Virginia voter registration deadline approaches

For voters in Virginia, the Oct. 15 deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 6 presidential election is quickly approaching.

Recognizing the importance of getting students involved in the election, Liberty University launched a campus-wide campaign on Sept. 22 to register students to vote.
According to the university website, the campaign has netted more than 3,200 new voter registration forms as of Sept. 26.

University officials want students to understand that voting in Lynchburg could have a big impact on the amount of tuition that they have to pay. Because of this, the university has provided opportunities for students to register with easy access to forms on tables in DeMoss and Green Hall through Oct. 10.

While the university likes students to vote in Virginia, some choose to vote in their home states by way of absentee ballot.

According to longdistancevoter.com, absentee voting is conducted by mail-in ballot before the day of the election. All 50 states will mail a ballot to voters who meet certain conditions. The voters may return the ballot in person or by mail. Some states will let voters apply for an absentee ballot in person before the election and then vote that same day.

There are 21 states that require voters to provide an excuse for voting by absentee ballot, according to longdistancevoter.com. The District of Columbia, along with 27 other states, offers no-excuse absentee voting. Students living temporarily at college have an excuse for voting by absentee ballot. It is simply a matter of making the decision to vote from their home state or the state where they attend school. Liberty argues that it is important for students to vote in Virginia because this is where they spend the majority of their time and money.

Either way, students looking to have their voices heard can make their votes count on Nov. 6. Deadlines are quickly approaching for those who want to register.