As one of the most controversial elections in U.S. history appraches, it is more important than ever to throw your two cents into the mix. Women only got the right to vote in the last 100 years, and it's an incredible privilege to live in a country where you can take part in electing your own leaders. We don't want you to miss out on that chance, and neither does VotePlz, a nonprofit, nonpartisan initiative that wants to help YOU get registered to vote in time for the election. Read on for some fun facts you may not have known about your fundamental right to vote!
1. You can win money just by getting your friends to check their registration status.
Yes, this really is true—VotePlz is giving away over $1 million in prizes in their sweepstakes! When you check if you’re registered to vote on VotePlz, you’ll get a referral link that you can pass on to friends, so they can check their status too. Once at least one person uses that link to check their registration, you’ll be entered into the sweepstakes, and you’ll get additional entries (one per referral) up to 25. The prizes are incredible—20 grand prize winners will each receive up to $50,000 in student loan forgiveness, up to $50,000 in college scholarships or $25,000 in cash. And 2,000 second prize winners will get a $20 prepaid gift card.
2. If all eligible millennials voted, they would make up one third of the voting population.
The millennial vote is one of the most important voting blocs in this election, because we're the generation that will be primarily affected by the decision. We need to keep in mind that we're going to have this new president for the next four to eight years—and the repurcussions of this presidency, in the form of policy, could affect us for many years after that. As the youngest voters, we need to consider issues such as what health care systems we want in place for us and our children, how we want our government to handle the growing environmental crisis, how new leadership can make the economy work better for us, and what we want education to look like in the future. Millennials have surpassed Baby Boomers as the largest living generation in the United States, but in 2012, millennials made up only 19 percent of the electorate—a mere half of the Baby Boomer voter turnout (38 percent), according to a study by the Pew Research Center. That's pretty pathetic. Millennials need to take advantage of their rank as the largest voting demographic, proving wrong those who say we're the least likely generation to vote. It's our future, we should have a say in it!
3. You can get paid time off to vote.
Did you know that in over 20 states, some employees scheduled to work on November 8 are guaranteed to receive paid time off to vote? Yes, voting is so important that in some cases your employer has to let you leave work early to do it. This is especially great because it means you can potentially visit the polls at a time when there won't be a massive line—such as at the very end of the day, when you risk not making it before the polls close. Check out the VotePlz website to see if your state provides paid time off or unpaid time off to vote.
4. You can vote from your bed.
In these modern days, you really can't use laziness as an excuse not to vote. With the use of an absentee ballot, you can vote early by mail. This means you don't have to go outside, wait on lines, or feel the pressure of pressing the button in the poll booth. In 2012, more than 35 percent of votes were cast early either by mail or in person. An absentee ballot is a common option for college students who will not be near their polling location on the first Tuesday in November. If you are eligible to vote but don't think you can make it to the polls in person, you can request an absentee ballot from your state in some cases. They mail you a paper ballot, you take your time filling it out from the comfort of your own home (without having to put pants on), and you put the completed ballot back in the mail before election day. Make sure you check your state's rules—some have deadlines for when the ballot is postmarked or received. TBH, no pants voting is the best voting.
5. Voting for president is important, but voting local is where the magic really happens.
Interestingly enough, Trump vs. Hillary isn't the only decision you can make on Nov. 8. In fact, many of the issues you have an opinion about are probably decided by state and local officials, not just federal leaders. For example, making a change in education near you can be impacted by electing certain people to the state senate or the local school board. On the other hand, major economic and foreign policy issues operate on a federal level, so your presidential vote would make more of a difference there. Get informed about what exactly you could be deciding in November and cast your vote up and down the ballot!
6. You have rights as a voter.
It is important to know what you're getting yourself into when you enter the poll booth. Like many collegiettes, this may be your first election. VotePlz wants to make sure you know exactly what to expect when you head off to cast your vote. For example, if you get in line before the polls close, you cannot be turned away—you will still be able to cast your vote (this is good to know if you're in a state that doesn't require paid time off for voting!). Also, if you're registered but your name is not on the list, you can still vote—you will simply vote using a provisional ballot. You can also be super sneaky by casting a secret ballot so no one bothers you while you're voting. Know your rights, voters!
Remember, millennials like us can change the conversation and control our future, and we have the right and responsibility to do so. VotePlz wants to help you register and vote in whatever way is most convenient for you. So check out their website for more information and take those polls by storm in November!
