UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — As the 2022 general election draws closer, Penn State students are reminded of the importance of taking part in their civic duty to vote.
The general election will take place Nov. 8. In Pennsylvania, voters will be selecting the next governor, a United States senator, and 228 seats across the state Senate and House of Representatives. These offices will determine government policy and law for the next two to six years.
Penn State has a website to assist students in the voter registration and voting process, PSU Votes.
Students can vote in person or via mail-in or absentee ballots. Pennsylvania permits mail-in ballots for anyone registered to vote in the state regardless of reason, but voters also can fill out an absentee ballot to indicate their reason for not voting at the polls if they so choose.
Mail-in and absentee ballot requests must be received by the appropriate county election office at 5 p.m. on Nov. 1. Mail-in and absentee ballot requests can be made at this link, by submitting an application for a mail-in ballot, or by visiting the correct county election office.
Students who are registered and will be voting in Centre Country can drop off their mail-in or absentee ballots in the ballot box by the Pollock Road entrance of the HUB-Robeson Center no later than 9 a.m. Monday, Nov. 7. Only Centre County ballots may be placed in the HUB-Robeson Center ballot box.
Ballots for other Pennsylvania counties must be mailed to the appropriate county elections office or deposited at their designated county drop-off location. Students registered and voting in Pennsylvania but outside of Centre County can check the location and collection deadlines of their county ballot box and drop-off locations here.
Students seeking to vote in another state can learn about their mail-in and absentee voting options at Vote.gov. Deadlines for other states are available at VOTE411.
Penn State University Libaries has put together the following library guides about the election:
How to find your polling location
Those voting in Centre County can find their polling location at the state voter services website or by entering their address at VOTE411. They can make use of the Centre Area Transportation Authoriy bus system if they need transportation to their polling site.
Students who live in on-campus housing at University Park will vote at the HUB-Robeson Center, except for those living in the White Course Apartments, who will vote at the nearby Weston Community Center.
All polling locations in Pennsylvania will be open for voting 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 8. Those voting for the first time must bring a valid form of ID with them, but this is not required for experienced voters. Acceptable forms of photo identification include a driver’s license, PennDOT ID, U.S. passport or Penn State ID. A full list of acceptable IDs is available here.
Why vote?
Voting in local, state and national elections is one of the most important duties of an engaged citizen. Young voters have the power to sway an election, as indicated by the 50% of people ages 18 to 29 who voted in the 2020 presidential election, according to the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement. At Penn State, 69% of students who were registered opted to vote in the 2020 election, landing the University at ninth place in voter turnout among the 14 Big Ten schools.
“First and foremost, voting is a primary civic duty,” said Tim Balliett, director of the Center for Character, Conscience and Public Purpose at Penn State. “Part of the mission of being a land-grant university is learning what it means to be a good citizen and participating and being civically minded. It’s a core part of who we are as Penn Staters.”
Local and state government decisions impact students’ lives in many ways. For example, local government makes decisions related to zoning and apartment regulations, local police and public safety ordinances, allocations for parks and recreation programs, public transportation, and parking regulations. Local elections also decide district and county judges who determine sentences for violations of the law and civil suits.
Penn State encourages eligible students to be engaged citizens by participating in elections and understanding the issues that affect them today and in the future.
Faculty resources
Faculty can play an important role in encouraging student voter turnout. Find nonpartisan resources to support student voting. Some things faculty can do include:
- Encourage students to register to vote during the first three weeks of October and point them toward appropriate resources.
- On the teaching resource website, complete the form to request to have someone come into your class to talk about registration and bring voter registration forms that students can complete.
- Point students to nonpartisan resources to see who will be on their ballots and learn about those candidates.
- Consider reminding students to make a plan to vote, including returning mail-in ballots or looking up their polling location and blocking off time to vote on their calendars.
- On Election Day, consider a quick reminder to vote.