UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State reminds students to register to vote where they live while attending college or in their hometown for the upcoming municipal elections on Nov. 7.
Voter registration
The municipal election is open to all registered voters, regardless of party affiliation.
According to Pennsylvania election law, students have the right to register to vote in the Penn State-State College area — where they spend most of their time during the academic year — or in their hometown.
Students with a Pennsylvania Driver’s License or Identification Card
- Those who have a PA Driver’s License or PA Identification Card and wish to register in Pennsylvania can do so in a matter of minutes via the state voter services website. On-campus students should use their dorm address (e.g. XXX Pinchot Hall, University Park, PA 16802) for Section 5 and Commons mailing address (e.g. 119 Findlay Commons, University Park, PA, 16802) for Section 6 of the online and paper forms to help ensure successful registration.
Students without a Pennsylvania’s Driver’s License or Identification Card
- Students who do not have a PA Driver’s License or ID or call another state home are encouraged to print and complete a paper form to register or visit 103 HUB-Robeson Center for assistance. Out-of-state students can learn how to register to vote in their hometown at Vote.gov.
Oct. 23 is the last day for students to register to vote in the 2023 municipal election in Pennsylvania. Information on registration dates in other states can be found at VOTE411.
Students who are unsure if they are registered to vote can check their registration status online here for Pennsylvania voters and at Vote.gov for out-of-state voters.
Mail-in ballots
Mail-in or absentee ballots are another option. Pennsylvania permits mail-in ballots for anyone registered to vote in the state regardless of reason, but voters can opt for an absentee ballot to indicate their reason for not voting at the polls.
Pennsylvania has a form that allows a person to register to vote and request a mail-in ballot at the same time.
Mail-in and absentee ballot requests must be received by the appropriate county election office at 8 p.m. on Nov. 7. This can be done at the following link, by mailing in an application or by visiting the correct county election office.
Students seeking to vote by absentee ballot in another state can learn how to register at Vote.gov. Registration deadlines for other states are available at VOTE411.
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.
Local and state government decisions impact students’ lives in many ways. For example, local government makes decisions related to public transportation, parking regulations, zoning and apartment regulations, local police and public safety ordinances, and allocations for parks and recreation programs. 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.
Voting resources at Penn State
Student Leadership and Involvement, a unit in the division of Student Affairs, runs a program, "PSU Votes," which seeks to engage students in the voting process. Staff and student volunteers are available to help answer questions about voting and completing a registration form in 103 HUB.
Students have access to a Canvas module that serves as a step-by-step guide on how to register to vote, how a registered address impacts voting, resources for researching races, candidates, and issues, and more.
Faculty and staff and encouraged to download the Canvas module into their course spaces and review the Voting Resources by the General Education Faculty Scholars to understand how to best support student voting.