As October winds down, Americans begin to anticipate Election Day. Every year on the second Tuesday of November, American citizens show up to vote, an act long perceived as their civic duty. This year’s election is slated to be particularly contentious, with many vital policies on the ballot, including abortion rights. The overturning of Roe V. Wade in June 2022 left access to abortion care in the hands of state governments. Furthermore, against the backdrop of a mostly conservative Supreme Court, the longevity of various civil rights acts are at risk. For example, hearings regarding the Indian Child Welfare Act approach in early November. Regardless of a person’s stance on these issues, voting is an American hallmark of making one’s voice heard. Though 2022 is not a Presidential election year, it is still crucial to vote at the local level. Whether you plan on voting via mail-in ballot or in person, here is everything you need to know to be voter-ready for Tuesday, November 8.
Read moreFollowing Faculty Unionization Efforts: Administrator and Organizer Perspectives
The process of non-tenure track faculty unionization reaches its final stages with an election that will conclude on the 26th of September. Junior Jacob Smith speaks with Ruth McAdams, Teaching Professor of English and vocal advocate, as well Michael Orr, Dean of Faculty and Vice President for Academic Affairs, about ongoing unionization efforts and the current election.
Read moreA Guide to the 2020 Election
Casting Your Vote: In-Person and By Mail
Oh no! I’m not registered yet!
There is same-day registration in 21 states and D.C.: refer to the National Conference of State Legislature’s page on Same Day Voter Registration.
How to Vote In-Person in Saratoga Springs
If you are registered to vote at with your Skidmore address (a.k.a. in Saratoga Springs), you can vote:
Early in Gavin Park (10 Lewis Rd, Saratoga Springs) on Thursday, Oct 29th and Friday, Oct. 20th from 9 AM to 5 pm; Saturday, Oct. 31st and Sunday, Nov, 1st from 9 AM to 2 PM
On Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 3rd) in Case Center from 6 AM to 9 PM
On Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 3rd) at Saratoga Springs City Center (522 Broadway, Saratoga Springs) from 6 AM to 9 PM
State-by-State Deadlines for Absentee Ballots
Refer to U.S. Vote Foundation, vote.org, or your state’s Division of Elections.
Your Vote: What Does it Mean?
Presidential Election
For a brief overview of the Electoral College, I recommend the TED-Ed video, “Does your vote count? The Electoral College explained” (2012), which can be found on YouTube.
How many electors does each state have in 2020? (Image from Wikipedia)
This is also the number of congressional representatives in each state.
What are Faithless Electors and why might that be important?
There is no federal law or constitutional provision which binds the electors to the winner of the popular vote in their state. However, the precedent is that the party who elects the electors gets their votes.
There were seven faithless electors in 2016 (WA, HI, TX), the most since 1972.
July 2020: Supreme Court ruled that states could make a law which binds electors to the winning party. 31 states and D.C. have enacted such a law for the upcoming election.
For a fun novel about where the Electoral College could all go wrong (in an almost too-timely situation), check out The People’s Choice by Jeff Greenfield (1995).
Congress
Members of the House of Representatives and the Senate are elected by popular vote. Congressional districts are redrawn every ten years during the redistricting process. For more information on redistricting, see Ballotpedia's page on redistricting.
Voter Suppression
Voter suppression takes form in many ways, such as the wait time at polling places, the number of polling places in an area, and voter ID laws, and is seen across the country. It is crucial to pay attention to your state’s election rules and how they can suppress the voting rights of millions of people of color, persons with disabilities, immigrants, the elderly, and students. For a deeper look into voter suppression from a historical and legal perspective, watch the New York Times video, “Why Voting in This U.S. Election Will Not Be Equal” (2020). Also check out my 2019 Skidmore News article titled “How Student Voter Oppression is Upending Democracy” which is still incredibly relevant in this election. For a Skidmore News article about broader themes in this election, see the October 2020 article by Eleanor Ketterer-Sykes, “2020 Presidential Election: A Conversation with Professor Christopher Mann.”
"Pizzagate": Police Called on Skidmore's Polling Site
In an attempt to promote the event, Skidmore Democrats posted on Instagram and sent an email advertising pizza to anyone coming to vote. The incident, dubbed “Pizzagate” by students, raised questions as to whether there was a violation of election laws
Read moreResults of Saratoga County's 2019 Elections
On Nov. 5, citizens across the state of New York lined up to make their voices heard for the general election of 2019. Saratoga Springs was no exception, as local elections were held for the position of Commissioner of Finance, Mayor, Supervisor, Commissioner of Public Safety, and Commissioner of Public Works.
Read moreArt and Activism: National Voter Registration Day
The Tang Teaching Museum, Student Government Association, and For Freedoms, the new Tang exhibit, worked together to register Skidmore students to vote on Sept. 25. The event was part of SGA’s new Votemore initiative to counteract the confusing time that is Midterm Elections.
Read moreDying to Vote: Countering Strategic Efforts to Suppress Voting Rights
On Tuesday, Feb. 27, a lecture on voting rights in the United States was hosted by Chris Deluzio, a counsel of the Brennan Center for Justice’s democracy Program, who advocated for extending voting rights and implementing more effective methods.
Read more