NYSBOE/download/voting/AbsenteeBallot-English.pdf). A Spanish version is also available on the site. Completed applications must be postmarked by Oct. 30 or delivered in person by Nov. 5. Ballots can also be requested by mail from your county BOE.
League of Women Voters Membership Director Heather Waters said college students should be sure to get absentee ballots.
“It’s a great practice to be in, because no matter where you are, whatever your legal address is, that’s where your ballot is,” Waters said.
For more information, visit elections.state.ny.us/VotingAbsentee.html.
