Voting provides a platform to feel empowered and exercise self-agency, with voters having stronger social connections to friends and family than non-voters. 

#1 Reason people didn’t vote in 2016 was dislike of the candidates or campaign issues. To learn why your ballot is important, check out HuffPost - 7 Reasons You Should Vote in This Year's Elections. For those who are still skeptical about voting and need more information about how all this works, here’s a 5-minute TED talk: Does Your Vote Count? The Electoral College Explained.

The general election (which includes a ballot for the president/vice president) is on November 3. The last day to register in Texas is October 5. Early Voting is Oct 17- Oct 30.

For a list of polling locations, including early voting, 24-hour voting, and drive-thru voting, please visit Harris Votes. Be aware of the forms of ID you’ll need to vote. You have options, even if your ID is expired. Go to Vote Texas for more information regarding registration and ID requirements.

For the out-of-state students, you can still vote. If you don’t choose to re-register in Texas, check your state’s rules for Mail-In or Absentee voting: https://www.usa.gov/election-office.

Don’t let this overwhelm you. There is a network of students who are voter registrars and happy to help. Watch out for their registration drives and feel free to contact Niki Khandheria, MS4 or Amy Mullikin, MS4.