Voting at Oberlin

The midterm elections are rapidly approaching next Fall which got me thinking about the ways in which students can get involved with all things voting on campus. Whether you’re just looking to learn more about the voting process or want to get involved with political activism on campus, here are a few helpful tips for voting season at Oberlin! 

1. You can register to vote in Ohio! Make sure you have the address of your dorm, a passport, and your social security number handy. You don’t need to have a permanent address or drivers license in Ohio to register, which I think is important to know. Oftentimes during first-year orientation there are community members floating around campus to help you register to vote if you would like to, and they return to campus around elections as well. You do not need to re-register each year you are in Ohio, but you will need to update your address should you change dorms.
2. Get involved with OC Votes! This is a great organization on campus that provides students with various resources to engage in, and learn about, voting. Students can pick up voter registration forms, absentee ballots, as well as various other resources that aid students in learning about candidates and political platforms. OC Votes also offers programming and workshops for students to learn more about voting, such as how to request an absentee ballot and how to become more engaged with leadership and civic activism on campus. 
3. Learn more about your ballot! The Oberlin Review often provides election guides for students which include information about each candidate such as their background, political priorities, and any commentary they provide to Oberlin Review staff members. There is also a local organization called the League of Women Voters of Lorain County that is involved with voting on Oberlin's campus that provides students with a ballot guide as well. Their website has a cool feature where you can create your own ballot after you research candidates, which makes it super easy and quick to vote in person because you don’t have to remember all the names of the candidates you chose. 
4. Vote close to campus! The polling place I usually go to is the Oberlin Enrichment and Activities Center. It’s about a ten-minute walk away from campus, which makes it very accessible. You don’t have to vote in person (many students prefer absentee voting), however I just really love the feeling of filling out a ballot with one of those ballpoint pens and getting an ‘I Voted’ sticker. But maybe that’s just me.
5. Oberlin is a Voter Friendly Campus. This means that Oberlin has committed to increasing civic engagement on campus. This is done through promoting access to voter registration and education, offering volunteer opportunities through community-based organizations, and making various political internships and programming available for students. 
6. Read the Campus Digest! Life can get busy and sometimes things slip our mind. However, the daily student newsletter reminds students of when election day and early voting is, as well as opportunities to get involved with voting on campus. Make sure you skim over it every morning to make sure you never miss any important information!

I hope this helps! My very first election was on Oberlin's campus and I know I was a bit nervous about finding out where to vote, and getting accurate and accessible information on Ohio candidates. Oberlin truly does a great job of making voting easy for students, as well as ways to be politically active and engaged on campus all year long!