NationStates Jolt Archive

Ok, so I belong to the generation that everyone wants to vote. I am a young adult, and everywhere around me, I am being told that my vote matters, and if our generation voted, we could change things. Some rapper is telling me to vote or die. Do any of these people realize how hard it is for a college student who doesn't live at home to vote? Let me tell you what I had to go through.

First, I had to register, but I couldn't register at college, because this is not my permanent residence. So I had to wait to make the 8 hour trip home to register. That was about a year and a half ago. Now that I am registered, it shouldn't be too hard to vote, right?

Wrong. Now I have to get an absentee ballot, but not from here, because I don't live here. I have to write a letter saying why I need a ballot, then my local office will send me a form to say I want an absentee ballot. Then I send that back to the local office, and they will send me a ballot. Then I send the ballot back to them, and if it gets there in time, I get to be counted for the election. If not, screw me, I don't get to vote.

Now, some may say that I should have sent my information in sooner, but why should voting be a three week ordeal? And why should I have to spend fifteen bucks to send three letters, just so I can vote? No wonder our generation has the greatest voter apathy!

Well, at least I don't have to deal with electronic ballots and/or anything in Flordia. That's my rant, thanks for listening.

Ok, so I belong to the generation that everyone wants to vote. I am a young adult, and everywhere around me, I am being told that my vote matters, and if our generation voted, we could change things. Some rapper is telling me to vote or die. Do any of these people realize how hard it is for a college student who doesn't live at home to vote? Let me tell you what I had to go through.

First, I had to register, but I couldn't register at college, because this is not my permanent residence. So I had to wait to make the 8 hour trip home to register. That was about a year and a half ago. Now that I am registered, it shouldn't be too hard to vote, right?

Wrong. Now I have to get an absentee ballot, but not from here, because I don't live here. I have to write a letter saying why I need a ballot, then my local office will send me a form to say I want an absentee ballot. Then I send that back to the local office, and they will send me a ballot. Then I send the ballot back to them, and if it gets there in time, I get to be counted for the election. If not, screw me, I don't get to vote.

Now, some may say that I should have sent my information in sooner, but why should voting be a three week ordeal? And why should I have to spend fifteen bucks to send three letters, just so I can vote? No wonder our generation has the greatest voter apathy!

Well, at least I don't have to deal with electronic ballots and/or anything in Flordia. That's my rant, thanks for listening.
A lot of peopl around the world would gladly spend 15 dollars to vote, you should count yourself lucky.

Moral of the story: don't vote. Let us take care of things and you'll be fine. :)

Well, the good news is that in four years I'll have a permanent address, so I won't have to go through all of this again. I guess I can forget about local elections. This is all considering that we even have elections four years after Bush or Kerry is put into office.

What's your problem? Are you living in a dorm or something? Just use your apartment address and vote where you go to school. There's probably even a precinct on campus, as schools are popular polling places. So what you live somewhere else for a couple of months.

What's your problem? Are you living in a dorm or something? Just use your apartment address and vote where you go to school. There's probably even a precinct on campus, as schools are popular polling places. So what you live somewhere else for a couple of months.
I think that causes problems, I haven't looked into it closely. Plus, it can be beneficial to register at home and vote absentee, such as in my case. I go to school in New York (solid Kerry) but my home is in Pennsylvania (major swing state). Of course, it is a pain in the ass. I still haven't got my absentee ballot in the mail, and it has to be postmarked by Tuesday. So if i don't get it tomorrow, I have to call up the courthouse at home and get them to overnight a ballot to me. They told me on like friday that it was on its way. Hopefully tomorrow. *fingers crossed*

I think the lesson here is that it is time to "stick it to da man." I say we go, round up all the politicans, have them all shot, and use their bodies to create enough fertilizer to allow the 3rd world nations to become self-sufficient in food production. Bam! World Hunger is ended, and we have fewer assholes. Then, we can all vote to make Jon Stewart President, and put this controversy to rest. Also, the only people who will qualify for government positions from this time on will consist of comedians and radio DJs.

I just think it makes more sense usually to vote for local officials in the place you will be most affected by them. City councils enact laws in college towns to control the students. If more students voted at school, they could help shape their whole college experience.
Even though the presidential race is foremost in everyone's mind now, local and state elections are important too.
I'm glad you voted. Too many people don't and we end up with crappy leaders. I'm really depressed to think that Bush and Kerry are the best America can come up with.

When I lived in the dorms in college, I used my dorm address as my voter registry address and they never hassled me. I voted every May and November and probably heard the "hanging chads" speech about six times, since we use punch-card ballots.

A lot of peopl around the world would gladly spend 15 dollars to vote, you should count yourself lucky.
And a lot of people don't have to spend any money to vote. The fact that some people have it worse is no reason to leave minor problems unsolved. I just wonder why you have to register in the first place.