BWW Blog: How to Not Throw Away Your Shot This Election

With just two weeks away until election day, there is no day but today to make sure you don't throw away your shot at utilizing your right to vote. If you couldn't tell just by that sentence, I am here to present you with a theatre lyric riddled comprehensive guide on all the ways you can help get out the vote.

Election day is in just no time at all, and registration deadlines are fast approaching (with some already having expired this past week). If you have yet to vote, check your registration at vote.org to make sure you're on the right track to be eligible on election day. Voting is truly one of the simple joys of democracy!

I love being on my own at times, but when it comes to voting, you can help make a pledge to triple the vote by bringing along several friends or family members to the polls with you. At the end of the day, it is up to us to check the people we love and make sure they are using their right to vote. In fact, I challenge you to look down on your phone right now and ask five people about their voting plan.

Thank goodness for voting by mail. One of the best things about being in college is that you have the option to vote from two different locations -- your on-campus address or your permanent home address. Deadlines for absentee ballot requests have also arrived this week, so be sure to reach out to your peers and check that they have a voting plan while at school. To know if your ballot has been sent for good, you can visit usvotefoundation.org to find your state's ballot tracking service, if applicable. Contact your local election authority if your state does not have ballot tracking state-wide. What is this feeling of being anxious to fill out your ballot that you're noticing? It's normal to get scared that you may do something bad on accident when filling out your ballot. However, this is a popular worry, especially among young voters. Be sure to read up on any specific regulations your state ballot requires, and fill it out next to a friend or family member so they can check you have completed everything correctly.

Another way to help get the vote out is to volunteer and work the polls on election day. A fun post-Halloween activity, poll working is a great way for young people to get involved in the election. I should tell you that there is training beforehand and some long working hours required on election day, but the polling locations will be over the moon to have new volunteers. COVID-19 has led to an extreme decrease of poll-workers, as many of the usual volunteers are of an older age and at high risk. Without you, these polling locations may not be able to open. Visit www.powerthepolls.org to find out how you can help work the polls on election day.

This is not a moment, it's a movement, and it's up to the youth of this country to determine what comes next. There are less than 14 days left to get the vote out, and it's time we rise up amid every burden and every disadvantage. It is easy to feel helpless when you are young, especially in this current moment of our country. But remember how lucky we are to be alive right now, during a time when we are given the power to use our voice and vote. We must not stand to the

side, but take a stand with pride. Commit to tripling the vote, check-in with your friends and family about their voting plan, volunteer at the polls if you are able to, and make sure to get your vote out as early as possible.

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